By BLAKE BEDDINGFIELD, special correspondent

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Going into the first preseason game the coaches and front office want to see how the players in camp will perform in game situations. Also, how the draft choices, free agent signings and the “camp surprises” will carry over what they are doing in practice to a live game situation.

My first thought is the first-round pick Peter Skoronski is going to be a very good player for a long time. I also really like Tyjae Spears for this team.  

My other biggest takeaway is this team has no depth and it is a major concern.  

Best things I saw

The Titans' No. 1 concern is their offensive line, and for 12 plays over 7 minutes and 15 second that covered 75 yards the group as currently constructed was efficient and effective in the team’s preseason opener in Chicago.

The team will take away all sorts of important information from the 23-17 loss at Soldier Field, but a confidence boost for Andre Dillard, Peter Skoronski, Aaron Brewer, Daniel Brunskill and Chris Hubbard may be the most significant.

Acting head coach Terrell Williams said he didn’t pay any attention to who was not playing for the Bears, who’s starting defensive lineup was without four starters: end DeMarcus Walker and Yannick Ngakoue, linebacker Tremain Edmunds and safety Jaquan Brisker. [Unlocked]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- You can't get enough. This I know about you.

You're never really Titaned out.

And with the team flying out to Chicago Friday and kicking off against the Bears Saturday at noon in the first version of any action since its disastrous Jan. 8 loss at Jacksonville, I knew there was a lot on your mind.

Who will play? Who should play? Will the promise of camp translate to the season? Does early good health mean things are solved? Can the new pieces play to projections?

We got into a lot of that and a lot more Friday afternoon and you are cordially invited to rewatch on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, which is embedded below.

The site is 25 percent off right now. These conversations, which come during the week and then from the press box postgame, are usually members only. So come sign up.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Gil Beverly, one of seven people the Titans classified as their executive leadership team, was relieved of his duties within the last two months. He was senior vice president, chief marketing & revenue officer.

The move was first reported by Sportico.

Beverly joined the Titans in 2019 as the franchise's vice president of brand, marketing and communications.

In his team biography, the team credited him with spearheading "innovation, engagement, synergy and new ideas across all areas he oversees" 

It's unclear why the team made the move and a team official declined to comment.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The NFL brain trust works and works -- or so it would have us believe -- to find ways to get minority candidates better opportunities to show they can be capable head coaches.

Then Mike Vrabel casually walks in and hands the reigns for the Titans' first preseason game to his assistant head coach and defensive line coach Terrell Williams. Boom, good idea, executed without committee conversation or fanfare.

That's where we start this week's podcast.

The new episode awaits you on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeart and YouTube, which is below.

Other subjects I dive into:

💥 Deep thoughts on several wide receivers
💥 Has situational play started to separate Will Levis?
💥 A visit with undrafted corner Anthony Kendall from Baldwin Wallace

It's all Brought to you by Jasper's

The podcast is the front door to PaulKuharsky.com.

If you like what you hear or see here, you'd really love the rest of the site. Join the fun, now at 25 percent off.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- What matters in preseason football? We’ve known for a long time now that preseason wins and losses do not correlate to regular season or playoff success, largely because of how teams now treat these exhibition games. Few teams play established starters at all and even fewer play their top-level talent more than a series or two total over the course of the preseason.

Statistics also don’t matter, at least not much. Remember when undrafted outside linebacker David Anenih racked up three sacks last preseason before getting cut at the 53-man roster deadline? He bounced around practice squads for the rest of the season and was never active for a game day. Anenih just signed to join the Cardinals in camp a week ago after generating little interest over the course of the offseason.

How about [insert fan favorite Titans UDFA wide receiver here]? Preseason numbers proved not to be a preview of sterling NFL careers for the likes of Michael Preston, Biren Ealy, or Deontay Burnett.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Lock in on Peter Skoronski during a Titans practice and what jumps out is his strength.

The 6-foot-4, 314-pound guard doesn’t get pushed back very far very often.

“I mean he’s pretty strong, I feel like going against him I’ve been feeling his strength get better each and every day,” said the very strong Jeffery Simmons, who’s gone against the Titans' first-round pick out of Northwestern pretty regularly. “What he works on with (Mike Vrabel), I hear him in the team meeting coaching him up about replacing his hands.

"And when he replaces his hands -- I’m a strong guy, but once he replaces his hands and gets his hands on guys, not many guys are going to get past him because he’s that strong.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Young Titans' receivers will undoubtedly learn a lot watching and listening to DeAndre Hopkins, who ranks seventh all-time in yards per game with 77.9.

But they’ve also got a more relatable veteran resource who’s new to the locker room, who’s earned rave reviews from Mike Vrabel. Chris Moore came into the league as a fourth-round pick by Baltimore in 2016 and made his way as a special teamer who maxed out with 21 catches through his first six seasons.

Only in Year 7, last year with the Texans, did he post notable numbers on offense, with 48 catches for 548 yards to go with  two scores. That receiving yardage would have led the anemic 2022 Titans offense.

Vrabel said Moore carries himself “very, very professionally.”