Titans OTAs Notebook: Carnell Tate does it again, Cam Ward struggles, clear redzone winners and losers, key veterans return
At a bonus day of Titans OTAs practice, we saw some action in redzone periods that told three very different stories for each of the Titans quarterbacks.
Media was back at Titans OTAs on Monday, and everybody was having a good time in June practice.
A big thank you is in order to Titans PR and coach Saleh, who arranged for us to come view two extra practices this week than was previously scheduled. Here’s what we saw:
Carnell Tate keeps doing it to the defense
I’d say he can’t keep getting away with this, but you kind of drafted him because he can keep getting away with this.
The Titans’ 4th overall draft pick once again showed well at practice Monday. There’s no dispute over him looking the part of a top WR pick. And on one route in particular, he once again demonstrated his ability to take the top off a defense without actually blazing past everybody.
He ran a deep route that curled towards the middle of the field 50 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, with CB Micah Robinson in coverage. Cam Ward lofted the ball well and Tate had an opportunity to go win it. And with his long frame and elite hands, win it he did.
Micah Robinson is just getting bullied by the Titans coaching staff at this point. I am humbly requesting literally anybody else being made to take a turn trying to guard Tate. It’s cruel and unusual punishment to continue putting him on the wrong side of Tate highlights. But with the Titans’ top starters at CB still off training on their own, this seems to be our only option.
Who’s Back of the Week
This portion of spring practice is still technically voluntary, so a handful of veterans are still trickling in. On Monday, we got our first look at EDGE Jermaine Johnson who the Titans traded with the Jets for during the Combine in February. He got active with the first team defense and made it into the backfield to disrupt a handful of plays on his first day back (that the media has seen, at least).
The other notable debut was backup QB Mitch Trubisky, who had a very nice first day! There’s no question in my mind who the primary backup on this team is right now, even with the potential for Levis to stick around this fall. Mitch is QB2.
Redzone winners and losers
We’ve saved the real meat of the practice review for last. A big portion of Monday’s practice was dedicated to redzone periods, and we got to see the top three QBs go at it one at a time.
Cam Ward struggled more today than we’ve seen him struggle in a practice so far this offseason. He had a lot of throw-aways and a handful of moments that felt like miscommunication. Per Terry McCormick, he was 8/17 with 1 TD and 1 INT. The turnover definitely seemed like teammates who weren’t on the same page, because the pass wasn’t near anybody. And he potentially had a second touchdown on the day if the practice tape replay reveals an overturned call on a Chimere Dike near-toe tap TD. This was heavily disputed by the receiver, defender, quarterback, OC, Titans PR man Travis, pair of refs, and pair of Easton Freeze and Austin Stanley standing in the area. Ultimately the call on the field was just one foot. I eagerly await a final verdict, Titans.
Mitch Trubisky was easily the most efficient QB on the day. I can count on just a couple of fingers the number of incompletions he had, and he capitalized in the redzone with a particularly impressive TD pass to WR Bryce Oliver in on the side boundary. Oliver toe-tapped successfully on the catch over his shoulder, followed by big celebration by the offense. Oliver is safe to make this team in my too-early opinion.
And finally, William Levis. All aboard the rollercoaster.
Levis had a flashy day in some good and some real bad ways. He threw one interception and another pass that should have been picked off by a robbing defender screaming down the spine of the defense. He also threw a touchdown pass to Courtney Jackson and a really nice ball over the top in a different period to rookie TE Jaren Kanak. He remains too volatile and needs to develop more consistency by the preseason if this team is going to maximize his trade potential.