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On Sunday, the Tennessee Titans released their first depth chart of the season ahead of their preseason opener Thursday against the San Francisco 49ers, and there were a few surprises.
As with everything in the NFL during training camp, things are ever-evolving as competition and position battles heat up, and this depth chart will definitely change throughout the preseason, but how things are viewed early on is also important.
This week, the Titans will have a joint practice and preseason game against the 49ers, and some players will have a chance to open some eyes and potentially move up (or down) the depth chart.
Here are five players/position battles to keep an eye on during the battles with the 49ers.
When the Titans drafted Singleton, many viewed him as a steal. An explosive back at Penn State, a Senior Bowl foot injury hampered him throughout the pre-draft process and made him slide during the draft. Since camp started, Singleton has looked decisive and explosive and answered the call when given reps with the first team. This week, he will have a chance to shine against a real opponent and could quickly make a move up the depth chart.
After being quiet through most of the offseason and at the beginning of camp, rookie guard Fernando Carmona has quietly worked his way into the battle at right guard and is competing with veteran Cordell Volson for that spot. Carmona has looked solid and was on the field for Cam Ward’s only touchdown pass in the Blue & White scrimmage, and continued to be seen and make plays in Sunday’s practice. This position battle will definitely be one to watch throughout camp, and this week will be no exception. As a veteran, Volson will likely start against the 49ers, but Carmona should see the field early and play some significant snaps.
Barton enters this week penciled in as one of the starters in the Titans’ rebuilt linebacker corps, but will have to step up his game to fend off the competition from James Williams and rookie Anthony Hill Jr. Yes, Barton is the veteran in the room, but he has looked stiff in competition and has been consistently outplayed by Williams and Hill during camp, and may see his reps diminish as the season approaches. This week, he will have a chance to step up against the 49ers and put some of the uneven moments from the first two weeks behind him.
These two are grouped together because at this juncture, the swing tackle position appears like it could be an issue heading into the season. The Titans did not identify a swing tackle on their initial depth chart, but the battle is likely between Deculus and Crenshaw-Dickson, who are listed as the backup tackles. Unfortunately, neither has looked good in camp, and general manager Mike Borgonzi may have to look outside the organization to help solidify the offensive line. This week will give both Deculus and Crenshaw-Dickson a chance to make an impact against a real opponent, and possibly prove they can handle that important role.
Special teams coordinator John “Bones’ Fassel has discussed his philosophy with specialists, but in this case, that may be misguided. Slye, known for his strong but erratic leg, has struggled during camp and was a major reason why the Titans’ offense lost the Blue & White scrimmage with three missed field goals (all makeable). Tennessee did work out three kickers the following day, but none were signed, leaving Slye as the lone kicker on the roster.
With an offense that needs to convert and get points at every opportunity, they need a reliable and battle-tested kicker, and currently Slye isn’t that. He will have a chance to boost his stock this week against the 49ers and possibly ease some concerns. But if he struggles again, all bets are off and a second kicker could be added by the time Tennessee returns to Nashville.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans joint practice with 49ers: 5 players to watch
Continue reading...
As with everything in the NFL during training camp, things are ever-evolving as competition and position battles heat up, and this depth chart will definitely change throughout the preseason, but how things are viewed early on is also important.
This week, the Titans will have a joint practice and preseason game against the 49ers, and some players will have a chance to open some eyes and potentially move up (or down) the depth chart.
Here are five players/position battles to keep an eye on during the battles with the 49ers.
No. 1 - RB Nick Singleton
When the Titans drafted Singleton, many viewed him as a steal. An explosive back at Penn State, a Senior Bowl foot injury hampered him throughout the pre-draft process and made him slide during the draft. Since camp started, Singleton has looked decisive and explosive and answered the call when given reps with the first team. This week, he will have a chance to shine against a real opponent and could quickly make a move up the depth chart.
No. 2 - RG Fernando Carmona
After being quiet through most of the offseason and at the beginning of camp, rookie guard Fernando Carmona has quietly worked his way into the battle at right guard and is competing with veteran Cordell Volson for that spot. Carmona has looked solid and was on the field for Cam Ward’s only touchdown pass in the Blue & White scrimmage, and continued to be seen and make plays in Sunday’s practice. This position battle will definitely be one to watch throughout camp, and this week will be no exception. As a veteran, Volson will likely start against the 49ers, but Carmona should see the field early and play some significant snaps.
No.3 - LB Cody Barton
Barton enters this week penciled in as one of the starters in the Titans’ rebuilt linebacker corps, but will have to step up his game to fend off the competition from James Williams and rookie Anthony Hill Jr. Yes, Barton is the veteran in the room, but he has looked stiff in competition and has been consistently outplayed by Williams and Hill during camp, and may see his reps diminish as the season approaches. This week, he will have a chance to step up against the 49ers and put some of the uneven moments from the first two weeks behind him.
No. 4. Austin Deculus/Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson
These two are grouped together because at this juncture, the swing tackle position appears like it could be an issue heading into the season. The Titans did not identify a swing tackle on their initial depth chart, but the battle is likely between Deculus and Crenshaw-Dickson, who are listed as the backup tackles. Unfortunately, neither has looked good in camp, and general manager Mike Borgonzi may have to look outside the organization to help solidify the offensive line. This week will give both Deculus and Crenshaw-Dickson a chance to make an impact against a real opponent, and possibly prove they can handle that important role.
No. 5 - K Joey Slye
Special teams coordinator John “Bones’ Fassel has discussed his philosophy with specialists, but in this case, that may be misguided. Slye, known for his strong but erratic leg, has struggled during camp and was a major reason why the Titans’ offense lost the Blue & White scrimmage with three missed field goals (all makeable). Tennessee did work out three kickers the following day, but none were signed, leaving Slye as the lone kicker on the roster.
With an offense that needs to convert and get points at every opportunity, they need a reliable and battle-tested kicker, and currently Slye isn’t that. He will have a chance to boost his stock this week against the 49ers and possibly ease some concerns. But if he struggles again, all bets are off and a second kicker could be added by the time Tennessee returns to Nashville.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans joint practice with 49ers: 5 players to watch
Continue reading...
