Notes from a unique Titans training camp scrimmage
NASHVILLE — Tennessee Titans practice on Tuesday was not your typical day at training camp. The New England Patriots were originally scheduled to have joint practices with the Titans this week, but after a change of plans, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel tried something unique. The Titans did a full scrimmage on Tuesday. White jerseys […]
NASHVILLE — Tennessee Titans practice on Tuesday was not your typical day at training camp.
The New England Patriots were originally scheduled to have joint practices with the Titans this week, but after a change of plans, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel tried something unique.
The Titans did a full scrimmage on Tuesday. White jerseys taking on the blue jerseys. Defensive line coach Terrell Williams and director of football administration John Streicher acted as the head coaches and drafted their individual teams one player at a time.
"We've got a little surprise. We're doing a little blue-white scrimmage," said Vrabel on The Mike Vrabel Show. "We had a draft. We got two head coaches. They've drafted players. They drafted coaches. They've drafted trainers. They drafted strength coaches. I hope the team enjoys it and they have fun with it."
Williams' "blue team" roster included Malik Willis, Derrick Henry, Jeffery Simmons, Kevin Byard, Harold Landry, and Tyjae Spears.
Streicher's "white team" had Ryan Tannehill, DeAndre Hopkins, Chig Okonkwo, Arden Key, Teair Tart, and Amani Hooker among others.
Here's a rundown of some notes and memorable moments from the exciting day at Saint Thomas Sports Park:
– Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins put on a show. By my count, Hopkins was targeted by Tannehill a total of 10 times on Tuesday. Seven of those passes were completed, including at least three or four explosive plays of 25+ yards. Hopkins caught a deep touchdown on a trick play and made a clutch catch moving towards the sideline during a two-minute drill to get the ball into field goal range.
– Malik Willis hit two long touchdown passes on the day. One went to a wide open Colton Dowell during 7-on-7 period. The other was a jump ball to Racey McMath who made a nice catch over L.J. Davis while drawing a flag for defensive pass interference.
– New Titans kicker Michael Badgley struggled in his first day back with the team. During a special teams period of practice, Badgley went 7-for-10 on field goals with misses from 33, 43, and 48. After Hopkins' clutch catch, Badgley ended the two-minute drill with a missed 44-yard field goal. Every missed kick on the day was wide right.
"We've had Michael [Badgley] here before and he's got the next crack at it," said Vrabel after practice. "I'm sure we'll look at other ones, too."
– While there was some debate on who won the scrimmage, edge rusher Arden Key was confident that his white team defense got after the quarterback more frequently than the other side. Malik Willis was sacked at least three times during the 11-on-11 period by Key, Tart, and others.
"They didn't score in any of the team periods. We scored in the team periods. That's it," Key told me with confidence after practice. "We sacked them more than the blue team and the blue team had Harold Landry, Jeffery Simmons, and Denico Autry."
– The only interception of the day belonged to Amani Hooker, who picked off Malik Willis at the end of a two-minute drill. Willis tried to get the ball to Mason Kinsey in double coverage, but Hooker was all over it.
– Nine Titans players were not seen participating in practice. They are as follows: Kearis Jackson, Hassan Haskins, Jonathan Ward, John Ojukwu, Jaelyn Duncan, Will Levis, Kyle Philips, Treylon Burks, and Monty Rice.
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