NASHVILLE, Tenn. – They are 380-pound blocking sleds, created with input from Bill Callahan, with more realistic torsos and twist, that are more reactive and tougher to balance.
The two in the Titans’ offensive line blocking area are named Bertha and Olga, and early turns with them are different and more complicated than what linemen are used to.
“It’s designed in a way to more accurately mimic what it feels like to have to clamp and brace on what a normal defender would feel like,” Brian Callahan said. “Some of the old-school sleds they don’t really give you that same balance issue. And (these) are really hard to move. I can’t tell you how hard these things are to move and to move straight, because they tip and they are off balance and they are meant to really stress guys' ability, to strengthen their core, keep their hands tight and drive a sled vertically as opposed to getting all off kilter. It’s a balance thing.
"So there is a lot of indoctrination that goes into those sleds, our guys even now, it’s taken them a couple weeks to feel good about moving them the way they are supposed to move. So it’s fun to watch, I like watching those guys doing it, they improve pretty fast.”
JC Latham’s first couple reps on the sled were adventurous, but he and other linemen on the first day of the Titans rookie minicamp gradually got better with the sled.
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