Titans Minicamp Notebook: Cam Ward’s Rising Pass Catchers, Xavier Restrepo Hype, and the Long Ball End Offseason with Juice
The Tennessee Titans end mandatory minicamp with a completive scrimmage that saw Cam Ward’s pass catchers gain momentum.
Wednesday’s final Tennessee Titans practice of the offseason program was full of competitive juice. Robert Saleh’s team wrapped up their minicamp practices with a large chunk of scrimmage drives. The players definitely were locked in on whether the offense or defense had the edge.
The day ended with the defense in celebration for the second time this week. Titans back up cornerback rose above Xavier Restrepo to intercept Will Levis in the end zone to end the day. Tuesday safety Amani Hooker picked off Cam Ward on the goal line on the last play of practice, too.
Daniel Bellinger, Wan’Dale Robinson frequency
Freeze: If you just watched the Titans practice the past two days, you’d be gearing up for TE Daniel Bellinger to go for 1000 yards receiving in the fall. He’s been all over the place.
Bellinger is known to OC Brian Daboll, and he knows this offense already from his time in New York. He was brought in as a versatile dirty work guy to unlock Gunnar Helm to play more of a receiving-focused role at the TE1, and I expect that to be what happens. But don’t let his utility in different positions around the offensive formation as a blocker fool you into thinking he won’t get a lot of receiving work too.
Unless the Titans are just practicing a lot of stuff they have no intention of running in real games, he’s going to play a serious role. Both tight ends are. Welcome to 12 personnel, folks.
Stanley: Ward and Wan’Dale Robinson look to have taken progressive steps toward being on the same page as a a new QB-WR duo. Earlier in OTA practices passes targeting the free agent receiver often fell to the ground in ways that looked like the communication and/or expectation was different for that play.
Wednesday, Ward and Robinson connected often during the scrimmage sessions. If the mission of OTAs and minicamps are to start to get a feel for your new teammates in a new system, this mission looks accomplished.
K.J. Osborn forcing the issue for Titans training camp
Welcome back, James Proche (close enough).
Veteran free agent addition KJ Osborne is going to be a very big part of our training camp discussion, and it’s going to feel similar to the way we discussed Proche last year. He’s a useful piece that’s bumping up against a numbers problem.
The Titans have five WR locks to make the roster: Ridley, Tate, Robinson, Ayomanor, and Dike. They’ll keep at least one more, potentially two. If Bryce Oliver insulates himself as a vital part of the special teams operation like I suspect he will, he’ll get the sixth nod. Which leaves us with a tricky question for Osborne.
Does he offer anything on teams? At that spot on the roster, you really need to to justify keeping you on the 53. But Osborne’s utility in the passing game and veteran experience (put up 1800+ yards and 15 touchdowns in three season with Minnesota) will make him tricky to write off on cutdown day! Jot him down for some preseason highlights that endears him to fans.
Xavier Restrepo keeps making highlight plays
Stanley: “Strep season” is usually a bad thing, but not for the Tennessee Titans.
Undrafted receiver Xavier Restrepo has taken his underdog fan favorite status to the next level in this second year with the Titans. I’ve mentioned before how this Brian Daboll offensive scheme looks like it fits his skillset better than before.
In back to back minicamp days Restrepo has flashed real playmaking abilities where he looks more athletic than his 4.74 forty-yard-dash time.
He’s still a long-shot to make the roster as a logjam has been created at the receiver position.
Joey Slye’s long ball is still hitting
Stanley: Wednesday’s minicamp practice had a lot of scrimmage like ‘move the ball’ periods that is the closest to mimicking real football as possible in practice. Most of the drives ended in field goal attempts from kicker Joey Slye, and he delivered.
Slye went made all four attempts, from various spots on the field. His long ball on was display by drilling a 60 yard kick with 10-12 yards of extra leg behind it. Transparently, the decently strong wind was helping Slye on that attempt. Then Slye made a 57-yard attempt with that wind in his face. The ball bounced off the cross bar and in.
The veteran kicker is in his second season with Tennessee, and doesn’t have any competition on the 90-man offseason roster, which exudes confidence from special teams coordinator John Bones Fassell and staff.