Official 2017 Training Camp thread - Week 1

[KingTitan]

Training Camp is coming, Football is about to begin!

[Mesa_Titan]

Damn, I didn't even realize that this weekend was the first practice. Gonna be so nice to have real Titans news. Cannot wait to hear about Corey Davis.

[Titans fan 617]

I was trying to create some discussion in the regular site but not many people replied so might as well keep going here. 

Iv been doing position break downs I did all the offense and D-Line so I'll do LB now. If anyone wants wants to talk about a previous position feel free but here's my break down of LB

I feel like we have a good group of LB. Orakpo and Morgan have been great rushing the passer. Williamson had a solid season and Woodyard has been solid as well. The depth of the position is key because none of the starting 4 cover very well so we need someone to ermerge as a legit cover LB. Jayon Brown seems to be the guy they'll turn too to do that. 

It would be so nice to have Dodd healthy but it's hard to be confident that it will happen but him backing up Orakpo and Morgan would be a nice piece to the offense. 

After that I think Palmer is a lock to make the team he seems to have had a good summer and even dropped some weight. 

I think it's a good group I think if the front 7 can generate pressure consistently it will help make our secondary out a ton and maybe helps Ryan Byard and Jackson take advantage of ther athletic abilities to make plays on the ball. 

What are your thoughts and concerns with the LB crew?

[ttitansfan4life]

OLB depth is incredibly scary. I don't have faith in Dodd being anything even if healthy. I think we'll be in the same situation as last year. Orakpo and Morgan will have to play pretty much the whole game. Wallace will play some snaps and he showed some things at times last year but I don't expect him to be big time contributor even as depth. I honestly thought we'd sign Erik Walden and that still might happen. We had him in for a workout so if Dodd doesn't stay healthy through TC and preseason, I could see us signing him or someone else. This is a position that should be targeted very early in next years draft. 

As far as ILB, it really hasn't changed from last year either. Two ILBs who will get embarrassed in coverage but play well enough in run defense. Jayon Brown may be a nice piece but I not jumping over a 5th round rookie. Spence was garbage last year in the nickel role so we'll see what Brown's got. Palmer and Bates are strictly SPT players with probably one of them being cut.

[titansNvolsR#1]

9 minutes ago, ttitansfan4life said:

OLB depth is incredibly scary. I don't have faith in Dodd being anything even if healthy. I think we'll be in the same situation as last year. Orakpo and Morgan will have to play pretty much the whole game. Wallace will play some snaps and he showed some things at times last year but I don't expect him to be big time contributor even as depth. I honestly thought we'd sign Erik Walden and that still might happen. We had him in for a workout so if Dodd doesn't stay healthy through TC and preseason, I could see us signing him or someone else. This is a position that should be targeted very early in next years draft. 

As far as ILB, it really hasn't changed from last year either. Two ILBs who will get embarrassed in coverage but play well enough in run defense. Jayon Brown may be a nice piece but I not jumping over a 5th round rookie. Spence was garbage last year in the nickel role so we'll see what Brown's got. Palmer and Bates are strictly SPT players with probably one of them being cut.

Any possibility of Tamba Hali being cut? If he is, I wouldn't mind bringing him in for depth. 

Also wouldn't mind taking a look at Zach Orr.

[Titans fan 617]

Ya I see him trying to talk his way out of KC but I don't think he would come here to be a back up just my opinion 

[TitanSlim]

OLB depth and speed at ILB are my two biggest concerns. It'd do wonders if our young guys(Dodd,Wallace,Brown) take a step up.

[grizzans3222]

I am here.. But i am just ready for football..

[KingTitan]

Jason Wolf thinks that Cory Davis could be a hold out. Which means we should be expecting him to sign at any moment.

 

 

[ragevsuall17]

AT ILB, I still have hope that even if Cyprien is considered an in-the-box safety, he'll be playing a LBer-type role.  We can substitute our base 3-4 at times with a big N package, which includes a 3rd safety... Cyprien essentially being that 4-6 rover type LB/safety guy.  This would help with 2 TE sets, giving the defense more cover options on those guys... while not hurting the run defense all that much.    

At OLB, we're an injury away to Rak or Morgan from it being a weakness.  Dodd still hasn't proved anything, and remains the biggest ? on the entire team.  Will he be able to step up this year when called upon... were we all just too harsh on him too quick last year?  Rak and Morgan were a great duo last year... at least pass rushing... but they are part of what makes the coverage part of our pass D a liability (last year at least). Even if Dodd's play improves considerably, he seems like a Morgan clone, and probably won't add more in pass coverage than Morgan does.  I wanted the team to bring in an more rounded OLB... a guy that could rush and cover... I really liked Fackrell for that role last year... but it seems a trait that teams aren't really looking for in an OLB.

[titans0021]

A stronger Jurrell Casey fascinates me.

[Titans fan 617]

Ok want to finish the position breakdown especially with this group in particular because I think our season pretty much depends on this group a lot.

The Secondary... this group has me the most worried of any group on ththe field. Last year we were terrible even in games we were blowing teams out like Cle Jags and GB they always made it insteresting. Cle almost beat us Chi should have beat us granted GB and Jags weren't close to being blown I just didn't feel we dominated a game defensively from start to finish.

