Camp Quotes and Notes: Aug. 7

NASHVILLE – Think of offensive linemen like musicians. There are basic rules to playing the position that allows them to fit in quickly with a team the way a bass player can get on stage and play just about any song as long as he or she understands the fundamentals of chord progressions.

Good thing for the Tennessee Titans too because they continue to take a plug-and-play approach with blockers during their current training camp.

Saturday, they added guard Jordan Roos. Two days earlier, tackle Brent Qvale and guard Ross Reynolds signed and stepped right on to the practice field. Just over a week ago, interior linemen Spencer Pulley and Patrick Morris were signed (Morris since has been released).

“If it is even number, go to the right, when it is an odd number, go to the left and try to finish until they can learn the playbook,” coach Mike Vrabel said Saturday. “It has been unique to have these guys for a 30-minute meeting or an hour meeting and then go out there and practice.

“We appreciate all those guys that have come in there whether it was (Reynolds), Qvale, and Roos (Saturday). That is just kind of where we are at right now.”

Missing in action: Wide receiver Julio Jones has not been on the field for a practice session since he was injured during Monday’s workout, and to this point there has been no urgency to get him back out there.

“He is doing everything that we ask him to do,” Vrabel said. “[We want him to] continue to come in and focus and meet and hopefully be ready and be great for the season.”

Others who did not practice included wide receiver A.J. Brown, defensive linemen Jeffery Simmons and Denico Autry, center Ben Jones, right guard Nate Davis, outside linebacker Harold Landry, tight end Geoff Swaim, wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and offensive lineman Adam Coon. In most cases, it was just a matter of providing the players with some rest ahead of Sunday, which is a day off for the team.

“We felt like they are going to play a lot of football for us so we gave them the day off to see if we can get a couple days of rest and come back on Monday,” Vrabel said.

Signs of growth: The competition for backup quarterback changed this week when Matt Barkley was signed and DeShone Kizer was released.

The matchup between Barkley and Logan Woodside, the current No. 2, is nothing new. The two were togther with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2018. The Bengals signed Barkley as a free agent that March and then took Woodside in the seventh round of that year’s draft a little more than a month later.

“He’s grown up in a lot of ways from when I was last with him,” Barkley said of Woodside. “It’s a great [quarterback] room. As long as I can help this team win, I think we’ll be on the right path.”

Back in 2018, Cincinnati sent Woodside packing with their final cuts before the start of the regular season. That same day, Barkley was placed on injured reserve and fewer than two weeks later he was released.

Give them a hand: Vrabel offered to cancel the day’s evening meetings if rookies Dillon Radunz, an offensive lineman, and NaQuan Jones, a defensive lineman, could catch a punt.

To make it easier (maybe?) he had the two big men’s inside hands taped together. When that proved unsuccessful, Vrabel had each try on his own.

“I figured they gave it the college try so we went ahead and gave them the night off,” Vrabel said. “They tried. I just figured that the two guys could figure out a way, with four hands, to catch one football. They ended up on the ground.”

Headed for home: The Titans’ preseason opener, Friday at Atlanta, will be a full-circle moment for wide receiver Mason Kinsey. The first player from Berry College (Ga.) to sign an NFL contract is from Demorest, Ga., roughly 80 miles northeast of Atlanta.

“I’m excited,” Kinsey said. “What’s kind of crazy is the only [NFL] football game I’ve been to was a preseason game in Atlanta. So, being able to play my first NFL game in Atlanta, in my home state, is really exciting. And I get to do it with a ballclub that I really like.”

The last word: “For Bud to be on the field (Friday) … it’s one thing to sit in a Zoom meeting. It’s one thing to sit in a position meeting. It’s a different thing to actually be on the field and go through the communication, understand who the other guy is that you’re working with as well as the D-line. … So, being on the field is a whole different animal.” – outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow, on the fact that Bud Dupree passed his physical and was cleared to practice Friday.

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