Titans LB Monty Rice Under Pressure as Mike Vrabel Calls for 'Consistency'
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans added more free agents at linebacker than they did any other position. Earlier in the offseason the Titans parted ways with three linebackers from the 2022 team, releasing Zach Cunningham and letting David Long and Dylan Cole leave in free agency. Clearly, they wanted to renovate the linebacker room.
The most prominent linebacker to remain on the roster is third-year backer Monty Rice. Rice looks to be slated for a starting role in 2023, but his start to summer workouts has been far from perfect.
Rice missed the first week of organized team activities(OTAs) either choosing to be absent or dealing with injury and then head coach Mike Vrabel asked for more "consistency" from Rice after he returned to practices this week.
"Just consistency," Vrabel explained. "Monty, when he played, he played with a lot of speed. I think just some of the small details. He certainly showed up around the football. There was a play speed to him that we saw."
Rice is going into his third season with the Titans and now is the time when that consistency will be more important than ever as he is expected to take on a larger role. Vrabel knows the implications for Rice and his expectations are fair, but Vrabel also realizes Rice hasn't always been to blame for the inconsistency.
"Some of those things with consistency maybe weren't always Monty's fault. There are things that come up," Vrabel detailed, "an injury here in training camp early on and then the Achilles. So, we just have to continue to work with him. He comes in with a great attitude and excited to see where he can go."
We know that Rice can go from a mid-round rookie to an every-down starting linebacker if he can get to the consistency level Vrabel hopes for. Even though the pressure is on for Rice, clearly Vrabel thinks highly enough of him to believe he can handle it.
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