Tag: titans training camp

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’ Chance Campbell trying to soak up knowledge from veterans

Titans LB Chance Campbell: If you really want to learn, one of the best things you can do is close your mouth, open your ears and open your eyes.”

Despite being taken in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft, Tennessee Titans linebacker Chance Campbell came in with a fair amount of hype.

He played in all 13 games as a graduate transfer for Ole Miss in 2021, pacing the defense with 109 total tackles and finishing second in tackles for loss (12.5).

In his first training camp, the young linebacker hasn’t been shy about asking questions as he gets acclimated to the NFL. Campbell noted on Sunday the importance of keeping his mouth shut but his eyes and ears open.

“I’m probably a little awkward with them, a bit of a shadow, just trying to see what they did because those guys play great ball. I think a lot of it you can ask questions; I think that’s really important,” he said, via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.

“But I think the other part is that guys around here do such a good job of setting a great example. If you really want to learn, one of the best things you can do is close your mouth, open your ears and open your eyes.”

Campbell ran the 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds, displaying quick side-to-side speed in college. He was often found blowing up plays in the backfield, as shown in his tackles for loss numbers, both at Maryland and Ole Miss.

The young linebacker noted in his post-draft media call that he needed to provide value, work hard, and put the team first to carve out a role for himself in the National Football League.

Campbell has already caught the attention of fellow Titans linebacker David Long Jr., who was a sixth-round pick himself in 2019 and had to earn everything to work his way into a starting role.

Long particularly touched on Campbell’s willingness to play physically.

“He’s smart. He’s not running from any contact or anything. He’s a guy that wants to learn,” Long said, via AtoZ Sports Nashville. “Guys are coming in early. They can know the plays before we do, so that’s just good. They can get in here and learn. We’re still just building and learning the defense.”

Heading into the 2022 season, Campbell will serve in a backup capacity with the opportunity for more time in special teams if he makes the cut. However, he’ll also look to use whatever opportunities he gets to prove he has what it takes to be a starter down the road.

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Delanie Walker: Kyle Philips will be Titans’ breakout player in 2022

Former Titans TE Delanie Walker is high on Kyle Philips ahead of his rookie season.

Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Kyle Philips has impressed his teammates and the coaching staff through the first week-plus of training camp.

During the week, the UCLA product was given looks with the first team, getting meaningful reps with quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The transition wasn’t perfect, though, as Philips missed an assignment, leading to some frustration from the veteran quarterback on Thursday.

However, the young receiver showed maturity by holding himself accountable for the miscue and corrected it later in the session.

It’s safe to say that the 23-year-old wideout is progressing much faster than the coaching staff thought when they selected him in the fifth round of this year’s draft.

Aside from current staff and players, Philips has caught the attention of former Titans tight end Delanie Walker, who tweeted, “[Kyle Philips] will be our breakout player hands down” in response to this clip of a great back-shoulder connection between Philips and Tannehill in practice.

Needless to say, Philips came into camp with an enormous opportunity to carve out a role for himself with the uncertain situation at wide receiver.

He’s getting reps with the ones now, but that wasn’t always the plan, according to head coach Mike Vrabel.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t say [that was the plan],” Vrabel said of Philips getting first-team reps at this point, via John Glennon of Sports Illustrated. “The plan is to come out here and define a role for yourself to help develop a team. There were some things that he did well today and some mistakes that he made.”

As for what he’s done well, Vrabel was quick to respond.

“He’s a player that gets open. I think he’s an instinctive player that can play inside. All those guys (slot receivers) have to have some level of instinctiveness,” he added.

With a strong training camp and showing in the preseason, Philips could be the starting slot receiver come Week 1 against the New York Giants. At the very least, he’s doing enough to be involved in the offense in 2022.

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Titans’ Kevin Byard on Kristian Fulton: A Pro-Bowl year ‘has to be the standard’

Titans S Kevin Byard wants CB Kristian Fulton to aim higher in his third season.

Through the first two weeks of training camp, Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard has taken some of the younger defensive backs under his wing.

Earlier this week, the almost 29-year-old spoke with Caleb Farley after the latter was beaten in one-on-one drills by wide receiver Racey McMath.

