Category: Titans training camp

Mike Vrabel has nasty way of describing Titans’ pass protection early in camp

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel had quite the graphic description of the offensive line’s pass protection early on in training camp.

Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel is well known for coming up with creative ways of saying and describing things, so when it was time for him to talk about the team’s struggles in pass protection early on in training camp, he didn’t disappoint.

Vrabel talked about the dominant force Tennessee’s defensive front has been against the O-line early on in training camp, but the way he described it was, well, different.

While he did note things have gotten better for the O-line since pads came on for the first time in Monday’s practice, Vrabel had an unusual way of describing the group’s lackluster pass protection before that.

I can’t say I’ve ever seen what that looks like, but we’ll just have to take Vrabel’s word for it that his description is accurate.

Nevertheless, the offensive line remains arguably the biggest question mark on the team as the Titans are welcoming in four new players, with the only returning starter for the moment being Aaron Brewer, who is moving to center.

Right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere is another returning starter from last year’s putrid group, but he’s suspended for the first six games.

The rocky start to training camp is the exact opposite of what we wanted to see from the offensive line given the circumstances, but it’s also important to note the unit is going up against quite the formidable defensive front.

Hopefully that difficult matchup will serve to help the offensive line improve as camp progresses.

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See it: Titans’ Azeez Al-Shaair crashes Arden Key’s post-practice presser

Azeez Al-Shaair crashed Arden Key’s post-practice presser on Tuesday. Now he needs to try that during one of head coach Mike Vrabel’s.

In what came out of nowhere, Tennessee Titans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and outside linebacker Arden Key provided one of the funniest moments of training camp after practice on Tuesday.

During Key’s press conference, Al-Shaair snuck his way into the media area and waited patiently for his turn to ask a question. Once it was his turn, Al-Shaair used the opportunity to jokingly take a shot at Key.

The Florida Atlantic product essentially asked Key why he no longer has the love handles around his stomach.

While trying not to laugh, Key explained how it was mainly his offseason grind and dedication to the work he put in with his personal trainer that ultimately led to his noticeable physical transformation.

It was cool to see Al-Shaair add a little levity to a post-practice presser, but we’d really be interested to see him do that during one of head coach Mike Vrabel’s.

As you may or may not recall, the Key and Al-Shaair were in San Francisco together back in 2021. During that time, Key admitted that he weighed around 280 pounds and was rather “fat” during his stint with the Niners.

Obviously, the two defenders have a strong relationship and Al-Shaair was just pulling Key‘s leg, but it’s probably not a coincidence that the Titans’ newest pass-rusher has started to perform at higher levels ever since taking his physical conditioning more seriously.

Over the last two years, Key has tallied a combined 90 pressures, 25 quarterback hits and 11 sacks, all while being limited to a rotational role.

Let’s hope Key‘s physical refinement continues to lead to improved production now that he’s taken his talents to Tennessee, where he’s expected to play the biggest role of his career.

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Biggest takeaways from Titans’ 2nd padded practice of training camp

Things getting heated between Jamarco Jones and Jeffery Simmons, Will Levis looking good with the twos and DeAndre Hopkins and Ryan Tannehill cooking are just some of Tuesday’s takeaways.

The Tennessee Titans were back at it for their fifth open practice of training camp on Tuesday, and the second in which they were sporting pads.

There was a little dust-up between two players, as Jeffery Simmons and Jamarco Jones got into it, leading to both players being tossed from the session. It appears it wasn’t too easy to settle Jones down, either.

Both returned to practice later, and while it’s never ideal to see two players on the same team fighting, at least Jones is pissed off and showing some fire after the defense has been so dominant thus far in camp.

One interesting aspect of Tuesday’s practice was the fact that Titans players went off-script, with the coaching staff giving players a mini playbook the night before to work off of.

Now, the takeaways from the Titans’ fifth open practice of training camp, and the second with pads.

Titans’ Roger McCreary discusses transition into nickel role

Titans CB Roger McCreary discusses his transition to playing slot cornerback in 2023.

Heading into the 2023 campaign, many are expecting big things from the Tennessee Titans second-year cornerback, Roger McCreary.

Despite his severe lack of length (approximately 28-inch arms), McCreary, who operated on the outside, played very well for a rookie for the most part, ultimately taking a positive step forward with his overall development.

It didn’t take long to see why the Titans invested a top-35 pick on the Auburn product, as he was an immediate contributor on defense, and he was one of the few starters on the team who actually played in every game last year.

In fact, McCreary led the entire NFL in defensive snaps played.

During McCreary’s time at Auburn, he made a name for himself while playing on the outside, but considering the length issues stated above, many always felt he was better suited playing on the inside.

After playing along the boundary in his rookie season, it appears Tennessee is finally making the shift toward having McCreary play primarily out of the slot.

