Titans Maintain All is Well with Two First-Rounders
NASHVILLE – Just like a good Netflix show, the Tennessee Titans have proven they can deliver a quality cliffhanger – or two.
That much we’ve learned over the last few days, as the team completed its mandatory minicamp and looked forward to a six-week break before the start of training camp in late July.
Unresolved issues? There are a couple of big ones involving first-round draft picks, questions that will only be answered when the next “season” drops.
Until then, Titans fans must hope that the company line – “Everything is fine” – will indeed become reality when full-scale preparations for the 2022 season begin.
One recurring and well-documented story is the limited offseason participation – and minicamp absence -- of wide receiver Treylon Burks, the 18th overall pick in the draft last April.
We know Burks is dealing with asthma, and likely with conditioning issues as well. We know that it generally takes a bit of time for doctors to diagnose exactly what triggers asthma attacks, and to develop a medical plan that will control the issues.
We also know, unfortunately for Burks and the Titans, that every minute missed on the field during a rookie offseason is important, especially considering Burks will be expected to produce right away.
“We’re doing everything we can to keep him abreast,” wide receivers coach Rob Moore said. “He’s done a great job of responding to everything we’ve given him, and he’s eager to learn, eager to get to work.
“He’s getting all the installs and all the information. It’s just a matter of taking all that information and putting it to practice. I think some of that stuff will get worked out between now and training camp.”
Moore sounded -- for the most part – confident that Burks’ situation will change in a matter of weeks, though he seemed to leave the tiniest sliver of doubt in his outlook.
“He’s going to be fine,” Moore said. “He’ll be fine, I’m pretty sure.”
The second mystery revealed itself – somewhat surprisingly – earlier this week, when defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons appeared at minicamp, but didn’t participate in either of the team’s two sessions on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Why wasn’t Simmons on the field?
It seems like such a simple question, but answers over the past couple days revealed little, adding layers of confusion instead.
Defensive line coach Terrell Williams offered a straightforward response to questions about Simmons’ health, letting us know the 19th overall pick of the 2019 draft was healthy.
“He’s fine, he’s fine,” Williams said. “He’s doing exactly what we’re asking him to do right now.”
So why wouldn’t that include asking Simmons to take part in minicamp?
“Because it’s (not) what we’re asking him to do,” Williams said. “So, he’s doing just well, I promise you.”
The obvious speculation is that Simmons, heading into the fourth season of his five-year contract, is looking to re-work his deal.
Who could blame him if that’s the case? Simmons has far outperformed the terms of his rookie contract, especially considering what he did last season. On his way to a career year and a first Pro Bowl appearance, Simmons racked up some tremendous numbers for an interior defensive lineman – 54 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 58 quarterback pressures and 12 tackles for loss.
Outside of the Rams’ Aaron Donald, it would be hard to find many – if any – defensive tackles that can dominate a game as thoroughly as Simmons.
Speaking of Donald, the seven-time All-Pro just signed a three-year, $95 million contract, a deal that did not go unnoticed by Simmons. Sure, the 24-year-old Simmons is far less experienced and far less accomplished at this stage of his career than Donald. So, he wouldn’t merit a contract of that magnitude at this point.
But the fact that Simmons’ scheduled base salaries for the next two years are $2.2 million and $10.8 million seems mind-blowing in comparison to Donald and the rest of the league’s top defensive linemen, even though those financial terms are part of the CBA for rookie contracts.
So, Simmons was asked Wednesday, was his absence from the practice field related to seeking a new contract?
“I’m here to play football,” Simmons said. “l got a (management) team around me that handles my contract situations and my future and all that. So, I’m focused on training, I’m focused on getting ready for this season.
“I’m on the plan. Been talking with (Titans coach Mike Vrabel and Director of Sports Medicine Todd Toriscelli). I’ve just been on the plan with them, focused on how much I can improve.”
Fair enough. But why wouldn’t such a plan to improve include practicing at minicamp? Wouldn’t the lack of participation – assuming Simmons is indeed healthy – suggest there’s a contract issue?
“If it is about contract, I don’t know,” Simmons said. “Because I’m not talking to (the Titans) about my contract. I have a (management) team in place that -- if it is about contract -- they’re going to talk about it with whoever upstairs (in the Titans’ front office).”
We turn next to Vrabel, the man who decides which players practice and which players don’t. The Titans’ fifth-year coach said Wednesday he does not take contract issues into account when making those decisions.
So, why, then would a healthy Simmons not be participating?
“He’s just doing exactly what we ask him to do, like everybody else,” Vrabel said. “Everybody has a different plan, and that’s where we’re at right now.”
If you find yourself more confused now about Simmons’ status than before today, you are not alone.
The good news for Titans fans is that Simmons hardly sounded like a malcontent, instead talking about how an offseason that’s included weight loss and a trip to Von Miller’s Pass Rush Summit should make him an even better player – and leader.
Is there any reason to believe he won’t be present when the Titans open training camp?
“My goal is to be here when they tell us to report,” Simmons said. “I’ll see you guys in training camp.”
Everything will be just fine. Right?
Stay tuned.