Byard, who learned on Thursday that his No. 20 jersey would be retired by his alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University, spoke at length with the media following the team’s seventh session of training camp.

Of the items that stood out, the Philadelphia native touched on his expectations for third-year cornerback Kristian Fulton.

According to Byard, a Pro Bowl-caliber year should be the standard for the LSU product after a career year in 2021.

“We have a lot of guys who I feel like are going to be real good X-factors for us. I’ve kind of talked to Kristian Fulton about that,” Byard said via AtoZ Sports Nashville. “Obviously, we drafted Roger [McCreary], who I think is going to be a really good corner for us. But I’m talking to Kristian like, ‘Hey, you’re going be an X-factor for us.’ A lot of guys have different expectations and have different standards for themselves.

“But I say, ‘hey, you, a Pro-Bowl year for you has to be the standard; you have to be trying to reach that next level. You had a good year last year. You had some little injuries and had some lulls or whatever. But a Pro-Bowl year has to be good for you.’ And I think if Kristian can take his game to the next level, that will help out our defense a lot.”

Fulton, 23, played and started in 13 games last season, recording 40 tackles, two interceptions and a team-high 14 pass break-ups, and made he significant strides in his pass coverage from Year 1 to Year 2.

He held opposing quarterbacks to a 51.4 percent completion rate and a 71.3 quarterback rating. As a rookie, he allowed a 68.8 completion percentage and a 91.4 quarterback rating on balls thrown his way.

That said, he struggled to play at a high level consistently. Fulton allowed just under 19 yards per completion through the first five weeks of the regular season before that average improved.

However, over the final three weeks, the young cornerback allowed an average of 14.1 yards per completion, buoyed by a seven-reception, 113-yard game on balls thrown in his direction in Week 16 against the San Francisco 49ers.

In training camp thus far, Fulton has continued to be boom-or-bust. He’s made some nice plays in one-on-one and team periods, but he also gave up two catches to Racey McMath on Thursday, including a deep ball downfield for a touchdown.

While Byard understands that the cornerback position is one of the most challenging in the National Football League, he wants to see consistency from Fulton heading into the 2022 season.

“You always have to be on point because we give up big plays; that’s what people see,” Byard said of the cornerback position. “So I think it’s just a hard position to play. I understand that you’re going to give up some plays. You’re going to face a lot of elite receivers week in and week out.

“You’ve got to make some plays; that’s what we get paid to do. But it’s all about how you respond to that. You know, if you give a play, don’t turn it into two or three. So that’s really what I want to see from him or continue to see from is it just keep battling the back,” he added.

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Titans’ Kyle Philips shows maturity after miscue with Ryan Tannehill in practice

Kyle Philips heard it from his QB after making a mistake in practice, but the rookie WR took accountability and corrected the issue.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is focused on making every repetition in training camp count. With his top two targets from last year gone, the veteran quarterback must quickly develop chemistry with several new faces.

In the receiving corps., the list includes veteran wideout Robert Woods, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Rams, and rookie receivers Treylon Burks and Kyle Philips.

This week was the first time in training camp that Philips received an extended look with ones, where he worked out of the slot.

It was an excellent opportunity to get on the same page with Tannehill, but the young receiver was confused about his assignment on a particular play during Thursday’s session.

Tannehill was reportedly not pleased with the mistake and let Philips know about it. However, the pair would run the same route combo later in practice and corrected the issue.

After practice, the 23-year-old showed a lot of maturity by holding himself accountable for the missed assignment.

“On that one play, I had a mental error,” Philips said, according to AtoZ Sports Nashville. “The ball was supposed to go to me, so I really let the team down. It was third down in the red zone; that’s a huge play for the team, so I let the whole team down. Ryan [Tannehill] talked to me, and we corrected it. We’ll come back to it, execute it, and score a touchdown.”

Despite the issue, Tannehill and Philips appear to be developing a solid chemistry, as evidenced by this back shoulder throw the signal-caller connected with Philips on.

