Category: Titans training camp

Watch: Titans highlights from first week of training camp

The Titans released a highlight package from the first week of training camp.

The first week of training camp for the Tennessee Titans is officially in the rearview mirror. As you would expect, it was largely a mixed bag of results; however, there were a lot of encouraging developments throughout the week.

More specifically, the Titans’ defense is healthy and appears to be flashing signs of returning to the dominant unit from 2021.

Ryan Tannehill and DeAndre Hopkins are improving their connection by the day, and Treylon Burks continues to show flashes of a potential breakout on the horizon.

The Titans’ official Twitter/X account recently released a highlight package of the team’s first week of training camp, and you can see glimpses of some of those very developments that have garnered a lot of hype as of late.

Outside of those mentioned above, some of the other Titans players shown in the video include Kevin Byard, Kyle Philips, Jeffery Simmons, Derrick Henry, Malik Willis, Will Levis, Colton Dowell, Caleb Shudak and a handful of others.

You can find the video in its entirety posted below:

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Titans’ top-3 candidates for right tackle job with Jamarco Jones gone

A look at the Titans’ top-three candidates for the right tackle job now that Jamarco Jones is gone.

The Tennessee Titans dropped offensive lineman Jamarco Jones like a bad habit and released him on Thursday after he got into yet another spat that led to his being tossed out of practice for the second time this week.

While the move to get rid of the problem child is certainly understandable, it does throw an already uncertain situation into even more turmoil.

That’s because Jones appeared to be the frontrunner for the job, as it seemed he was getting the most first-team reps in practice. Granted, he was a major question mark thanks to a lack of starting experience, but at least we had a handle on who might get the job to temporarily replace Nicholas Petit-Frere.

So, who are the next men up to consider for the starting job? There are three candidates to discuss, and one of them should be considered the favorite, although he’s hardly a lock.

Titans’ Jayden Peevy quickly becoming a player to watch

After receiving significant praise from his coaches this week, Titans DL Jayden Peevy is quickly becoming a player to watch moving forward.

Tennessee Titans 2022 undrafted free-agent signing and defensive lineman Jayden Peevy entered training camp as seemingly just another guy on the roster bubble.

But Peevy, who spent most of last season on the practice squad, has managed to stand out just a bit more than most this offseason, with the first sign of that coming when he was named among the team’s offseason award winners.

Another sign of Peevy making major progress came on Thursday, when defensive line coach Terrell Williams noted that the Texas A&M product has made a “huge improvement” this year.

“I’ve seen the foot quickness. I’ve seen the use of his hands, the pad level,” Williams said, per Tyler Rowland of AllTitans. “All of those things have improved. From where he was last year in training camp to where he is today, it’s been a huge improvement.

“Some that is just growth. Sometimes you bring a rookie in, whether they are a first-round pick or an undrafted free agent, just year to year learning how to work at this pro level is just different.”

While a great endorsement for Peevy, that wasn’t the most interesting thing the Titans’ defensive line coach said about the 2022 undrafted free agent.

When asked about the prospect of guys like Peevy and Naquan Jones playing behind the team’s projected starters in Denico Autry, Teair Tart and Jeffery Simmons, Williams said that isn’t exactly an automatic, and he invoked Peevy’s name in particular.

“Well, I’ll say this, there ain’t no guarantees they’re going to be playing behind anybody,” Williams said. “With what some of those guys are doing, in particular Peevy, has made a big jump. He’s worked hard and done what we’ve asked him to do. So, we’ll see how it turns out, that’s what training camp is for, but because someone started for us or played for us last year doesn’t mean they’re going to have that same spot. You got to earn it everyday and that’s how we function around here.”

Of course, that might just be coach speak and/or Williams trying to light a fire under one or more of his guys upfront, but at the very least that’s something to put into our back pocket for now.

Williams hasn’t been the only Titans coach to heap praise on Peevy recently.

Before practice on Tuesday, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said the 23-year-old’s development has been “tremendous”, something he at least partly credits to the defensive lineman dropping some weight.

“Peevy has taken advantage of it (playing with pads),” Bowen said, per John Glennon of Nashville Post. “His development through the spring, coming in this first week of camp, has been tremendous, something that’s got to continue.

“We need him to be a good player, to develop into a good player for us. I think the drop in weight has been incredibly important for him and his production, his ability to move.”

The Titans are no strangers to finding diamonds in the rough along the defensive line, with Teair Tart being a shining example of that.

It remains to be seen if Peevy will have that kind of success, but he certainly seems to be on the right track and is now someone to watch, not only for a roster spot, but for a significant role, also.

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Titans OL coach: Watching Peter Skoronski work and develop has been ‘awesome’

Titans OL coach Jason Houghtaling says it’s been “awesome” to watch Peter Skoronski work on a daily basis, especially when that work comes against Jeffery Simmons.

