No, Chris Johnson, a new coach doesn't mean a new lease on Vince Young's Tennessee Titans life.
Mike Munchak, who replaced Jeff Fisher as the Titans' coach two months ago, reiterated Thursday that the team will cut ties with the quarterback when it can.
"That was a decision made months ago, and nothing that is going to happen personnel-wise, or how the draft goes, is going to change that," Munchak told the *Tennessean*. "It wasn't just a Jeff Fisher decision -- I think people kind of have that feeling because it happened back then, we could change our decision."
That's likely how Johnson saw it. The Titans' star running back said last week that he believed Young could return because "a lot of things have changed in the last few months."
"At first, it was set in stone when Coach Fisher was here, because he didn't want Vince back," Johnson said. "It was an either-or situation then. Now that Coach Fisher is gone, everything is up in the air. We'll just see what happens."
According to Munchak, what will happen is the Titans trading or releasing Young, as they announced in January that they would. The team can't make a move until the league and its players reach a new collective bargaining agreement.
"It was a company decision, so obviously we aren't going to change that decision," Munchak told the Tennessean. "We are standing by that decision. What's been done is best for everybody."
With Young, a 2006 first-round draft pick, out of the picture, the Titans need a quarterback. Munchak didn't rule out the possibility of veteran Kerry Collins returning -- "It is something we'll address when the time comes," the coach said -- but many people believe Tennessee will use the No. 8 overall pick in next week's draft on a signal-caller.
Auburn's Cam Newton, Nevada's Colin Kaepernick and Florida State's Christian Ponder are among the quarterback prospects who have visited the Titans. Missouri's Blaine Gabbert, Arkansas' Ryan Mallett, TCU's Andy Dalton and Washington's Jake Locker are other possibilities.
"The fact that we have done the homework will help us in the process when we get to the quarterbacks," Munchak said. "But we also have to decide which position we going to address first."