Philips has impressed in the early stages of training camp. Veteran safety Kevin Byard praised the UCLA product for his work ethic coming into camp and precise route-running, an area in which Philips takes a lot of pride.

“It’s the main thing as a receiver, being able to create separation,” Philips said in his post-draft media call. “It’s something that I’ve been working on since I was in about eighth grade. It takes a lot of film study just watching guys, how they run routes, and learning from them and adding to your toolkit.”

Despite being taken in the fifth round (No. 163 overall), Philips comes into the Titans organization with a chance to carve out an impactful role this season due to the uncertainty at the wide receiver position.

As he continues to learn this offense and Tannehill in training camp and in the preseason, which is less than a week away, there will be ups and downs, but the future looks very bright for Philips in Nashville.

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Titans OC Todd Downing praises Ryan Tannehill for ball security in training camp

Titans QB Ryan Tannehill has been taking care of the football early on in training camp.

As one of the more prominent storylines heading into training camp, Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill spent much of the offseason reflecting on how last year ended.

The Texas A&M product threw three interceptions in the Titans’ shocking playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, continuing a turnover trend that was prevalent throughout the 2021 campaign.

Tannehill, who turned 34 last month, noted that he sought out therapy after being in a dark place mentally, and he has received his fair share of criticism from fans and media alike, while also watching the team draft his eventual successor in 2022 third-round pick, Malik Willis.

However, through it all, he’s remained a true professional and was present for the team’s offseason workouts.

In the early stages of training camp, Tannehill has yet to throw an interception in the team’s first six practices, while completing 50-of-66 passes during seven-on-seven and team periods combined.

Offensive coordinator Todd Downing has taken notice of Tannehill’s commitment to ball security.

“I think always it’s significant when you show your commitment to taking care of the football,” Downing said, via AtoZ Sports Nashville. “Certainly, ball security is something that we as an offense — starting with me — has been an emphasis this offseason. We had a blip on the radar last year in terms of the uptick in numbers.

“It’s a holistic approach; everybody has a hand in ball security. I think that our receivers have done a nice job of being where they’re supposed to be,” Downing added. “People are understanding the details and concepts of protection, finishing at the top of the pocket, giving [Tannehill] a place he can step up and deliver the ball. Certainly, Ryan has made a commitment to ball security, but I think everybody has, and we hope that continues.”

What a difference a year makes.

Through the first five practices of last year, Tannehill had thrown five interceptions, foreshadowing what was to come in the regular season. The Titans signal-caller threw 14 interceptions in 2021, second-most in his career.

“Just trying to be smart with the ball,” Tannehill said of throwing no picks in camp so far, per John Glennon of Sports Illustrated. “Sometimes in practice, you’re pushing the limits, right? That’s the point of practice, especially early on in training camp and the spring… seeing where you can put the ball, and if you can fit it in there, what catch radius guys have and things like that.

“But it’s balance. You want to be smart… We just know as quarterbacks that it’s our jobs to try to take care of the football and put it in a good spot. We want to train those good habits as we go.”

A closer look at the number reveals just how devastating the turnovers were. Of the 14, six were thrown in Titans territory, and three came in the red zone.

Essentially, Tannehill was giving the opposition a short field and failed to cash in on opportunities to score. As a team, the Titans finished with a -3 turnover differential in 2021, including 11 fumbles.

A constant rotation of injuries at the wide receiver position likely contributed to the number of interceptions. Tannehill’s top two targets, Julio Jones and A.J. Brown, each missed substantial time last season.

With both Brown and Jones no longer in the mix, Tannehill will look to develop a connection with several new faces in 2022.

Through the first week of training camp, he’s already connecting with Robert Woods and rookie wideout Treylon Burks, showing developing chemistry, and he has been putting extra work in with his tight ends after practice.

With a lack of turnovers and new faces showcasing well, it’s positive news for Tannehill and the Titans’ offense thus far in training camp.

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Titans’ Austin Hooper talks versatility, helping Chigoziem Okonkwo

Austin Hooper says he’s helping Chigoziem Okonkwo “to the best of my ability.”

While Treylon Burks and Roger McCreary have dominated the headlines thus far in training camp, Tennessee Titans tight end Austin Hooper has kind of flown under the radar.