Tennessee Titans 2023 first-round pick and offensive lineman Peter Skoronski is currently in the midst of trial by fire at training camp.

That’s because Skoronski, who has worked exclusively at left guard, where he’s expected to start, is going up against the likes of studs like Jeffery Simmons and Denico Autry in practice.

And, as noted by ESPN’s Turron Davenport on Thursday, he’s been able to hold his own.

“Some solid reps from Peter Skoronski vs. bull rush from Denico Autry, Jeffery Simmons,” Davenport wrote.

Prior to practice on Thursday, Titans offensive line coach Jason Houghtaling admitted it has been “awesome” to watch Skoronski work this offseason, especially when he’s up against Simmons.

“Peter’s done a great job, as far as just continuing to come out and work every day, getting better,” Houghtaling said, per Davenport. “I think I’ve heard this a bunch from other people throughout football: ‘iron sharpens iron.’

“Him going against Jeff (Simmons) every day and battling with him and continuing to work different techniques and getting face, feet and hands, where they’re going, when you’re throwing them… Stuff like that, it’s been awesome. To see him continue to grind and work has been a great thing.”

When asked about the possibility of Skoronski eventually bumping to a tackle spot, Houghtaling reiterated that the plan for now is to keep him at left guard but noted Skoronski has the versatility to play outside.

“There’s certainly versatility to do some other things, but right now he’s just hanging there at left guard and continuing to work,” Houghtaling said.

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Biggest takeaways from Titans’ 3rd padded practice of training camp

Another day, another Jamarco Jones dust-up at Titans training camp. Plus, Dr. Gibby was mentioned as someone to “keep an eye on” for the starting linebacker job.

After no media availability on Wednesday, the Tennessee Titans once again opened their doors to practice on Thursday for what was the third padded session of training camp.

For the first time in camp, the Titans practiced inside the bubble. The session started outdoors but was forced indoors due to lightning.

As has been the case all training camp long, the Titans’ defense won the day, but there were some highlights to speak of from the offensive side of the ball.

Unfortunately, right tackle candidate Jamarco Jones got into another scuffle with a defensive player, this time with linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who didn’t take kindly to a dirty block on linebacker Chance Campbell.

Jones was removed from the team period and was not spotted the rest of the day. This comes after Jones was booted from practice on Tuesday after a scuffle with Jeffery Simmons.

Now, a look at the biggest takeaways from Thursday.

Titans’ offseason roster going into 2nd week of training camp

The Titans’ entire offseason roster going into the second week of training camp.

The Tennessee Titans are set to embark on their second week of training camp on Thursday, with the team returning to the practice field for its sixth open session.

It has been an interesting week thus far, with no shortage of storylines to talk about on both sides of the ball. In case you’ve missed any of it, we’ve linked to our daily recaps and our biggest standouts from the first week below.

Takeaways from Day 1

Takeaways from Day 2

Takeaways from Day 3

Takeaways from Day 4

Takeaways from Day 5

Biggest standouts among non-starters, new players

We’ve also put out an updated 53-man roster projection based on what happened during the first week. You can check that out right here.

The Titans have made some changes to their roster since the start of training camp, with the most recent being the signings of offensive linemen Chris Hubbard and Jimmy Murray.

Here’s a look at the entire offseason roster going into Week 2 of training camp.

Titans’ biggest standouts among new players, non-starters after 1st week of camp

With the first week of training camp in the books, a look at the Titans’ non-starters and new players who have stood out the most.

We are through a full week of Tennessee Titans training camp after the team took part in its fifth open practice and second padded session on Tuesday.

And, with practice not open to the media on Wednesday, I thought it would be a perfect time to take a look back at the week that was.

In our coverage of each practice, some players have stood out more than others, which includes both under-the-radar and new players, as well as returning players who you’d expect to be doing well.

Among the third group, guys like Jeffery Simmons, Treylon Burks and Kristian Fulton have all shined in their own right, so we want to make sure we don’t forget to mention them.

But for the purposes of this article, I want to highlight guys who are new to the team this year, as well as other players who may or may not be new to the team but are fighting for roster spots.

Now, just because a player isn’t listed here doesn’t mean they’re having a bad camp. It could be as simple as they just haven’t stood like these players, and it’s possible I’ve missed one or more with a ton of information out there to process on a daily basis. I’m only human, after all.

Without further ado, here’s what I came up with.

Photos from Titans’ second padded practice of training camp

The photos from the Titans’ second padded practice of training camp.

The Tennessee Titans held their fifth open practice of training camp on Tuesday, and the session was also the second in which the team wore pads.

In case you missed anything from yesterday’s session, you can check out our takeaways article right here.

The Titans won’t be opening up their practice to media on Wednesday, so the next session we’ll get a look at will come on Thursday, with the practice running from 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m CT.

In the meantime, check out some of the photos from Tuesday’s practice.

