Day two of padded practices at Tennessee Titans training camp brought fireworks, but the kind that broke Robert Saleh’s rules.

Jeffery Simmons started a fight involving three of the five starting offensive linemen, Cam Ward connected with Carnell Tate on a bomb touchdown, and Saleh’s new alternative to traditional 1-on-1 drills got its first real test.

There’s a lot to unpack from Monday’s session, so Easton Freeze and I will break it down

Titans offensive line wins the day in one-on-ones

Freeze: The Titans’ second day in pads at training camp offered the first look at offensive line versus defensive line one-on-one drills, and the early returns were encouraging for a unit the franchise desperately needs to work. The period was short, but the results were revealing enough. By my count (with a jury of my peers) the offensive line won the one-on-ones 12-9 over the defensive line.

An important caveat before anyone gets too excited: Jeffrey Simmons, John Franklin-Myers, and Jermaine Johnson did not participate in that drill. So… the deck was a little stacked. Still, the offensive line looking the way it did was generally promising for the depth in particular. Those guys held their own better than I would have guessed on the first day of one-on-ones, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of these matchups as camp rolls on.

Chimere Dike pops for the first time this camp

Freeze: Somebody who stood out for the first time at camp is second-year wide receiver Chimere Dike, and he’s a player a lot of fans have been asking me about. Dike didn’t generate much buzz during last year’s training camp, but he popped during the regular season and earned All-Pro honors as a return man. So far this camp, the story had been more of the same quiet reps. That changed on Day 2 in pads.

Dike showed some nice zone reading, sitting down in soft spots to get wide open and making a couple of quality plays. His acceleration when he gets the ball in space is something that really pops. On top of his return duties, Tennessee is going to need him as a depth wide receiver, and what he showed today demonstrated he shouldn’t be a big dropoff when called on.

Ward’s first big connection with Tate

Stanley: Cam Ward and Carnell Tate finally linked up on their first splash play together. Ward launched a pass that traveled roughly 65 yards in the air, dropping it right in the bucket as the fourth overall pick beat cornerback Lonte Taylor down the center of the field.

Tate did a really good job tracking the football while it hung in the air for what felt like forever. The throw came toward the end of team periods and provided the highlight of an otherwise uneven day for Ward. The disruption caused by the Simmons fight early in practice didn’t help matters, but the Titans ran the ball well as an offense overall.

Easton Freeze also noted that Chim Dike made his first real appearance of camp after Elic Ayomanor has been the dominant story in the return game through the early days of training camp.

Early verdict on Saleh’s 1-on-1 replacement drill

Stanley: Saleh is not running traditional 1-on-1s for skill players this training camp. The classic format, where an offensive player and defensive player line up head-to-head, a route is run and defended, and a ball is thrown, has been a staple of football for generations. It’s great training camp entertainment and a great competitive opportunity.

Saleh said Monday after practice that traditional 1-on-1s carry the second-highest injury rate of anything that happens in a football practice. I understand that reasoning. But his replacement version? I don’t like it. I don’t like it as a practice media member, as a practice viewer, and I don’t think it’s as well done as it could be for the football team.

Here’s how it works: the Titans run a glorified 7-on-7 session. They rotate in five pass catchers with one quarterback at a time. Ward goes in with five skill players, then Mitch Trubisky goes in with five, then Will Levis, then Hendon Hooker. Each group gets one snap, and they roll through. It’s all man-to-man coverage with a safety over the top and one linebacker designated as the pass rusher rather than dropping into coverage.

I understand the idea. The quarterback gets something out of it because he has to read man-to-man coverage and make a throw to the open receiver. However, I think it could be done significantly better if the field was split into halves.

For example, Ward and Trubisky could throw at the same time. Ward takes three receivers on the left side, Trubisky takes three on the right, and those plays happen either simultaneously or in an A-and-B sequence. Ward’s receivers run their routes first, then Trubisky goes immediately after. That way, if you’re not running them at the same time, you can at least incorporate crossers or across-the-field route combinations. It’s still a read play for the quarterback, but you’re reading one side with two or three receivers against the defense.

That would be my suggestion that Saleh did not ask me for. 7-on-7 has its purpose. I know a lot of people don’t like 7-on-7, and I know a lot of coaches don’t either. But this is how the Titans want to do it. Maybe they’ll adjust it over time, but through day 2, I didn’t like it.

Robert Saleh addresses the aftermath of on-field scuffle

Freeze: After practice, Titans coach Robert Saleh spoke about the aftermath of a scuffle between the offensive and defensive lines. He said the team did a good job getting back into things.

“It’s the second day of pads. It’s hot, it’s muggy. We’re expecting it, especially with the way the O-line and D-line get after it. So it’s just a reminder that we’ve got work to do.”

Saleh compared the situation to his own family, saying he and his brothers used to fight all the time. At the end of the day, everyone still has to take care of one another and make sure they’re getting everybody what they need.

When asked whether Simmons left practice on his own, Saleh explained the team’s policy: if you throw a punch in a game, you get ejected, so if you throw a punch in practice, you get ejected. Simmons was sent back to the locker room, but Saleh noted that Simmons chose to stay on the side field to get his own individual drills in, which Saleh seemed to appreciate.

Titans linebackers keep making plays

Stanley: Titans linebackers keep getting their hands on the football throughout the first seven days of camp. Tuesday rookie Anthony Hill Jr. intercepted two Mitch Trubisky passes (including the final play of the day). Looks like his summer diet plan is showing results.

Anthony Hill Jr. is down 7ish pounds

The diet change? Big candy guy has to eat less candy. No more Mike & Ike’s in particular 😂

— Easton Freeze (@eastonfreeze) August 4, 2026

James Williams Sr. made another INT on Trubisky, this time he only needed one hand. After the first few days of practice you’d need two hands to count the plays he’s been able to make, including another pick on Trubisky last week, and two big run stuffs Monday.