That’s not to say he hasn’t stood out in team drills or one-on-ones, but the 27-year-old is generally a quieter guy by nature.

After spending the first six years in the league split between the Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns, Hooper signed a one-year deal in the offseason to come to Nashville.

His usage in Atlanta and Cleveland couldn’t have been more different.

With the Falcons, Hooper was a top target for quarterback Matt Ryan and notched a career-best 787 receiving yards in 2019, third-most on the roster. In Cleveland, he was utilized more in blocking situations, averaging just under 400 yards between the two years with the Browns.

Coming into the Titans’ organization, he figures to have a prominent role as both a blocker and pass-catcher. According to Hooper, he’s comfortable with whatever the team needs him to do.

“Fifty percent of my snaps in Atlanta, I was a slot receiver. And then, I was top five in the league in terms of hand in the ground when I was in Cleveland, so I’ve proven I can do whatever is asked of me,” he said, via AtoZ Sports Nashville. “If it’s pass-protection, gap schemes, zone, if you want me to be a slot guy, so my job is just to be a tight end and kind of earn my role earn to the best of my ability and be a good teammate.”

Tennessee didn’t get as much production as they would have liked from their tight end position last year. Anthony Firkser put together a solid offseason and training camp, but he tallied just 291 receiving yards and two touchdowns during the regular season.

Along with rookie Chigoziem Okonkwo, the Titans seem well-positioned to turn tight end from a weakness into a strength this year. Speaking of Chig, Okonkwo has been among the biggest standouts of the entire offseason.

Likely to serve as a backup to Hooper, Okonkwo can still carve out a role in a Titans offense that desperately needs impact pass-catchers. Hooper has  taken Okonkwo under his wing, a job he’s taken in stride.

“I like him. He’s funny, he’s young, and he’s got energy. He has a willingness to work hard, and I really respect that about him,” Hooper said of the young tight end. “Another thing, he doesn’t have an ego. A lot of young guys come in from time to time and think they have it solved. It’s been fun to work with him, really athletic, really hungry young player. Not lost on me, part of my role is to help him to the best of my ability, and that’s something that I embrace.”

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Titans DC Shane Bowen praises Roger McCreary: ‘He’s not a rookie’

Titans DC Shane Bowen has been impressed with Roger McCreary thus far.

After the first week of training camp, Tennessee Titans rookie cornerback Roger McCreary is already standing out.

The University of Auburn product has carried over his reputation as a physical player into his first NFL training camp, and his coaches have noticed.

Titans defensive coordinate Shane Bowen spoke at length about McCreary on Tuesday, noting he’s much further along in his development and doesn’t look like a rookie.

“He’s not a rookie. I don’t feel him as a rookie,” Bowen said via AtoZ Sports Nashville. “He’s poised, he doesn’t panic in coverage, he stays square, he challenges, he’s got a good understanding of what it takes to play man-to-man, and we saw that stuff from his college tape. He’s been able to come in here and translate. He’s been outside, he’s been inside, he’s handled it. I’ve been really pleased with where he’s at. He just has to continue to progress.”

McCreary and fellow rookie Treylon Burks have provided some of the more exciting moments in practice when going up against each other in one-on-ones.

On Tuesday, and with the entire team watching, Burks reeled in a pass against McCreary, but the cornerback was draped all over him and didn’t make it easy for the rookie wideout, leading to an impressive catch.

“He’s going to get me one day, I’m going to get him the next day. And that’s just doing nothing but making us better each day,” Burks said of McCreary, according to Sam Phalen of AtoZ Sports Nashville.

“I’m trying to get him better, he’s going to try and get me better,” McCreary said, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport. “If he makes a good play, I’m going to say to him ‘good job.’ If I make a good play, we talk back and forth.”

McCreary has been given an expanded look in training camp with Elijah Molden still sidelined due to injury.

The former is making the most of his opportunity, with one of the team’s beat writers deeming his Monday performance, which was his best of camp, as “dominant.”

