Tag: Keith Carter

Titans fire Todd Downing, Keith Carter among 4 coaches

The Titans have fired Todd Downing, Keith Carter and two others.

The Tennessee Titans have finally made the move fans were hoping for: the team has fired offensive coordinator Todd Downing, along with three other coaches.

The team made the announcement on Monday evening, also revealing that offensive line coach Keith Carter, secondary coach Anthony Midget and offensive skill assistant Erik Frazier were given pink slips.

“I want to thank Todd, Keith, Anthony and Erik for their service and commitment to our team over their time here in Tennessee,” head coach Vrabel said in a statement. “Each of them made an impact on our organization, were dedicated to the process and loyal members of our coaching staff.”

Downing took over from wildly-successful former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who left to take the Atlanta Falcons’ head-coaching job following two successful seasons.

Since then, Tennessee’s offense has fallen off big time. Under Downing, the Titans went from elite offenses in 2019 and 2020, to around average in 2021 to one of the worst in the NFL in 2022.

Granted, injuries and a ton of personnel changes in those two years no doubt played a part, but Downing also wasn’t good at his job and there was never a time we could say his play-calling elevated this offense in either year.

The embattled former offensive coordinator also ran into trouble off the field, when he was arrested for a DUI back in November following the Titans’ last win of the season in Week 11 against the Green Bay Packers.

Carter served as the offensive line coach from 2018-22. During that time, the Titans saw some absolutely putrid offensive line play in pass protection. It wasn’t all Carter’s fault, though, as injuries and bad personnel decisions upfront also contributed.

Whatever the case may be, the Titans definitely needed some new blood on the offensive coaching staff, so this is definitely the right start.

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Titans’ Keith Carter backs Dennis Daley, talks Dillon Radunz at guard

Based on Titans OL coach Keith Carter’s comments, it sure sounds like Dennis Daley will keep his job for now.

The Tennessee Titans looked like they might be on the verge of making a change at left tackle earlier this week after yet another poor performance from Dennis Daley in Week 13.

Head coach Mike Vrabel revealed veteran tackle Le’Raven Clark would have a chance to compete for the starting job, which led us to believe that change was coming.

However, Titans offensive line coach Keith Carter doesn’t sound like a coach who is ready to make a change.

“I know Dennis struggled at times in that game, but I don’t feel like we can blame the whole thing on Dennis,” Carter said. “I think as a unit we have to play better, we have to help each other, and consistency has to start from all of us.”

“It is not to me, so glaringly obvious that we should throw the next man in and go that route,” Carter added.

At least one more week of Dennis Daley at left tackle incoming, folks.

Earlier in the week, offensive coordinator Todd Downing said the team may give Radunz another look at tackle, but based on Carter’s comments, it sure sounds like the 2021 second-round pick’s future is at guard.

“I think Dillon has proven in the last however many weeks that he’s gotten better inside,” Carter said. “To me, I think he has improved inside and I think it’s shown. Who knows what the future holds, but as of right now, I think he has excelled by moving inside and getting reps there.”

As far as what Carter thinks Radunz needs to improve upon, he said it’s all about pad level for the North Dakota State product.

“We just have to get him to play lower,” Carter explained. “Being able to play strong with pad level is something that’s crucial for him. In the last couple weeks, his pad level has improved and it’s something he has to focus on everyday.

“He’s a big, strong guy, and he bull rushes and stuff like that, he does a nice job sitting down on and all that, so we’ve got to keep working pad level.”

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Tennessee Titans OL coach sheds light on RT, LG competitions

Titans OL coach Keith Carter also went into detail about how Dillon Radunz can improve and win the RT job.

The Tennessee Titans’ two biggest position battles in training camp will occur along the offensive line at right tackle and left guard, where Dillon Radunz, Jamarco Jones and Aaron Brewer are expected to be the main competitors.

Before the Titans’ final open session of organized team activities on Tuesday, offensive line coach Keith Carter shed some light on how things are going.

He confirmed that the left guard battle is between Jones and Brewer, while also noting Radunz has been working mostly at right tackle, which echoes what head coach Mike Vrabel said recently about the second-round pick.

Carter also went into detail about the progress Radunz is making and how he can improve in order to win the job.

“He’s very analytical and he’s just got to learn to cut it loose and trust his training and trust his ability and just kind of build that confidence to play fast,” Carter said, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. “He’s very smart, very intelligent, very cerebral, and it’s just breaking through that wall of overthinking and having that slow you down.”

“He’s doing a nice job,” Carter added. “He’s progressing the way we had hoped and we’re excited, but still we’ve got to get pads on and play real football too. But he’s doing a good job.”

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Report: Ty Sambrailo was unhappy with Titans, Keith Carter before retiring

A possible look into what led to ex-Titans OL Ty Sambrailo retiring.

