NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans have appeared hell bent on the status quo so far this offseason, with Ken Whisenhunt losing one low-level assistant and making no changes.
I suspect the wait for the big addition he's going to unveil soon will be worth it.
Dick LeBeau, the defensive mastermind behind a good share of the Pittsburgh Steelers' success in the early 1990s and also from 2004-14, is reportedly joining the Titans.
Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report that it is expected to happen. One source tells me "it looks good" and a second said "it's heading that direction." Another source confirmed to ESPN.com that it's happening.
The 77-year-old LeBeau is beloved by his players, one of whom, Ray Horton, went on to work for him as a coach and is now the Titans' defensive coordinator. LeBeau worked for three years in Pittsburgh with Ken WHisenhunt and a total of 19 years with Horton.
How they split up duties remains to be seen, but I can't foresee an issue for Horton, who speaks reverently about LeBeau and has installed his scheme.
It's a coup for the Titans and something I hoped they could get done as soon as LeBeau became available.
I've not seen any questions about LeBeau's energy or sharpness. The Steelers moved away from him largely because they wanted to reward coordinator-in-waiting Keith Butler, who has been patient while being held back from other opportunities.
Under Horton the defense was labeled a hybrid front, but the base was very much a 3-4 though it didn't ask its best guys, notably end Jurrell Casey, to play two gaps and allow linebackers to make the plays.
I don't expect the Titans will be changing Casey's responsibilities considering he's the team's one standout player on defense.
The new league year doesn't start until March 10, so personnel changes to upgrade the team can't start until then. The Titans hold the second pick in the first round of the draft.
Now, fans of the Titans have something to chew on and be excited about ahead of that.