What you need to know about new Titans GM Ran Carthon

BY MICHAEL GALLAGHER

Tennessee Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk knew exactly what she wanted in her next general manager, and she didn’t stop searching until she found someone who checked all of the boxes.

The Titans are expected to hire San Francisco 49ers director of player personnel Ran Carthon to be their next general manager, sources close to the situation confirmed to the Post.

“We want someone who is an exceptional talent evaluator, exceptional at roster building and someone who is an excellent decision maker,” Adams Strunk said last week.

Carthon certainly fits the bill.

He helped assemble one of the most complete rosters from top to bottom in San Francisco, which had the third-most Pro Bowl selections this season (six) and 24 Pro Bowl selections since he joined the team. San Francisco has also appeared in a Super Bowl (2019) and an NFC Championship game (2021) during his tenure.

Carthon joined the 49ers as their director of pro personnel, where he spent the last six seasons running the team’s pro scouting department as well as overseeing free agency, trades and waiver claims.

Some of SF’s notable moves under Carthon include acquiring Pro Bowl tackle Trent Williams, Pro Bowl guard Laken Tomlinson and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, signing former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman and trading former Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner for the 13th overall pick in the 2020 draft.

Carthon had his first interview with the Titans on Friday and his second interview on Tuesday. News of his hiring broke just hours later. Carthon had interviewed for GM positions the Chicago Bears, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers

The 49ers will receive compensatory third-round draft picks in 2023 and 2024 under the Rooney Rule for helping to develop minority coaches and GMs.

Tennessee also interviewed Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham,

Deciding the future of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, tackle Taylor Lewan, linebacker Bud Dupree and receiver Robert Woods, plus jumping in on contract negotiations with Jeffery Simmons, David Long and Nate Davis are among the items on Carthon’s lengthy to-do list.

This story first appeared in our sister publication Nashville Post.