The second-year corner was asked to discuss that transition and he said he feels it’s the same as last year, but also feels as if “everything is faster and going at a quicker pace” as compared to the outside.

McCreary explained how he has to be ready to read-and-run, get to his drops and think at the same time without getting caught in a vulnerable position.

The former Auburn star also mentioned how he’s still going to be playing on the outside on occasion, which is to be expected in the Mike Vrabel/Shane Bowen-led defense that loves to move guys around.

However, the young defensive back admitted that being more in the slot in 2023 will be great for him now that he’s getting more comfortable with his new role.

You can watch McCreary’s comments in their entirety posted below, which comes via ESPN’s Turron Davenport:

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Mike Vrabel talks Titans’ QB competition between Will Levis, Malik Willis

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel touched on the competition between Malik Willis and Will Levis on Monday after practice.

Arguably the biggest position battle currently happening at Tennessee Titans training camp is going on between two young quarterbacks who probably won’t see the field in 2023 if everything goes according to plan.

Tennessee’s battle for the backup quarterback job is among the most talked about when it comes to the casual fan and/or national media members who don’t exactly have an accurate pulse on the team.

The best-case scenario for the Titans would be for both Will Levis and Malik Willis to look good enough for Tennessee to keep both on the roster in order to continue developing and preparing for what could end up being an epic starting quarterback battle in 2024.

However, for right now, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel is more concerned with simply getting his young quarterbacks to stack good days together.

“I think it’s been great, I think that they all push each other, and again you see them get excited for each other and you’re allowed to do that and still compete, and still want to try and win the competition,” Vrabel said, per AtoZ Sports’ Buck Reising. “So, I think they’ve both done some really good things, and there’s some plays that both of them would like to have back. Again, one day isn’t going to make or break anything… I like where both of them are at. I guess it’s nice to have two young guys here who we can develop and work with.”

In the latest update in the competition, both Willis and Levis had a good day on Monday, but it was Levis who shined especially, tossing five touchdowns in red-zone periods while displaying good ball placement and arm strength.

Levis continues to work as the No. 3 mostly, though, but he was rotating with Willis a bit in that No. 2 role and may continue to inch his way in if he keeps playing at the level we saw on Monday.

At the end of the day, we’re far from settling any of these position battles in training camp, and we still have the preseason to come. So take each of these updates for what they are and leave it at that.

Living and dying on every practice rep that becomes available on social media is one of the easiest ways to set yourself up for disappointment,  especially when it comes to this particular competition. Both of these quarterbacks deserve patience and a fair shot to prove themselves.

As much as we would love to fast forward to the end result, only time and patience will be able to provide the answer to how this one plays out.

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Updated Titans 53-man roster projection after 1st week of training camp

Our latest Tennessee Titans 53-man roster projection after the first week of training camp includes five newcomers from our last one.

We are through one week of Tennessee Titans training camp and there are already some changes to be made from our last 53-man roster projection.

It has been an interesting camp thus far, with a ton of attention being paid to the quarterbacks, and in particular Will Levis and Malik Willis, both of whom are battling for the No. 2 spot behind Ryan Tannehill.

And, in the case of Willis, he’s battling for a roster spot altogether, although I think he’s done enough so far to keep him around in my latest projection.

A few undrafted rookies have stood out enough to earn themselves a spot here, but, of course, that doesn’t mean they’re completely safe with such a long way to go until final cuts.

Now, our updated 53-man projection based on what happened at training camp the first week. Players with an asterisk are new additions, and we’ve provided a write-up for each.

Note: Nicholas Petit-Frere and Dillon Radunz are not included because the former is suspended for the first six games and won’t count towards the 53-man group, while we expect the latter to start the season on the PUP list.

Daily camp reports: Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4

Photos from Titans’ first padded practice of training camp

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

After having the day off on Sunday to rest and recover from the training camp grind, the Tennessee Titans were back on the practice field on Monday.

Many of the reports circulating from the on-site beat reporters have stated that the Titans’ offense bounced back with a strong day of its own following a few days in which the defense reportedly won the days.

Monday also happened to be the first time the Titans wore full pads since their injury-riddled 2022 season mercifully ended.

Unfortunately, a lot of fans aren’t able to attend training camp practices for a variety of different reasons, but thanks to the fantastic photographers at USA Today Sports, we have plenty of photos available for our viewing pleasure.

Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at some of the best photos from Monday’s padded practice. We’ve also provided links to our takeaways articles for each open practice thus far.

Daily camp reports: Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4

Titans’ Aaron Brewer: Playing at lighter weight is ‘absolutely’ easier at center than guard

Titans OL Aaron Brewer believes playing at a lighter weight won’t be as big of an issue at center as it was at guard.

Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Aaron Brewer is one of two starters returning from last year’s offensive line, but he’s doing so at a different position, with the 2020 UDFA switching from left guard to center.