The Tennessee Titans placed offensive lineman Ty Sambrailo on the Reserve/Retired list on Tuesday, which came out of nowhere — but it appears there might have been issues brewing beneath the surface that ultimately led to him calling it quits.

According to Buck Reising of AtoZ Sports Nashville, Sambrailo “grew tired of being on-call constantly before he felt he was ready to play. The sense that he kept having to bail (Taylor) Lewan out wore on the veteran back-up as well.”

Sambrailo, who suffered a significant knee injury in 2020 while filling in for Lewan and battled a foot injury during training camp this year, had played in four games in 2021, including starting for an injured Lewan in Week 2.

Reising also reports that Sambrailo “never really felt at ease in his position group’s room,” partly because of offensive line coach Keith Carter, who apparently has worn thin on other players, also.

A more reserved personality, Sambrailo never really felt at ease in his position group’s room. Offensive line coach Keith Carter, who many of the players have grown tired of over the course of his time on Tennessee’s coaching staff, had the same effect on Sambrailo. Carter has received praise publicly from Lewan and others, but that also came with an admission of how rocky a start that got off to.

Reising closes his report by stating that “irreconcilable differences and injuries caused Sambrailo to think that he was better off without the Titans.”

The odd thing about this report is that Sambrailo had an issue with “having to bail Lewan out,” which is literally his job. The former point about reportedly being unhappy with having to play before he was ready makes more sense.

Sambrailo is the third player to sign with the Titans this year before retiring. He joins cornerback Kevin Johnson and defensive lineman Abry Jones, both of whom hung up their cleats prior to the season. It isn’t clear what led to those retirements, though.

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Titans’ Keith Carter on Dillon Radunz’ struggles: ‘It’s not doom and gloom’

“He’s (Radunz) got to get better, and he is,” Carter said.

Before the Tennessee Titans hit the practice field for their eighth session of training camp, offensive line coach Keith Carter addressed the struggles second-round pick and offensive lineman Dillon Radunz has experienced.

After practice on Wednesday, head coach Mike Vrabel revealed that Radunz “needs to be better,” noting that the rookie has struggled with consistency as he fights for the starting right tackle job.

But Carter provided optimism on Friday, saying that it isn’t all “doom and gloom” for the rookie. He also pointed to how important it is to give young players small victories, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport.

“For all of us, Vrabes does a great job of reminding us to give the guys small victories because, naturally, as a coach the job is to critique, and that’s the first thing you go to,” Carter explained. “We need to make sure he knows it’s not doom and gloom; he’s got to get better, and he is, and we’ve all got to be patient and take it one step at a time.”

Radunz has seen time all over the Titans’ offensive line so far this offseason, something Carter touched on.

“In a perfect world he plays one position and you stick him there and see where you can get him. But, I think in the long run, this will help him because we’re going to need him to play more than one spot,” Carter said. “He’s had his struggles but every rookie has his struggles. He has a great attitude. You think about small victories, here’s things that are improving, that are getting better everyday, and we’ll continue to do that.”

Knowing what we know about Radunz, we have to give the edge in the right tackle competition to veteran Kendall Lamm, who Vrabel said the team would be comfortable with at the position going into 2021.

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Titans OL coach Keith Carter praises Dillon Radunz, Nate Davis

The early returns from Dillon Radunz appear to be good.

During and after the 2019 season, Tennessee Titans offensive line coach Keith Carter was public enemy No. 1 thanks to a campaign in which the team’s group upfront was a sieve en route to allowing 56 sacks, the third-most in the NFL.

However, things changed drastically in 2020, as the Titans’ offensive line was much improved. Tennessee allowed less than half the sacks (25) from the previous year and sported a 2,000-yard rusher in running back Derrick Henry, all the while missing their star left tackle.

Another feather in the cap of Carter is the development of 2019 third-round pick and right guard, Nate Davis.

Davis made huge strides in 2020 after seeing a strong finish to the 2019 campaign. Not only did he bring up his overall Pro Football Focus grade from a 40.9 to 69.7, he also garnered one First-Team All-Pro vote.

During a Zoom presser with the media on Monday, Carter praised Davis, noting how the Charlotte product has made improvements in not only his play on the field, but his preparation off it.

Davis has plenty of great influences around him in Tennessee, with one being left guard Rodger Saffold. The veteran posted a picture of he and Davis working out together earlier this offseason.

In 2021, Carter will be tasked with bringing along another young lineman in second-round pick and tackle, Dillon Radunz, who is set to compete for the starting right tackle job that was left vacant after the Titans unexpectedly released Dennis Kelly.

Carter revealed that Radunz has been given looks both inside and out thus far and was particularly complimentary about how hard the North Dakota State product works.

Radunz has a great shot to win the job if he can keep this up, but his starting spot is not guaranteed at all with veterans Ty Sambrailo and Kendall Lamm both vying for the same spot.

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