Titans ST coach discusses next step in Ryan Stonehouse’s development

On Tuesday, Titans special teams coach Craig Aukerman talked about the next step in punter Ryan Stonehouse’s development.

When discussing Tennessee Titans punter Ryan Stonehouse’s rookie season, it’s not hyperbole to say it was one of the greatest ever for a player at his position.

The Titans’ star punter is coming off a record-setting season in which he set the single-season records for most games averaging 50-plus yards per punt (14), and gross average yards per punt at 53.1, which was tops in the NFL.

Stonehouse also recorded the rookie record for the highest net average yards per punt with 44.0, a full 1.36 yards more than the old record. That was good enough for fourth in the league.

However, as great as the Colorado product was in his rookie season, one area where he noticeably could’ve improved was his ability to keep the ball in the air a little longer so he doesn’t out-kick his coverage.

Special teams coach, Craig Aukerman, discussed this issue during Tuesday’s press conference with coordinators, saying that the next step in Stoney’s development is for him to master the situational kicks.

“It’s not always hitting the ball 70, 75 yards, which looks pretty by the way,” Aukerman said, per Paul Kuharsky. “But we also need hangtime, so he’s really tried to focus in on that. Depending on where we’re at on the field, it could be a ball that goes 70 yards, but he’s got to know the situation that we’re in, where we could want a ball that’s 50 yards with over five-second hang time. So, he’s really honed-in on that, and he’ll continue to improve.

“The best part about Ryan is, he’s never satisfied, whether it’s his holding or whether it’s his punting, and he’ll continue to work on that and I’m excited for him this year.”

Another area Stonehouse could use improvement is with his directional kicks. Aukerman noted earlier this offseason that Stonehouse has been making progress there, also.

“Ryan has been unbelievable this offseason,” Aukerman said in June. “We’ve seen improvement and consistency from him with hangtime and distance, direction.”

“We’re not asking him all the time to be the directional punter that Brett Kern was, because there’s not many guys that have ever done that like Brett Kern,” he added. “But if he can get it in the vicinity of what we’re looking for, we’re happy about that. So, he’s been really focusing on that, and doing a good job, too.”

If Stonehouse can master the two things Aukerman explained above and combine that with the elite leg strength he’s shown, the 24-year-old has the chance to be the very best in the league for a long, long time.

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Titans’ kicker competition neck-and-neck entering 2nd week of camp

The Titans’ kicker competition appears to be neck-and-neck as we enter the second week of training camp.

The Tennessee Titans’ kicker competition is fully underway, with both Caleb Shudak and Trey Wolff vying for the lone kicking job on the roster in training camp.

And as we now enter the second week, the battle between both guys is about as close as you could possibly get. Tennessee’s two kickers have only missed two field goals each since the start of training camp, according to the numbers collected by Jim Wyatt of Titans Online.

Kicker Trey Wolff was 7-of-8 in practice, with makes from 42, 34, 38, 33, 52, 33 and 54, and a miss from 46. He’s now 26-of-28 in camp. Kicker Caleb Shudak did not kick in the team period, and he’s 18-of-20 in camp.

Wolff has made 26 of his 28 kicks (92 percent), while Shudak has gone 18-of-20 (90 percent). In the last two days, Wolff didn’t kick on Monday and Shudak didn’t kick on Tuesday.

Here’s what Wyatt wrote about Shudak on Monday:

Kicker Caleb Shudak was 7-of-8 in today’s practice, and he’s now 18-of-20 in camp. Shudak was good from 42, 34, 46, 33, 52, 33 and 54 yards, with a miss from 38 yards.

While both kickers have displayed leg strength early on with makes over 50 yards, John Glennon of Nashville Post made it a point to mention Wolff’s powerful leg on Tuesday.

During his time at Texas Tech, Wolff only attempted two field goals of 50-plus yards (2-for-2), but his leg strength consistently showed on kickoffs, producing a touchback on approximately 54 percent of his kicks in 2022, subsequently leading to a kickoff grade of 73.7, per Pro Football Focus.

As for Shudak, he may not have the powerful leg that crushes the ball on contact, but the former Big-10 kicker consistently proved throughout his college career that he’s capable of performing in whatever elements are thrown his way.

The second-year kicker currently holds the Iowa record for career field-goal percentage (minimum 25 attempts) at 82.8 percent (24-29).

Regardless of how well these guys are doing right now, this position battle will ultimately be settled in the preseason. It’s nice to see these kickers do well in practice, but if they fold when the pressure is really on in a game situation, then the team will have to go in another direction.

Obviously, the preseason attempts don’t matter much in the grand scheme of things, but the reality is, they’re kicking for their job at that point. So even if the final score doesn’t really matter, you can bet the pressure will be on them whenever they trot on that field.

Nevertheless, keep your eyes peeled on how these practices are playing out because something like that could end up being the tiebreaker should both kickers perform well in the team’s upcoming three preseason games.

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