Final Titans training camp report

 

The dizzy bat race is a highlight of every Titans training camp. Photo by Andrew Strickert for Total Titans.

 

The Titans’ 2009 training camp was physically the easiest I’ve ever seen. In practices open to the public, there were only two two-a-days and only one occasion when the players were in full pads.

 

With that in mind, you wouldn’t expect there to be as many injuries as the Titans have received. Most of the injuries have been hamstrings though, which can happen in shorts just as easily as in pads.

 

One thing that is troubling about the injuries is that they have created opportunities for some younger guys but none of them have taken advantage of the situation. Several receivers and defensive backs, in particular, have missed time with injuries, opening doors for younger players (Hawkins, Edison, Williams and McCourty.) Most of the injured players have returned to practice and the younger guys who were getting more snaps are now getting less again.

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The 53-man as training camp closes

Well, I did one as training camp opened, and after the first preseason game.  I didn’t after the second preseason game, but only because Andrew wrote about the real training camp depth chart, so that means it’s time for another stab at the 53-man roster, with some additional focus on the 45-man active roster, something I neglected in my previous roster picks.

Tennessee Titans positional analysis: Special teams

As training camp winds down, an important day approaches. September 5 is the date NFL teams must trim their rosters to 53 players and I’d like to use much of this special teams analysis as an evaluation of where some players stand in the formulation of the (almost) final roster.

 

Of course, three special teams players are guaranteed a job. You can’t win without a kicker, punter and snapper, so you can count on seeing Rob Bironas, Craig Hentrich and Ken Amato for another season.

 

Actually, Bironas signed a new four-year contract in the offseason and Hentrich re-upped for two more years. This is the final year on Amato’s contract.

 

Hentrich looks better after losing close to thirty pounds, which should help his chronically ailing back. Rookie A.J. Trapasso has helped share the load in camp and I hope (for the team, not for his sake) that he’ll be available this season if or when Hentrich’s back acts up again.

Tennessee Titans positional analysis: S

We continue our positional analysis series with a look at the Titans’ safeties.

And, in what seems to be a recurring theme for the series, the Titans return both their starters at safety, and those returning starters are pretty good.

Chris Hope returns for his fourth year as the anticipated starter at strong safety. Except for missing the last five games of the 2007 season after sustaining a neck injury, he’s provided a very solid presence.

His partner at the free safety position is Michael Griffin, who’ll be entering his second year as the incumbent starter after leading the Titans with 7 interceptions in his first season as a starter.

The Titans’ real training camp depth chart

Time has flown in training camp this year and it’s well past the midway point. It also provides a good time to look at the roster and who stands where in the pecking order.

 

I recall the beginning of the 2006 season. The New York Jets, under rookie head coach Eric Mangini, were the opponent for the season opener. A week before the game, the Jets’ website had a depth chart which featured a 4-3 defense, even though everybody knew they were going to play a 3-4.

 

Now I’m not suggesting the Titans are trying to deceive anyone with the depth chart on their website, but if the truth was known, much of it bears little resemblance to reality. The starters are fine but not so for the backups. I now see Donnie Nickey on there as the backup holder but I’ve never seen him do it in practice. All of the reserve o-linemen are miscast. For example, Troy Kropog is listed as the third RT but is actually the #2 LT. Similar discrepancies exist on defense. Go figure.

A few changes on the Titans defensive line

  

Titans defensive line coach Jim Washburn drills his players in training camp.

Photo by Andrew Strickert for Total Titans 

 

There are some changes taking place on the Titans defensive line. Several weeks ago, I wrote about DE William Hayes starting to look like a defensive tackle. Then he started playing the position a little in training camp and again Saturday night against the Bucs.

 

Defensive tackles LaJuan Ramsey and Sen’Derrick Marks also made position changes for a few snaps Saturday night, moving out to defensive end. Huh? And on the plays I saw them do it, guess who was in at DT? Mitch King, an undersized DT who’s more suited than either Ramsey or Marks to be a DE. Why wasn’t King rushing from the edge?

 

Well, part of that may be that King isn’t in the Titans plans this year and Marks is. I don’t believe that Ramsey is, though.

More rookie photos from Titans training camp

In my training camp update a few days ago I posted photos of the first three players the Titans selected in the draft – Kenny Britt, Sen’Derrick Marks and Jared Cook.

Due to some technical issues those were the only photos I was able to publish at the time, so as promised, here’s the rest of them, along with a few UDFAs of note.

 

 

Ryan Mouton Photo by Andrew Strickert for Total Titans

The 53-man after one preseason game

I did one when training camp opened, and now that the Titans have played the first of their five preseason games, it’s time to take my second crack at predicting the 53-man roster.  Some of these changes are based on the results of the first preseason game, while others were the result of me changing my mind.

Titans training camp update and rookie pics

The Titans’ training camp practices have now concluded for this week. I imagine they’ll walk through some things Friday in preparation for Saturday night’s game. I’m excited to finally be going to another game after seven months.

 

It was a pretty uneventful three days of practices. A lot of guys are banged up with minor injuries and I’m guessing that’s one of the reasons why Jeff Fisher had the team in shells all week. As far as I know, they’ve only been in full pads twice so far and just once in a practice open to the public.

 

Besides the injuries at linebacker, which we’ve discussed in the last few days, the following guys have also missed time.

Some Titans don’t look the same

Player weights are subjective and, like unofficial stats, the team can make them whatever they want them to be. Albert Haynesworth was a good example. For years, the Titans listed him at 320 pounds, even when he played at 350 and even when there were hints that he was approaching 375. I don’t believe Big Al has weighed 320 since he was a teenager. Except for in the minds of the people who wanted you to believe it.

 

Likewise, the bodies of some of the current Titans don’t resemble their listed weights. Even though LenDale White and Craig Hentrich have dieted and lost weight, the Titans still have them listed as weighing the same as they did a year ago.

 

I’ve written a few times recently about them and a few other Titans who have experienced weight changes so I wanted to post some pictures of those guys to show you what they look like now.

 

And following that, as promised, are some pictures of the free agents the Titans acquired this offseason.