The positives are Titans moved on from JMac who was a great soldier great teammate great human being on and off the field but just wasn't the same guy after all the groin injuries. I went back and rewatched a lot of highlights from games this year and he's usually in the right position but got to a point where he was having trouble playing with his back towards the ball which is what happened to Devin and the Pats moved him to safety. Also the Titans didn't bring back Blake Stafford And Johnson. 

Now the positives are Cyprien should really help free up Byard and hopefully we have a ball hawking safety which we haven't seen in quite some time. I wasn't a huge fan of the player but hoping he changes my mind but hopefully doesn't get fat cat syndrome and still has the hunger to be great is Logan Ryan. I'm most intrigued by Adore Jackson. The kid is explosive but I have no idea how he'll do as an actual cover CB in this league and is also on the shorter side of things. He has tremendous athletic ability which could make up for the height. Now the one player that could very well be the next JMac on this team if he continues to trend up and work hard is Leshaun Sims. In the preseason he wasn't all that good IMO but man when he got in there after we finally ditched Cox he played great against Den and at the time made the play that saved the season picking off Alex Smith in KC. I truly think he puts up a fight to be the number 1 CB.

Who rounds out the secondary? I think McCain and Hurst make the team. I think Searcy sticks around. I hope Kalen Reed puts up a fight over Searcy.

How do you all think this plays out? Does Curtis Riley steal a spot? Do the Titans look at a Revis or Flowers or someone who's unemployed at the moment? 

 

 

[titans0021]

3 hours ago, Titans fan 617 said:

Ok want to finish the position breakdown especially with this group in particular because I think our season pretty much depends on this group a lot.

The Secondary... this group has me the most worried of any group on ththe field. Last year we were terrible even in games we were blowing teams out like Cle Jags and GB they always made it insteresting. Cle almost beat us Chi should have beat us granted GB and Jags weren't close to being blown I just didn't feel we dominated a game defensively from start to finish.

The positives are Titans moved on from JMac who was a great soldier great teammate great human being on and off the field but just wasn't the same guy after all the groin injuries. I went back and rewatched a lot of highlights from games this year and he's usually in the right position but got to a point where he was having trouble playing with his back towards the ball which is what happened to Devin and the Pats moved him to safety. Also the Titans didn't bring back Blake Stafford And Johnson. 

Now the positives are Cyprien should really help free up Byard and hopefully we have a ball hawking safety which we haven't seen in quite some time. I wasn't a huge fan of the player but hoping he changes my mind but hopefully doesn't get fat cat syndrome and still has the hunger to be great is Logan Ryan. I'm most intrigued by Adore Jackson. The kid is explosive but I have no idea how he'll do as an actual cover CB in this league and is also on the shorter side of things. He has tremendous athletic ability which could make up for the height. Now the one player that could very well be the next JMac on this team if he continues to trend up and work hard is Leshaun Sims. In the preseason he wasn't all that good IMO but man when he got in there after we finally ditched Cox he played great against Den and at the time made the play that saved the season picking off Alex Smith in KC. I truly think he puts up a fight to be the number 1 CB.

Who rounds out the secondary? I think McCain and Hurst make the team. I think Searcy sticks around. I hope Kalen Reed puts up a fight over Searcy.

How do you all think this plays out? Does Curtis Riley steal a spot? Do the Titans look at a Revis or Flowers or someone who's unemployed at the moment? 

 

 

Given that we added a safety that isn't in any way useful in pass coverage, I think Searcy's roster spot is pretty set in stone at this point. Trawick is the one I'll be watching during the preseason. Hasn't played much on defense, but apparently he flashed a bit when he got on the field late in the season for Oakland. At safety, Byard, Cyprien, Searcy and Trawick are pretty much locks.

I think we had nine DBs make the active roster last year. So that leaves five corners. Ryan, Jackson and Sims are absolute locks. Unless we're adding a veteran, McCain has about a 90% chance of making it. That leaves Reed, Hurst and Riley as likely the last one in. I'd want to give Reed the edge, but honestly, I would not be at all surprised if the 4th/5th corner isn't currently on the roster.

The secondary should be better than last year. But the depth at safety terrifies me. Searcy is in line to play a ton of snaps and I've made my feelings on Cyprien pretty clear.

[Titans fan 617]

Ok last day before training camp one last group of players to talk about and I believe this was probably our most upgraded position from last year to this year and that is... Special Teams.

Tarwick Bates and Weems are 3 of the best Special Teamers in the league and I'm not even talking about Weems on returns I'm talking about all 3 cover kicks and punts really well. 

Im excited for the return game for once I'm hoping Jackson Muhammad and Weems actually have some nice returns this year not like Mariani who was basically just there to catch the ball and that was it. 

Succop has been solid from the day we signed him the only thing with kickers is once they start missing PATs that's where the careers go down the tubes fortunately he has been really good and hope it stays that way.

Kern is good too he's been booming the ball real well there's no issues there.

overall I'm actually excited to see our Special Teams play I feel like a big play can really come at any time with this group. I'm really hoping to see some returns for TD by Jackson this year 

[titans0021]

Special teams better be the most improved unit next year. Between Brynden Trawick, Weems and Bates as free agents, Adoree as a returner and even a guy like Jayon Brown should, theoretically, be a strong special teams player, there are just a ton of upgrades in the return and coverage games. Given just how god awful we were last year, there should be huge growth. And Succop and Kern will hopefully be just as consistently solid as ever.