Five Players 'Unavailable' at Minicamp

NASHVILLE – If it had been the regular season, they would have been listed on the injury report under the heading of “did not practice.”

Because it was only the mandatory minicamp in June, Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel simply classified a handful of players who did not take part in Tuesday’s on-field workout as “unavailable.”

Those five included a pair of first-round draft picks, defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons and wide receiver Treylon Burks. Also out of action were cornerback Greg Mabin, tight end Tommy Hudson and rookie kicker Caleb Shudak.

In the case of Simmons, it seems fair to wonder if “dissatisfied” is a more appropriate term.

The 19th overall pick in 2019 is fresh off a Pro Bowl season during which he led the team with 58 quarterback pressures, was second with 12 tackles for loss and third with eight and a half sacks (all career-highs). In April, franchise officials picked up his fifth-year option, which means he is under contract through 2023 with a guaranteed salary of $10.753 million in that final season.

Logic dictates that he is due for an extension, one that would include a sizable – and immediate – cash payout. Wide receiver A.J. Brown, for example, got an extension immediately after he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, and that deal included a signing bonus of $23 million-plus. Aaron Donald, the most accomplished active defensive lineman, recently agreed to an extension with the L.A. Rams that included a $25 million signing bonus.

Simmons, who was not available to the media Tuesday, could be sending the message that his presence at mandatory minicamp is a show of good faith, but his unwillingness to participate on the field is an indication that he will take a more serious stance once training camp commences. After all, Simmons recently took part in the Von Miller Pass Rush Summit, and there has been no indication this offseason that he is injured.

“Unavailable,” Vrabel said. “That's how we're going to go when guys don’t practice. There’s not an injury report.”

Simmons, Burks and Mabin all spent time riding the bike under the direction of the training staff. Hudson and Shudak, who were injured during a voluntary practice session last week, were not seen.

Burks’ issues this offseason with asthma and/or conditioning have been well-documented. He failed to finish workouts during the team’s rookie orientation and has seen limited work in recent weeks. With heat and humidity soaring Tuesday—temperatures were in the mid-90s but felt like more than 100 when combined with the atmospheric conditions – the rookie wide receiver did not even put on a helmet for this workout.