“I wouldn’t say everything is really falling into place, it’s just a little routine everyday,” McCreary said after Monday’s practice, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. “I just try to follow a routine and try to get used to everything, playing different positions and everything. But it’s been going great and I’m just trying to get better everyday. That’s my main focus.”

Kristian Fulton and Caleb Farley appear to have their grips on the starting cornerback jobs heading into 2022. However, McCreary could still carve out a meaningful role for himself if he keeps performing the way he has.

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Titans provide updates on WR Robert Woods, CB Caleb Farley

Titans CB Caleb Farley received some praise from head coach Mike Vrabel for the work he has done since reporting.

When the Tennessee Titans hit the practice field for the first time in training camp on Wednesday, the team will be cautious with two key players leading up to the start of the regular season.

Wide receiver Robert Woods and cornerback Caleb Farley, both coming off torn ACLs, have been limited in their offseason workouts, and they will continue to be limited at the start of training camp.

“They’re probably participating in 90 percent of the stuff that we did the first couple of days,” Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said via AllTitans at SI.com. “There’s some things that we’re holding them out of. But the nice thing is that, when we’re doing those drills, they go (off to the side) and find ways to work for a few minutes with each other, which kind of makes it nice. They’re both going through the same process in their mirrored positions.”

Rookies and injured players reported to camp over the weekend. Woods and Farley have a head start on their teammates, and neither was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, which is a good sign.

Vrabel specifically praised Farley for his work since reporting, noting that the second-year corner had two interceptions during practice on Monday and reminded the team how long he is.

Vrabel noted that neither Woods nor Farley are taking part in the team’s open field tackle drill. At this stage of the offseason, it’s simply not worth the risk, given how vital each player is to their respective side of the ball.

So, what are they doing instead? According to Vrabel, it’s a strategic mix of individual training and what the team has identified.

“They can go over and they can work releases or they’ll work something else,” Vrabel added. “We’ve asked them to come to us with a plan that they would like — we’ve given them a couple of things — and also ask them to kind of think of some things that they can do to work with each other.”

When healthy, Woods was one of the most productive wide receivers for the Los Angeles Rams over the last five seasons. The Titans will be counting on him to be their No. 1 wide receiver in place of the departed A.J. Brown.

Tennessee hasn’t seen much of Farley to this point. The former first-round pick was limited to just three games (one start) last year. He also sat out the COVID-19-impacted 2020 season at Virginia Tech before undergoing back surgery prior to the NFL draft that year.

Having both players healthy and ready to go for the regular season would be a massive win for a Titans team needing some positive vibes.

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Titans mum on Jeffery Simmons contract but expect him to practice

“We expect Jeff to practice,” Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said on Tuesday.

When training camp officially opens on Wednesday, the Tennessee Titans expect defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to be among those participating.

The 24-year-old was not present at voluntary OTAs, which is not unusual for veteran players. Simmons did attend mandatory minicamp last month but did not participate, leading to speculation about him possibly holding out or not fully participating in practice until he gets a new deal.

The Mississippi State spoke at minicamp, noting that his plan was not to hold out and that he would attend training camp. He also indicated that he was leaving contract negotiations to his agent.

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel says he expects to see Simmons out on the practice field but did note he may have a different plan than other players.

“We expect Jeff to practice. We’ll see how he feels and see how it looks and figure out what’s best for him,” Vrabel said via Paul Kuharsky. “He may be one of those guys that would have a somewhat different plan potentially. But I imagine everyone that’s healthy will be out there ready to go tomorrow.”

The Titans exercised Simmons’ fifth-year option for the 2023 season, which will pay him $10.75 million. Whether or not he plays under the fifth-year option money without a new contract beforehand remains to be seen.

After Vrabel spoke, general manager Jon Robinson was asked about Simmons’ contract extension but wouldn’t go into detail.

“We’ve got an understanding of where we’re at and he’s excited to be back and ready to rock and roll,” Robinson said.

According to Spotrac, Simmons is projected to a receive a four-year, $84.1 million contract ($21 million annually), which would make him the second highest-paid defensive lineman in the NFL based on annual average.

And that’s the floor. If the Titans wait longer to extend Simmons, the price will only go up.

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