Bleav in Titans

It is mid-July, which means the report dates for Tennessee Titans rookies (July 22) and veterans (July 25), as well as the first practice (July 26), is just weeks away. Even the first preseason game (Aug. 12 at Chicago) will occur in a month. ... Franchise officials also have revealed when they will reveal the throwback uniforms that will be worn for one -- maybe two games -- during the 2024 NFL season. The perceived excitement over this occurrence is a far cry from 1998, when franchise founder Bud Adams gave into pressure from Nashville sports fans and decided to abandon the franchise's traditional nickname, colors and uniforms. The Oilers became the Titans in 1999. ... Speaking of Mr. Adams, he is a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist in the coach/contributor category, as is former Oilers/Titans scout C.O. Brocato. Former Oilers wide receiver/return man Billy "White Shoes" Johnson is a semifinalist in the senior category. All three face long odds for induction. ... Free agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins still has not settled on his next team, but oddsmakers suddenly see Tennessee as the prohibitive favorite to sign him eventually.

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To Tennessee Titans fans, the Fourth of July is more than just a national holiday. It is also the anniversary of Steve McNair's untimely death in 2009, and many take the time each year to remember the only quarterback to take this franchise to the Super Bowl. ... The NFL announced that right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere has been suspended for the first six games of the 2023 season due to a violation of the league's gambling policy. Petit-Frere was forthcoming in a public statement about his transgression, but that does not diminish the fact that his absence will be a significant blow to a unit that already faces a lot of uncertainty this season. ... More bad news: running back Hassan Haskins and his girlfriend were arrested after a pair of domestic violence incidents. The issue creates the likelihood that he will be suspended, and even creates the possibility that the Titans could release him. ... There is still no resolution to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins' search for a new team, but recent reporting suggests Tennessee is not a likely destination. ... Finally, the coaching staff underwent something of an overhaul this offseason with new assistants hired and others reassigned. A look at which ones might have the most significant impact on the team's fortunes and why.

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It has been more than a week since the Tennessee Titans hosted wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on a free-agent visit. Since then, he has met with one other team and made one big promise. He has not, however, settled on where he will play in 2023. Opinions vary on whether the wait is good news or bad for the Titans. ... Running back Derrick Henry is mentioned prominently in any discussion about Tennessee's offense – and rightfully so. His workload and his production in recent seasons have been invaluable to the team and whatever successes it has had. Now in his late 20s and with seven NFL seasons under his belt, can he expect to have the ball in his hands as often this fall? Or should coaches, led by new offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, be thinking about doing things differently? ... Many prognosticators mention second-year tight end Chig Okonkwo among the NFL's leading "breakout" candidates for 2023. There is no argument from the panel, so everyone offers their best guess about just how big that breakout will look on the stat sheet.

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Free-agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins came to Nashville for a visit and went off – without a deal – to talk to the New England Patriots. As of now, these are the only franchises that have had formal talks with the five-time Pro Bowler, who the Arizona Cardinals recently released. In a head-to-head comparison, there are several notable reasons to think the Titans would be a more appealing team to Hopkins than the Patriots. ... One thing in Tennessee's favor is the presence of a proven and established quarterback in Ryan Tannehill. And speaking of Tannehill, he is not exactly jet-setting across the country these days, but he recently earned a license that allows him to pilot small airplanes. Tannehill talked about what he likes about taking to the skies, but it's possible that not everyone with the franchise is happy with the thought of him taking to the skies whenever he wants between now and when his contract with the Titans expires. ... Rookie Will Levis can throw the ball farther on the fly than most NFL quarterbacks, but like many young players at his position it is clear that he needs to learn when – and how – to not put everything he has into every throw. It is an issue that is addressed seemingly daily right now, but one that likely only will be remedied with time. ... Finally, last episode included a look at which spots on the roster are cause for greatest concern. This one ends on an optimistic note: A look at what areas of the roster inspire the most confidence. There is one position group that stands out above the rest, but it is not the only one.

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Coach Mike Vrabel confirmed that the Tennessee Titans will host wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on a free-agent visit. If reports of other possible destinations are accurate, it is clear that Hopkins, a five-time Pro Bowler, values familiarity. In Vrabel, offensive coordinator Tim Kelly and passing game coordinator Charles London, he has that in Tennessee, courtesy of his seven seasons with the Houston Texans. Earlier in the offseason, franchise officials preached patience in the pursuit of much-needed help at wide receiver. Hopkins could provide the payoff. ... Kevin Byard was asked to take a pay cut this season (he has not done so) and then stayed away to train on his own during organized team activities. The leader of the Titans defense said – when he finally met the media – that those things are not related and that he informed franchise officials months ago of his plan to train on his own for much of the offseason. There is no doubt that he said all the right things but little faith that he actually told the truth (or at least the whole truth). Given his exemplary record on the field, as a locker room leader and in prior dealings with the front office, it is impossible to think anything other than first-year general manager Ran Carthon made a major misstep in this case. ... As training camp approaches, there still are questions about the roster, including an absence of obvious contributors at one position, the uncertainty about the value of one newcomer and the troubling injury history of a veteran player.

