Category: Titans training camp

Titans rookie CB avoids serious injury in second padded practice

Tennessee Titans rookie cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. looks to have avoided a serious injury during Wednesday’s padded practice.

Tennessee Titans rookie cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. looks to have avoided a serious injury during Wednesday’s padded practice.

Brownlee went down on the field during the team period after colliding with wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine at the top of the route.

After a visit with the training staff, Brownlee walked off under his own power, holding the right side of his back. However, he put his helmet back on and jogged over to the sideline to join his teammates, reports AtoZ Sports.

While padded practices are an exciting point in training camp, you always fear about injuries occurring.

Brownlee has been getting first-team reps with Chidobe Awuzie nursing a calf injury. He has been one of the stand-out performers in camp thus far, especially since the pads have been put on.

On Tuesday, he had a couple of pass break-ups on wideouts Kearis Jackson and Tyler Boyd. The rookie defensive back followed that up with a break-up on Calvin Ridley in 1-on-1 dills on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old has been a perfect fit in defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson’s aggressive scheme after being selected in the fifth round of this year’s draft.

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Titans’ offseason prize at cornerback out with calf injury

Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan indicated that corner back Chidobe Awuzie is likely to “miss some time”

The Tennessee Titans could potentially be without one of their offseason signings for the first preseason game. Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie is out with a calf injury suffered during the last team period on Day 1 of training camp, according to head coach Brian Callahan.

How much time will he miss?

“A couple of weeks, probably,” Callahan said via AtoZ Sports Nashville.

The 29-year-old inked a three-year contract in free agency after spending the last three years with the Cincinnati Bengals. In 2023, Awuzie played in 15 games, including ten starts, and made 57 tackles, including two for loss, with six pass deflections and one forced fumble.

The former second-round pick in 2017 will look to bounce back after allowing a career-high 63.2 percent completion rate on balls thrown in his direction. Additionally, Awuzie was responsible for four touchdowns allowed and a 113.5 quarterback rating.

He was one of two high-profile cornerbacks added to the roster this offseason (L’Jarius Sneed) in an effort to shore up the position after mixed results over the last couple of years.

If Awuzie cannot go for the Titans’ first preseason game against Arizona on August 10, that will leave the all-important door open for Caleb Farley, who has been limited to just 12 games in his first two seasons, and others to show what they can do.

Kenneth Murray Jr. already providing leadership to Titans

Kenneth Murray Jr. and the Tennessee Titans had a unique way of welcoming linebacker Shane Ray to the team.

Kenneth Murray Jr. has yet to log one snap with the Tennessee Titans, but that has not prevented the 25-year-old from bringing a leadership quality to the team.

Murray and his Titans teammates welcomed linebacker Shane Ray, who signed on Thursday morning, to the team in a unique way on Day 2 of training camp.

“We kind of have this little thing where we do 20 up-downs every time we get somebody on defense,” Murray said, via Paul Kuharsky. “Yesterday, you guys saw us do the 20 up-downs. It’s a little tradition when we get somebody new.”

Murray and the Titans’ defense encircled Ray while he was doing the up-downs. Once completed, he was officially part of the team.

“It’s like a ‘Welcome to the Brotherhood,'” Murray said. “We all did our 20 (up-downs), so he’s doing his 20. Now that he did his 20, welcome to the brotherhood.”

Murray is expected to be a big part of the Titans’ defense in 2024 after signing a two-year, $18 million contract in free agency. The former Oklahoma standout spent the last four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers after being selected 23rd overall in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.

The Houston native played in 15 games last season and recorded 107 tackles, including seven tackles for loss, three sacks, four pass deflections, one interception, and four quarterback hits.

We’ll see if Ray ends up making the roster in a depth role, but it sure is nice to see the Titans having some leadership behind Jeffery Simmons and the defensive line.

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Titans waive promising UDFA running back

Titans waive promising young running back.

Prior to Day 2 of training camp on Thursday, the Tennessee Titans waived running back Dillon Johnson, according to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. The move was made in advance of the team signing center Corey Levin and linebacker Shane Ray.

Johnson, who signed as an undrafted free agent in late April, was considered a dark horse candidate to make the Titans’ Week 1 roster. The 23-year-old had a breakout year at Washington last year after spending his first three collegiate seasons at Mississippi State.

Johnson rushed for 1,195 yards, which was the second-most in the Pac-12, on 233 carries and crossed the goal line 16 times. He also hauled in 24 catches for 190 yards out of the backfield.

With Johnson no longer in the mix, the Titans’ running back room has a bit more clarity. Tennessee will utilize a 1-2 punch of Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard. The competition for the third running back spot appears to be down to three candidates: Julius Chestnut, Hassan Haskins, and Jabari Small.