Despite starting at left guard in 2022, Brewer was actually billed as a center coming out of college, albeit an undersized one. The Texas State product has maintained that label, with Brewer playing at around 285 to 290 right now.

Being undersized has been one of the biggest concerns surrounding Brewer, as he regularly has to go up against some of the biggest players on the field while playing on the interior, whether that comes at guard or center.

However, Brewer noted that being undersized at center is “absolutely” easier to deal with as compared to guard.

“At guard, it’s that contact every play,” Brewer explained, per AtoZ Sports Nashville. “When you’re out there in the middle, you’re kind of assisting people. You’ve got your big nose guards or whatever, but you’re pulling the ball so you’re setting the tempo up for everything, so it’s a little different.”

Brewer also agreed that having a smaller frame enables him to get to the second level easier.

“Absolutely,” he said. “That’s one of my pros about me, and I’m fast.”

The Titans’ offensive line has gotten all it can handle from the team’s talented defensive front, which has routinely stood out more early on in training camp, including when the pads came on for the first time on Monday.

As fellow lineman Andre Dillard said last week, Arden Key, Jeffery Simmons and the rest of the unit have been a great test for the group upfront, something Brewer agrees with.

“It’s great because as you say, iron sharpens iron, because to go in there and compete with the best of the best, it’s great,” Brewer said, per Tom Brew of AllTitans. “Jeffery Simmons is one of the best in the league, and Arden Key is up there as well. We’re getting the best out of each other, and it’s amazing.

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Titans’ Jack Gibbens making a run at starting linebacker

It appears Dr. Gibby has a shot at a starting spot for the Titans.

All offseason long, Tennessee Titans 2021 third-round pick and linebacker Monty Rice has been projected to be one of the starters alongside Azeez Al-Shaair, but it appears fellow linebacker Jack Gibbens may give him a run for his money.

According to ESPN’s Turron Davenport, Gibbens, who was pretty solid last season while filling in because of injuries, was rotating with Rice on the first-team defense, something head coach Mike Vrabel spoke about after practice on Monday.

“I think just right now they’re just trying to develop a role on this football team,” Vrabel said of Rice and Gibbens. “Obviously, Gibby’s got a little bit more length, Monty’s probably a little bit quicker and maybe a little faster.

“But other than that, they both have been productive thus far and I thought they both showed up today. I saw Monty show up on the sideline, being able to run and go chase down Tyjae (Spears). So, he showed up and, again, that’s the play speed that we’re talking about at times last year about being around the ball and flying. That’s good to see and we’ll keep having them in a competition and know that they’ll continue to get better.”

With speed being so important in today’s game, Rice’s advantage in that area gives him a leg up in this competition, but clearly Dr. Gibby is doing enough to earn a look for a starting spot.

As for the other starting spot, Al-Shaair seems to be firmly planted there. After practice, he spoke about wearing the green dot on his helmet, which means he’s calling the plays for the defense.

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Titans’ Will Levis shines in best practice of training camp so far

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel liked what he saw from Will Levis during what was a good day for the rookie quarterback on Monday.

Slowly but surely, Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Will Levis appears to be getting more comfortable, something he recently admitted was the case after practice on Saturday.

But on Monday, Levis had by far his best day of training camp, a showing that included his tossing five touchdowns during red-zone periods on what was Tennessee’s first padded practice of training camp.

“I felt there was some good balls,” Vrabel said, according to ESPN’s Turron Davenport. “I thought there were some good decisions down in the red zone, I thought he delivered the ball with some accuracy, tried to push it down the field and worked the concepts that we had going into today in the red zone. So, take it day by day; there’s going to be some good days, some bad days, learn from them and keep progressing.”

Levis’ most impressive stretch of plays during the session was in seven-on-sevens, where the Kentucky product threw three of his touchdowns despite tight windows, displaying his impressive arm strength.

Adding to that, his quick release was also mentioned as a positive, as was his ball placement.

As noted by beat writer Paul Kuharsky above, Levis and fellow signal-caller Malik Willis did some rotating, but it was Levis who was still primarily working as the No. 3.

However, if he can keep this up, Levis might work his way into more of a rotation with Willis moving forward.

“It’s just a bit different but I still carry myself the same way like I would as if I was the starter,” Levis said when asked about working as the third-string quarterback, per Broadway Sports’ Easton Freeze.

“It’s kind of similar to back in my position at Penn State. When you’re the backup, there’s a certain way of going about yourself to still be a leader but not step on the toes of the guy that’s got the job, which is Ryan (Tannehill), obviously. I’m just finding ways to do it the right way, just be someone in the locker room that can bring the team along and just do what’s asked of me at the position with a good attitude.”

While Levis was the talk of practice on Monday, Willis wasn’t too shabby, either. You can check out more on him and everything else that went on during the first padded practice with our takeaways article right here.

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