Ten to Watch During Training Camp

NASHVILLE – Just like every NFL team, the Tennessee Titans will enter next week’s training camp with their share of questions.

Some – such as how well quarterback Ryan Tannehill will bounce back from a sub-par 2021, and how well running back Derrick Henry returns from his foot injury – probably won’t be answered until the regular season.

But training camp will offer good insight into other players – whether they’re addressing contractual issues, contending for a starting role, seeking to live up to their draft status, adapting to a new team, or in the process of recovering from injury.

Here’s a look at 10 Titans – nine players and one coach – who we’ll be paying particular attention to when the team first hits the practice field on July 27:

Jeffery Simmons

Position: Defensive tackle

Why we’ll watch him: After not practicing during the team’s minicamp, the first question regarding Simmons is whether he’ll report on time. And even if he does, will Simmons participate on the field? After a tremendous third season, it’s clear that the 2019 first-round pick – under contract for two more seasons – is interested in negotiating a new deal. Will the Titans play ball or make him wait?

Treylon Burks

Position: Wide receiver

Why we’ll watch him: Burks promises to be the focus of immediate attention after this year’s first-round pick missed a large chunk of the offseason. Will his asthma and conditioning issues be under control, letting him get out of the gate quickly in camp? He’ll need to establish chemistry with Tannehill, learn an NFL offense, and learn to play on the outside after lining up primarily in the slot at Arkansas.

Robert Woods

Position: Wide receiver

Why we’ll watch him: When last we saw Woods, he appeared to be a man ahead of schedule in his return from the torn left ACL suffered last November. Woods was running, cutting and landing on his left leg during OTAs and minicamp. But will the progress look as good in training camp, when defensive backs can start playing Woods more physically near the line of scrimmage? Will he be able to get open regularly without another marquee receiver in the lineup?

Austin Hooper

Position: Tight end

Why we’ll watch him: Hooper appeared to be gaining quick chemistry with Tannehill during OTAs, a good thing as the Titans will count on him to be an upgrade at tight end. Can Hooper return to his Pro Bowl days of 2018 and 2019, when he caught a combined 146 passes over two years in Atlanta’s pass-happy offense? Or were his lower numbers last season in Cleveland – 38 catches, 345 yards, three touchdowns – a sign of slippage?

Tim Kelly

Position: Passing-game coordinator

Why we’ll watch him: The Titans finished 24th in passing yards last season (201.1 yards per game) and 19th in touchdown passes (22). How can they improve on those numbers after losing Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Brown? That will be one of the challenges facing Kelly, who is in his first year with the Titans after spending the last three years as Houston’s offensive coordinator.

Aaron Brewer

Position: Left Guard

Why we’ll watch him: Brewer proved a valuable fill-in last season, starting five games and playing more than 500 snaps. But does that mean Brewer is the best candidate to take over Rodger Saffold’s job on a full-time basis? That may depend largely on how consistently the 6-foo-1, 295-pounder handles bigger defensive linemen – when he goes against his own teammates, and when the Titans practice against Tampa Bay and Arizona.

Dillon Radunz

Position: Right tackle

Why we’ll watch him: Tangible signs of progress were hard to come by for Radunz during his rookie season, aside from the second-round pick’s respectable substitute effort at left tackle against San Francisco. Does that one game mean he should be the starting right tackle in 2022? Like Brewer, the 6-foot-6, 301-pound Radunz will have to prove he deserves his spot in training camp. We’ll be keeping an especially close eye on how he fares in pass protection.

Caleb Farley

Position: Cornerback

Why we’ll watch him: Farley endured what amounted to a redshirt season in 2021, as the first-round draft pick was limited to 60 snaps over three games before suffering a torn ACL. We’ll be watching Farley to see if he’s completely recovered (he was wearing a non-contact jersey during offseason workouts) from the injury, and to see if he’s ready to handle the challenge of shutting down NFL receivers. Remember, he only played two seasons in college – 2018 and 2019, sitting out 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. The good news for the Titans is that if Farley is still in recovery mode – physically or mentally – the team can turn to rookie Roger McCreary, the 35th overall pick this year.

Malik Willis

Position: Quarterback

Why we’ll watch him: No one is expecting Willis to be the starter following training camp, but – considering he may be the starter of the future -- we will be watching his progress and development. Willis has a cannon of an arm, great touch on deep balls and great running ability. He’ll need to show he can adapt those skills to a more traditional offensive scheme than the all-shotgun, RPO-heavy system Willis played in while at Liberty University.

Chig Okonkwo

Position: Tight end

Why we’ll watch him: The fourth-round draft pick out of Maryland should bring some intriguing options to the offense, as he has the speed to create mismatches and get open down the middle of the field. How quickly will he develop chemistry with Tannehill? How quickly will he learn the offense? And perhaps most importantly, will the 6-foot-3, 238-pound Okonkwo show an ability to at least hold his own in the blocking department? Okonkwo will begin to answer those questions in camp.