Chestnut has been with the Titans for the last two seasons after initially signing as an undrafted free agent in 2022. The 23-year-old rushed for 12 yards on nine carries in six games as a rookie. His season was cut short last year in Week 3 with a hamstring injury.

Haskins, drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft, missed all of last season after being placed on injured reserve in late August.

Small joined the team as an undrafted free agent after amassing 2,122 yards and 24 touchdowns in four seasons at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Titans’ RB Tyjae Spears not pressing despite splitting time with Pollard

Tyjae Spears remaining patient ahead of the 2024 season.

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears knows the opportunity he has in front of him. After serving in a backup capacity to Derrick Henry as a rookie last season, the 23-year-old is in line for an increased workload this year.

However, the addition of Tony Pollard and his three-year, $21.750 million contract comes with a starting running-back implication. Head coach Brian Callahan stated that he does not view either player as the “starting” running back. Rather, Spears and Pollard will split time.

What that means and what that looks like is yet to be determined, but one thing is for sure: there will be increased pressure to perform in a limited viewing leading up to the start of the 2024 NFL season. That can often result in players pressing to try to force something to happen.

However, Spears understands that he needs to exercise patience when it’s his turn.

“You can’t press it,” Spears said via John Glennon of the Nashville Post. “What I mean by pressing is that you can’t (makes a tensing noise). When you do get your opportunity, you don’t want to be (makes a tensing noise). You want to be calm; you want to be in the moment.

“I was just saying that today. I was like, ‘Man, run your running style and don’t let anybody dictate it because they’re on the other side of the defense. They’re going to do what they’re going to do, and we have to react off what they do.'”

Spears had a strong showing in a secondary role last year. The Tulane standout rushed for 453 yards on 100 carries and scored two touchdowns while playing in 17 games, including one start. Added, Spears was an asset in the passing game, hauling in 52 catches for 385 yards and one touchdown out of the backfield.

Pollard brings a similar skill set, coming over from the Dallas Cowboys. The 2023 season marked the 27-year-old’s first as the lead back. He eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the second consecutive year and caught 55 balls for 311 yards.

Both players figure to be key elements in the Titans’ pass-first offense, and their roles will likely sort themselves out as the preseason schedule unfolds.

Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins on contract status: ‘Happiest I’ve been in any organization’

DeAndre Hopkins wants to stick around beyond 2024.

All eyes are on Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins as he enters the second leg of his two-year contract signed last offseason. The 32-year-old experienced a bounceback year in 2023, hauling in 75 catches and eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark for the seventh time in his 11-year career.

Originally drafted by the Houston Texans, Hopkins also spent three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals before coming to Nashville. It would appear that he is also open to sticking around beyond the upcoming NFL season, as he alluded to after Day 2 of training camp on Thursday.

“I love Tennessee,” Hopkins said via ESPN’s Turron Davenport. “I love what (Amy Adams Strunk) is doing. I think this is the happiest that I’ve been in any organization, so let that speak for itself.”

Why is he so happy to be here, exactly?

“How (Amy Adams Strunk) runs things. It’s a great place to be. She’s putting pieces together to try to win.”

We’ll see if the Titans and Hopkins can strike up a contract extension prior to the season, but there is undoubtedly a strong connection between the wide receiver and quarterback Will Levis.

Hopkins became a favorite target during Levis’s rookie campaign, and the two have continued to develop their chemistry this offseason. Levis paid for several of his teammates (including Hopkins) to work out in Cabo, Mexico.

At this stage of his career, Hopkins serves as a valued mentor for the young wideouts and tight ends on the roster, so keeping him around is certainly beneficial.

Titans’ Calvin Ridley compares Will Levis to former NFL MVP

The Titans’ new star WR sees big things in Will Levis.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley has seen enough in how second-year quarterback Will Levis goes about his preparation, so much that he is ready to compare him to former teammate and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.

Ridley spoke with reporters following Wednesday’s Day 1 of training camp, and the Titans wideout had high praise for the second-year quarterback.

“Will (Levis) is doing everything. I played with Matt Ryan; Will’s doing the same thing that “Ice” (Ryan) did,” Ridley said via ESPN’s Turron Davenport. “He’s ready to work. He’s not satisfied with bull***. He wants it to be good. We want to work to get better so that when the games come, we look good.”

Ridley, who signed a three-year contract in free agency, played with Ryan for four seasons in Atlanta. During that time, the wide receiver hauled in 248 receptions for 3,342 yards, including a season-high 1,374 yards during the 2020 season.

Ridley knows the offseason preparation that is required for an NFL quarterback. It’s nice to see him recognize that in Levis, despite how young he is. The Kentucky product had a mixed rookie campaign, posting a 3-6 record and throwing for 1,808 with a 58.4 percent completion rate in nine games last year.