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This episode opens with a roundup of recent personnel notes, which include draft pick signings, a free agent addition, and the retirement of a true Titans great. ... Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is available after the Arizona Cardinals released him, and Tennessee -- as it turns out -- needs wide receivers. A rundown of all the reasons general manager Ran Carthon and coach Mike Vrabel should want to sign Hopkins along with a look at some of the factors that could keep a deal from getting done. ... Treylon Burks has one injury-shortened season to his credit but clearly is the best wide receiver currently on the roster. The good news is that the 2022 first-round choice out of Arkansas is having a much better offseason than he did a year ago, and nothing better illustrates his current mindset than his recent desire -- and successful effort -- to keep travel issues from forcing him to miss a day of organized team activities. ... Quarterback Will Levis, this year's second-round pick, has looked much more like a rookie than someone who is ready to replace Ryan Tannehill thus far in OTAs. That is probably to be expected and should not be cause for concern at this point. ... Defensive back Elijah Molden was highly productive as a rookie in 2021. But he missed nearly all of 2022 with an injury, and now he has to carve out a new role for himself. A position change might be the way for him to do so, and Molden is working at a new spot this offseason.

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The NFL has implemented a rule change for the 2023 season that allows teams to dress an emergency, third-string quarterback for games. That player must be on the 53-man active roster and can play only if the first two are injured and/or ejected. Following the draft, coach Mike Vrabel said Will Levis is the Tennessee Titans' third-string quarterback, but the change likely will have a bigger impact on Malik Willis and his future with the team. ... In recent years, the Titans primarily have kept two quarterbacks on the active roster with a third on the practice squad. This change to the rules is likely to make them consider keeping three on the active roster for this season. ... Another thing to keep in mind is that first-year general manager Ran Carthon came from the San Francisco 49ers, a team that saw its Super Bowl hopes end last season when two quarterbacks were injured in the NFC Championship and coaches were forced to improvise a limited offense for the remainder of the contest. ... Organized team activities (OTAs), such as what took place this week, are voluntary and several players – most notably safety Kevin Byard and cornerback Kristian Fulton – were not in attendance. ... Both players have reason to be unhappy with the team. Byard has been asked to take a pay cut, and Fulton was one of the players Vrabel called out for consistent injury issues after the 2022 season. ... When asked about the two, Vrabel had decidedly different reactions.

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In an attempt to put the issues from his rookie season behind him, 2022 first-round pick Treylon Burks decided to stay put. The wide receiver, who battled conditioning and injury issues last season, decided to spend the offseason in Nashville, training at the team facility to better acclimate himself to the local conditions as well as to build rapport and trust with the coaching staff. ... This year's first-round pick, offensive lineman Peter Skoronski, still does not have a position, based on the team's rookie camp. Skoronski worked at both guard and tackle despite a college career that suggests he is one and not the other. ... Quarterback Will Levis, this year's second-round choice, looked comfortable running the offense during the rookie camp -- which he should have. Coach Mike Vrabel was not exactly quick, however, to heap praise on the Titans' newest quarterback of the future. ... Running back Tyjae Spears, the third-round selection, had nothing to say about his medical history when asked (repeatedly). ... The 2023 NFL schedule is out, and it has Tennessee on the go for an extended stretch during the middle part.

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Recent developments for the Tennessee Titans include a lawsuit filed by former left tackle Taylor Lewan, changes in the front office, including the departure of former interim general manager Ryan Cowden and the first post-draft media availability for select players, including quarterback Ryan Tannehill. ... Third-round draft pick Tyjae Spears could be the change-of-pace back the Titans have wanted for years. He was not a workhorse at Tulane, but was consistently productive when he had the ball in his hands. ... Fifth-round pick Josh Whyle should be someone the Titans know well given that he played at Cincinnati under coach Luke Fickell, who is coach Mike Vrabel's close friend. Whyle has the chance to step in as the replacement for departed free agent Austin Hooper. ... Sixth-round pick Jaelyn Duncan, a tackle out of Maryland, is the only one of the later selections who does not have an immediate path to the field. His college career suggests he needs a little time to develop but that the wait could be worth it. ... Seventh-round pick Colton Dowell is a homegrown product who grew up in nearby Lebanon and played college football at Tennessee-Martin. He did not put up huge numbers for most of his college career, but played best against the best competition, particularly a contest last fall against the University of Tennessee.

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No one would say the Tennessee Titans' selection of Northwestern tackle Peter Skoronski in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft (11th overall) was a reach. The 6-foot-4, 315-pound All-American was widely considered to be among this year's top 10 prospects. However, pre-draft analysis included concern about his short arms, similar to what happened a year ago with cornerback Roger McCreary. The Titans selected McCreary in the second round, and he was one of their most consistent performers throughout the 2022 season. ... Skoronski was the first of six picks Tennessee made in this year's draft. All six were on offense, which is a franchise first. ... For the second year in a row, the Titans drafted someone they hope will be their quarterback of the future, Will Levis of Kentucky. Levis unexpectedly dropped out of the first round, and his selection -- a year after Malik Willis was picked in the third round -- was not universally celebrated by the fan base. ... To get Levis, the Titans traded up from the No. 41 overall pick to No. 35. By the time they made their third pick, a host of notable wide receivers were chosen, and if there is one position at which this team needed some immediate help, it was wide receiver. ... Tennessee finally selected a receiver in the seventh round. They made Colton Dowell of Tennessee-Martin their final pick (seventh round, 228 overall) and the 30th wide receiver overall selected. ... In his first draft as a general manager, Ran Carthon showed he was willing to be -- when possible -- aggressive. He also said he stuck to the team's draft board and that the focus on offense was not intentional.

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