The Titans have a possible leading candidate emerging to wear the green dot as Minicamp practices conclude
The Tennessee Titans let star linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair walk via free agency this offseason, so it was evident the team needed a new leader at linebacker to emerge heading into the 2024 NFL season. General manager Ran Carthon signed Kenneth Murray via free agency from the Chargers, then drafted both Cedric Gray (round four) and […]
The Tennessee Titans let star linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair walk via free agency this offseason, so it was evident the team needed a new leader at linebacker to emerge heading into the 2024 NFL season. General manager Ran Carthon signed Kenneth Murray via free agency from the Chargers, then drafted both Cedric Gray (round four) and James Williams (round seven) to help bolster the linebacker room.
All three of the new acquisitions at linebacker seem to be plugging in nicely already, but the somewhat surprising candidate who has emerged as a possible favorite to wear the green dot this season has been former undrafted free agent Jack Gibbens. What has he done to stand out enough to prove he's worthy of leading the defense and communicating calls on every single play? Let's talk through what minicamp taught us this week.
Jack Gibbens and potential green dot
Last season Jack Gibbens played on over 600 defensive snaps, racking up nearly 100 tackles for the Two-Tone Blue. However, he wasn't always the most dynamic in coverage, and didn't make a bunch of game-changing plays or turnovers. So what changed?
Well for starters, Gibbens began minicamp week by making plays in 7-on-7 and 11s walk throughs on Tuesday, getting teammates lined up at times and communicating consistently. When asked about him after that practice, new head coach Brian Callahan had this to say:
Jack Gibbens apparently "has a lot of value", and demonstrates "a lot of command of the defense" to get people in the right spots every time. Callahan went on to share that he believes you don't have to be an elite athlete to be a good linebacker. And it's true, Gibbens isn't a top notch athlete, but is disciplined and does his job well on every single snap. That might not be flashy, but it gets the job done.
On Wednesday, Gibbens stepped it up snagging an interception from Will Levis that was intended for Chig Okonkwo. As you can see in the video below, Gibbens was in great position, and possesses incredible reactionary skills to immediately turn up field after making the pick. You can see in the video below just how impressive the play was for Gibbens.
When Gibbens was asked about his "taking command" of the defense he shared how his role has been changing this season as he now has significant NFL experience.
"Yeah, just trying to step into more of a leadership role. And just try to make the guys around me better, make the team better. I think as you just get older and start getting more comfortable with the league…I'm not so much worried about where I'm going, what I'm supposed to be doing…I'm more trying to focus on how I can help this team get better, how can I make this unit better, make the linebacker room better."
Gibbens understands that he's a leader for this defense in 2024. And not just because multiple coaches said so at the podium this week. Gibbens understands that regardless of his role he's here to make everyone better, himself included. That's clearly been his focus this offseason, and it's also led to him developing, reaching a level he never has before.
When asked about the green dot, Gibbens showed great maturity and wisdom, as you can see in his quote below.
"Yeah, I think people like to make a big deal about the green dot…People make it more than what it is, but I think that at the end of the day we're going to put guys in position to be successful…We're not really worried about that. We're focused on just trying to get better at football, come together as a unit, and everybody stepping into their role, whatever role that might be."
Gibbens development as a player, a leader, a communicator, and a teammate focused on the overall success of the team more than individual glory makes him a great fit for the green dot in 2024. He's "taken command" of the defense. He's in the right place all the time. Gibbens has more on-field experience with this team than any other linebacker in the room. There's no reason he shouldn't be firmly within the conversation, if not the favorite to wear the green dot this season.
Gibbens didn't make as much noise at Thursday's minicamp, but it was a different kind of practice with more focus on specific situational plays. If he continues stepping up, showing consistency, command, and leadership it makes sense that Gibbens could emerge as the leading candidate to wear the green dot on defense.
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