Earlier in the offseason, Levis and several of his teammates, including Ridley, worked out in Cabo, Mexico, to build some chemistry. The young quarterback was also the first one in the Titans’ parking lot on Tuesday, ahead of players reporting to training camp.

Levis is doing (and saying) all of the right things leading up to camp and the preseason. Now, it really just comes down to execution.

Titans director of sports performance details versatile approach

Titans director of sports performance, Zac Woodfin, recently discussed the approach he’s bringing to Tennessee.

The Tennessee Titans have a new director of sports performance for the first time in five seasons. Zac Woodfin will replace Frank Piraino as a part of Brian Callahan’s inaugural Titans staff.

Woodfin comes to the Titans with 18 years of experience in the strength and conditioning field. The coach spent the previous two seasons as the Director of Player Performance and Wellness for the United States Football League and United Football League.

Before that, Woodfin spent time with the Missouri Tigers, Kansas Jayhawks, Southern Miss, UAB, and the Green Bay Packers.

The new coach recently detailed the unique approach he will bring to training. Woodfin described his style as “blue-collar” and “cutting edge.”

“The simplest way to describe our style is blue-collar, and it’s cutting edge,” Woodfin said, per Jim Wyatt. “It’s the perfect balance between those two.

“Blue-collar in the nature of, this is a very physical, violent game, and you have to train hard. There is no way you can train soft and play hard. So, the training has to be hard training at times.

“The cutting-edge part is the assessment, using the technologies that we have, that we brought in with our sports science department, to assess our guys, to know: ‘Are there asymmetries to understand what the things are they really need in order to improve their performance?’ Because everybody is different, and having a very individual training plan for each one of our guys based on the position they play, based on the needs that they gave.”

This will certainly sound nice to Titans fans, who grew tired of seeing Titans’ players consistently appear on the injury report. Under Callahan, the Titans have expanded the sports performance department.

In addition to hiring Woodfin, the Titans also added Mark Lovat, Grant Thorne, and John Shaw. Lovat and Thorne were hired as assistant strength and conditioning coaches while Shaw was hired as a speed training coach. That group of coaches joins holdovers Brian Bell (Assistant Director of Sports Performance) and Haley Roberts (Sports Performance Assistant).

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Titans’ T’Vondre Sweat weighs in on NBA players in NFL debate

Titans DT T’Vondre Sweat shared his thoughts on the age-old debate about if NBA players could play in the NFL and vice versa.

Tennessee Titans rookie defensive lineman  T’Vondre Sweat recently gave his input on a debate that’s been circulating online over the last week, and really, for several years now.

The debate was reignited when former NBA player Austin Rivers made the claim that NBA players could play in the NFL right now, but not the other way around. Several NFL players took exception to this, including former Green Bay Packer James Jones.

After the first day of rookie minicamp, Sweat was asked if he has any basketball talent.

“I’m a hooper, too, so if anybody wants to get on that court,” Sweat said, before revealing he can dunk.

Finally, Sweat was asked if he thought NBA players could play in the NFL or vice versa. Sweat didn’t take long to respond and was definitive in his answer.

“Basketball players can’t play in the NFL. Too soft,” the rookie declared.

Sweat was a dominant force at Huntsville High School in Texas for both the basketball and football teams. The 366-pound Sweat decided to stick with football, but his athleticism would shock you.

At the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, Sweat ran a 5.27 40-yard dash, which is incredible given his massive frame.

The rookie will be looked at to immediately contribute on the line for the Titans in 2024. Clearly, confidence won’t be an issue.

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Watch: Titans players say something nice about their teammates

“Hey, Tyjae Spears, he’s going to be a [expletive] dawg,” Derrick Henry said.

The Tennessee Titans are just a few days away from hosting the final preseason game of the year.

After this weekend, the only thing standing in the way of the regular season will be the team’s official cutdown day on Tuesday, Aug. 29, where it will need to trim the roster from 90 players all the way down to 53.

Obviously, that’s going to be a stressful and disappointing time for many players, so the Titans’ social media team decided to spread some positive vibes at the conclusion of the final training camp practice on Wednesday.

As players left the field, they were asked to say something nice about one of their teammates, and several of them took the opportunity to show appreciation to one of the players in their position groups.

Arguably the most notable messages came from the Titans’ two best running backs, with Derrick Henry stating that Tyjae Spears is going to be a dawg, while Spears returned the favor by thanking Henry for being an amazing leader and role model.

Other players who received shoutouts were Harold Landry, Kyle Philips, Azeez Al-Shaair and Monty Rice.

Mason Kinsey ended the video by claiming that all of the quarterbacks (you know, the guys who throw him the ball) were nice people who could throw the ball really well while hilariously winking at the same time.

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