NASHVILLE, TN. –The Tennessee Titans hosted their first training camp session open to reporters on Wednesday, and what I will report is that football certainly felt back. The energy was high for a team that had one of the most notable offseasons in the league, and all of their new additions were spotted on the practice field, such as wide receivers Tyler Boyd, Calvin Ridley and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.
One training camp practice is not enough for us to make grand declarations on what the offense or defense will look like, or which players are winning their respective position battles. But here’s what I took note of at practice on Wednesday.
Defense brings ENERGY
What we kept hearing from Titans defensive players throughout the offseason was that new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson’s unit is going to be aggressive. Well, his players were aggressive in more ways than one on Wednesday.
My major takeaway from Titans training camp Day 1 was the energy the defense brought. The clear leaders — or most vocal players — were star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and pass rusher Arden Key, and when they weren’t trying to physically fight through offensive linemen, they were on the sideline barking at the offense and talking up their teammates. But it was more than just that.
Whenever a player made a catch or burst through the hole at the line of scrimmage, he was attacked by head-hunters looking to knock the ball loose. Even if a running back or wide receiver got to the third level, anyone in the area was making a beeline for the ball — not to tackle, but to strip the pigskin out. Even if the play was virtually over, everyone was going to get a chance to smack that ball out. Incompletions appeared to be considered up for grabs as well. Defenders were after footballs that hit the ground like their jobs depended on it.
It’s no secret Levis is under pressure entering his first full season as a starting quarterback. The Titans front office improved his protection, gave him an offensive-minded head coach who has a history of working with some big-name quarterbacks and put together what appears to be one of the best WR trios in the NFL.
Levis is taking his preparation for this upcoming season seriously, and he told us that he found out last year how valuable those spring/training camp reps are. He took some of his pass-catchers to Cabo for workouts, and revealed that it was something he was looking forward to doing. Levis saw how other starting quarterbacks would go out of their way to establish chemistry with their teammates, and he wanted to do the same. It’s clear he’s set on being a leader, and someone who wants to be a franchise quarterback.
Clues for new-look offense
Detective Dajani was searching for clues on what Tennessee’s offense could look like in 2024. Obviously one practice isn’t enough to make any determination, but one thing I noted was that Levis completed a couple of these nice touch-pass sideline out-routes during 11-on-11s, one to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and another to Ridley. Levis told reporters after practice that those throws, “are going to have to be a big one in our offense.”
Along those lines, Levis didn’t throw many passes downfield in practice. He was focused on completing passes across the middle and in the flats. Basic stuff, but notable for the quarterback that averaged an NFL-high 10.3 air yards per attempt in 2023.
Wednesday began with some good vibes courtesy of punter Ryan Stonehouse, who returned to practice and actually punted for reporters.
The Titans have one of the best punters in the league. In fact, Stonehouse actually broke Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh’s 82-year-old, single-season record of 51.40 yards per punt in his rookie season! However, Stonehouse suffered a gruesome leg injury last year, where he reportedly tore his ACL, MCL and broke a bone in his plant leg. It was good to see him back on the field and doing what he does best.
If there was one player I was excited to see on the practice field Wednesday, it was definitely Tennessee’s second-round pick. Sweat wasn’t on the field for OTAs, which led to speculation about a potential injury or how in-shape/out of shape he was. But, he was present on Wednesday.
Sweat also took reps in 11-on-11s, and even had DeAndre Hopkins talking smack about him.
“Oh I love that,” Sweat said of Hopkins’ chatter after practice. “100%.”
The 2023 Outland Trophy winner was a unanimous All-American at Texas, and won Defensive Big 12 Player of the Year. Previously, Sweat weighed about 360 pounds. After he was drafted, he told reporters that he wants to get down into the 350s. If he does, Sweat believes, “most likely I am going to be a Hall of Famer.”
If Sweat reaches his potential of being a run-stuffer that can also collapse the pocket while playing alongside Simmons, he could be a legitimate X-factor. Baby steps, though.
The Titans’ first-round pick is making the switch from right tackle to left, but he’s talented enough to pull it off. Latham had the tough task of blocking Key, and he told us after practice that pass protection was a big part of what he worked on this offseason. Latham’s goal was to get 1,000 pass sets this summer to work on his angles, and he believed it showed in his first practice.
“It was great, it was competitive,” Latham said of his first training camp session. “Fast, you know, everybody is here, everybody is competing for a spot and that’s what you’re here for.”
I caught up with radio buddy and former Titans All-Pro left tackle Brad Hopkins, who was excited to talk with Latham after practice. I told him he better be offering the rookie some tips! Latham also said he worked with the best left tackle in the game this offseason: San Francisco 49ers star Trent Williams.
RT battle
There are several position battles of note for the Titans, including inside linebacker, right guard and what the wide receiver rotation will be behind the “big three.” But the position battle I’m most fascinated by is right tackle.
Nicholas Petit-Frere probably could have been considered the early favorite to win the job, but he opened training camp on PUP due to a cleanup procedure he had done on his knee. It’s a tough blow for the former third-round pick out of Ohio State, who had his 2023 campaign ended by a shoulder injury after being suspended the first six games for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. “NPF” is not expected to miss extensive time, but it really opens the door for another player to stand out to the coaching staff. Who could that player be? John Ojukwu, who we refer to as “OJ,” is someone who received reps on the right side during 11-on-11s, as did second-year tackle Jaelyn Duncan.
Other notes
- Backup center/offensive guard Daniel Brunskill and pass rusher Harold Landry were not spotted on the practice field.
- CBS Sports legend Pete Prisco was in the building. He’s a Levis fan, and should have some great coverage from Nashville.
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Author: Jordan Dajani
July 24, 2024 | 6:10 pm
