The Tennessee Titans are a rebuilding operation and though head coach Brian Callahan had to go home to eat humble pie following an embarrassment of a 3-14 season, the front office has not stepped back from casting candidates for GM position. Among the names? No one less than Tennessee Hall of Famer (and Dolphins owner) Reggie McKenzie.

McKenzie, the guy who whipped the Raiders into shape (goodbye playoffs, 2016! ), is now the Titans’ frontrunner for GM, per national reporter Diana Russini. Titans fans hope his gold touch comes to Nashville as McKenzie’s résumé calls out a “proven playmaker” in the front office. And come on, the Titans really need a guy that can pick up on talent and, uh, win.

Callahan is not exactly exhilarated in the interim, after winning the No. 1 draft pick. “It’s embarrassing,” he admitted. Now that McKenzie may make the final call, what about the Titans: does the franchise get their “Burrow-Chase” combination in the draft? Time—and Reggie—might tell.

Reggie McKenzie: The Titans’ GM Savior in the Making?

McKenzie had been a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills before his ascent to NFL front-office elitism, but he soon figured out scouting and roster construction were his calling. McKenzie first hit the ground running in Green Bay and became the Raiders’ GM in 2012. His Raiders had one of the better drafts of recent times and landed high-priority pieces such as Khalil Mack and Derek Carr. McKenzie was the head coach when the Raiders made the playoffs for the first time in 14 years back in 2016. That year they went 12-4, their best record since 2000.

There wasn’t just drafting for McKenzie’s Raiders turnaround though. But he also traded and signed smartly to fill in holes and put the team in a position for longevity. And in 2016, McKenzie even won the title of NFL Executive of the Year for his work. But like any great GM, McKenzie had his ups and downs. The Raiders faded back to nothing in the years after, with McKenzie departing in 2018. And yet his Oakland legacy (and reputation for nudges that worked) can’t be denied.

But now McKenzie wants to rock the Nashville scene. Desperate for a change, the Titans reportedly named him the front-runner for the GM job. As a veteran scout who’s worked with gems, cap space, and rebuilding teams from scratch, McKenzie may be the one who can get the Titans off their broom and back on their winning path. Once he gets the Titans a franchise QB and can add some real firepower to the backfield, we may see McKenzie as the guy who turned the Titans around in a hurry (like “draft day”).

As McKenzie would say “You’re only as good as the players you bring in, and you’ve got to have the right culture. It’s about making sure every piece fits, from the top down, so you can build something that lasts.”