The New York Giants and Tennessee Titans are having a crazy, mixed-up, intertwined NFL offseason.
Former Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll and two of his assistants, Carmen Bricillo and Shea Tierney, are now Titans’ assistant coaches. Former Titans’ head coach Brian Callahan and two of his assistants, Dennard Wilson and Frank Bush, are now Giants’ assistant coaches.
Advertisement
Matt Nagy, the front-runner to take Callahan’s old spot as Titans’ head coach, did not get that job. He got the Giants’ offensive coordinator job, and Callahan now works for him.
There are a number of Titans’ and Giants’ free agent players who could also be changing sides this offseason.
Chris Belcher of the Bleav in Titans podcast dropped by the ‘Valentine’s Views’ podcast on YouTube to discuss all of this craziness. Listen to the full episode above. Some of the major takeaways are below.
Brian Callahan in a ‘great spot’
[NOTE: You can hear most of this starting at the 7:06 mark]
Former Giants head coach Brian Daboll is now in Tennessee as offensive coordinator. There, he will work with Cam Ward, the quarterback the Giants tried and failed to move up for in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Advertisement
Former Titans head coach Brian Callahan is now the Giants’ quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator. in New Jersey, Callahan will help guide Jaxson Dart, the quarterback Daboll was largely responsible for the Giants trading up to select after they could not get Ward.
It is a bit weird. Could it be, though, that both coaches are now in roles more suitable to their skillsets?
Belcher told me he believes Callahan is in a “great spot” with the Giants.
Callahan has been an assistant coach on teams quarterbacked by Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford, Derek Carr, and Joe Burrow.
Belcher said he “could not agree more” that quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator, a role where he can work directly with quarterbacks, might be what Callahan is best-suited for.
Advertisement
“You look at his track record of working with Peyton Manning, Joe Burrow, Matt Stafford, etc., etc., and we don’t exactly know what his role was with those quarterbacks. We know that he wasn’t exactly calling plays. We know he was essentially the offensive analyst slash quarterback’s coach slash work with the offensive coordinators, work with the play callers, what have you at various stops,” Belcher said. “But we know that those quarterbacks have had lots of success over the years. So Callahan has talent when it comes to that, for sure.”
Belcher said Callahan was “way too far in over his head” as a head coach.
“The one thing that always stood out in my mind about Brian Callahan’s introductory press conference with the Titans is the point he drove home [about] the importance of his relationship with the quarterback. He wants to be in lock in step with that quarterback every every minute of every day. Off the field, on the field, doesn’t matter,” Belcher said. “So, I think removing the head coach responsibilities allows him to invest in an already explosive Jaxson Dart.
“I think the table is set nicely for Callahan’s situation in New York.”
Advertisement
Dennard Wilson ‘is going to be great’
[NOTE: This section starts at 21:56]
There are Giants fans who wonder what John Harbaugh was thinking when he hired Dennard Wilson to be the team’s defensive coordinator. After all, the Titans went 3-14 last season and finished 28th in the NFL in points allowed. They did not exactly have a great defense.
“The Titans had a really good defense in 2024. And a lot of people just look at their record and look at the points that they gave up in 2025 and say they had a crappy defense. They didn’t have a crappy defense,” Belcher said. “I think what hurt the Titans the most, and there is clear evidence, go look it up, the injuries. They couldn’t keep guys healthy. They lost four starters in the secondary in a half of a football game this year. Halfway through the season, lost two starting safeties and two starting corners in the first half of a ball game, and they were out for the whole year.
Advertisement
“Dennard Wilson can’t get out there and play for them. He can only coach the guys that are available.”
Wilson worked for Harbaugh with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023, and Belcher defended Harbaugh hiring him to run the Giants’ defense.
“I didn’t want to let Dennard go because he he made a lot of lemonade out of what he was given,” Belcher said. “And I think he’s going to be great in New York.”
Caleb Downs a ‘no-brainer’
[NOTE: Belcher’s comments regarding Downs begin at 27:30]
Wilson was a safety as a player. John Harbaugh has coached Brian Dawkins, Ed Reed, and Kyle Hamilton. We ended up discussing whether or not Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was a fit for the Giants at No. 5.
Advertisement
“Kyle Hamilton in four years has arguably become the best safety in the NFL and he did that under under a guy who knows a thing or two about being a great safety in the NFL. So I think Caleb Downs has all the talent in the world. I previously worked for CBS and I worked a lot in the high school recruiting and followed guys into college and Caleb Downs even in high school was just off the charts. This guy’s going to be insane, and then he got to college and he proved everybody right.
“So I think if if you’re looking for a spot in the secondary and you marry that with a Dennard Wilson, former safety, you marry that with that defensive coordinator, I think it’s a no-brainer for the Giants.”
Giants free agents to Tennessee?
[NOTE: This part of our discussion began at about the 30:57 mark]
Advertisement
With coaches criss-crossing from Tennessee to New York and vice versa, it makes sense that a few free agents will do the same. Belcher and I discussed the three main Giants’ free agents — right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, and cornerback Cor’Dale Flott.
Here are Belcher’s thoughts on those three players:
Eluemunor …
Belcher said Eluemunor “sounds interesting,” but admitted that JC Latham is the right tackle and the Titans are unlikely to move him.
“Would Jermaine be able to switch inside? Would he play guard at this point in his career?,” Belcher asked.
The answer is that he could as he has played guard before. The question is whether we would. He has been against that idea in the past and told me during the season that he had no interest in moving inside to allow the Giants to play Marcus Mbow at right tackle.
Advertisement
Eluemunor feels right tackle is his best position, and he feels he has earned the right to play where he is best-suited.
Would he play guard for Bricillo? The ex-Giants coach’s presence in Tennessee might be the only thing that would entice Eluemunor to do that. Eluemunor and Bricillo have been together in New England, Las Vegas, and New York.
Robinson …
“As a Kentucky fan, Wan’Dale Robinson sounds lovely to me,” Belcher said. “But I feel like that position is sort of filled with Chimere Dike, who was a Pro Bowler in his rookie season and led the NFL on all purpose yards.
“As much as I would like Robinson, I don’t think they go for him.”
Advertisement
Flott …
Belcher thinks there is a chance Tennessee would be interested in Flott.
“I think there’s always a chance because the Titans need corner help obviously. Because they need help everywhere, especially if they cut L’Jarius Sneed from this crazy, ridiculous contract [four years, $76 million] that they signed him to. Then we’re going to need some help. Now, because the defense the defensive minds from the Giants aren’t necessarily coming to Tennessee I wonder if they would take a look at that, but corner is certainly a spot of need and I’m open to any and all suggestions, any and all talent that you might be able to throw at me.”
Titans free agents to New York?
[NOTE: This section begins at 38:40]
Advertisement
I was particularly interested in Belcher’s thoughts on Tennessee tight end Chig Okonkwo and defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day.
Joseph-Day …
Belcher said Joseph-Day, who will be 31 this season, is a “prime candidate” to join Wilson in New York.
“I think a lot of his production came because of how good Jeff Simmons was playing. How many double teams that Jeff Simmons drew and just the attention that he was getting really opened up the game for Sebastian Joseph Day,” Belcher said. “I think he’s a really good defensive lineman and I think you pair him with Dexter Lawrence and you put him on the same defense with Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux and I think he can he can make noise.”
Advertisement
Okonkwo …
Daniel Bellinger and Chris Manhertz are free agents, and Theo Johnson is tantalizingly talented but frustratingly inconsist.
“Dude moves and looks like Kyle Pitts without being called Kyle Pitts,” Belcher said. “Dude is one of the fastest tight ends in the NFL. Dude has just incredible moves, can get off the ball, and why doesn’t he getthe attention that other guys get? Because he plays in Tennessee. That’s why.”
Okonkwo has more than 50 receptions in each of the last three seasons.
Belcher said he believes the Titans will try to keep Okonkwo, who is entering his age 27 season.
“That’s a nice dynamic weapon for New York if you can if you can bring him in,” Belcher said. “I know that Callahan did some nice things with him. I know that the previous regime did some nice things with him. He just needs the right situation to be able to thrive.”
