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Titans' rookie report: Very encouraging but let's not go crazy

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Chance Campbell stepped up into a hole and thumped a running back in a red-zone drill Sunday and a media colleague took notice, pointing it out to me.

We said what a nice first- and second-down player he might grow to be but how we wouldn’t want him on the field in passing situations. Then Campbell promptly chased Chig Okonkwo to the back left corner of the end zone and broke up a pass.

Titans 2022 draft

Courtesy Tennessee Titans

Two reporters raised eyebrows and shrugged shoulders at each other.

It’s been that kind of camp for the Titans 2022 draft class.

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Titans mail: Receiver discussion, Malik Willis progress and D-line dollars

NASHVILLE, Tenn. --  Happy Saturday and happy Titans' day off.

I know you may not be as excited about it as I am, but trust me, it's big!

Reggie Roberson

Reggie Roberson

Questions about the rookie class were very popular, so I will do a stand-alone post on that very soon. Here is the best of the rest to give you your Titans fix before they resume work.

Thanks as always for your contributions and interest.

DeWayne Gee Traditionally, the Titans keep 5 to 7 WRs on the 53. How many do you think will make it this year and who ? (Bobby Trees, Burks, Philips, NWI, McMath for spec teams, Roberson??…)

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Urging WRs to be aggressive, Mike Vrabel will take the blame for first OPI

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans’ physicality extends everywhere on their team.

We aren’t going to find a lot of finesse at receiver.

I’ve gotten questions about Treylon Burks testing the limits with push-offs in some of the camp highlights that have hit social media.Treylon Burks vs. Roger McCreary

Mike Vrabel is giving the rookie and everyone in the group a great deal of latitude when it comes to their interactions with defensive backs.

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With small steps rather than leaps, DeMarcus Walker impressing Titans

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Among the new players on the field for the Titans in camp, defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker doesn’t rate highly in the profile department.

But he’s working at a position where there are really only two roster locks in Jeffery Simmons and Denico Autry, and the Titans regard Autry as an outside linebacker in many ways.

DeMarcus Walker

DeMarcus Walker knifes through teammates during a defensive line drill.

At 6-foot-4, 280-pounds, Walker isn’t going to be the nose tackle, but he could easily be the next guy at tackle or end after Simmons and Autry while the Titans sort through the rest of their young options at a position where they finished last season carrying six players on the active roster.

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Mike Herndon: How metrics view Titans' pass rush, what that could mean for 2022

Mike Herndon: How metrics view Titans' pass rush, what that could mean for 2022

By MIKE HERNDON, columnist

The Titans' defense made an enormous leap in performance last season and largely carried the team to the 12-5 record it earned while a hobbled offense took multiple steps back.

The defense jumped from 24th in points allowed in 2020 to sixth in 2021 and from 29th in defensive DVOA to 12th.

LandrySimmonsJagsDP

Pool photo/ Donald Page, Tennessee Titans

If you asked most followers of the team for the catalyst behind that improvement, an improved pass rush that jumped from an anemic 19 sacks in 2020 to 43 sacks in 2021 as the primary driver.

A few weeks ago, SharpFootballAnalysis.com ruffled some two-tone feathers by ranking the Titans' defensive line and linebackers as the 20th best front-7 in the NFL coming into the 2022 season.

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How the Titans address important stuff from last year, without discussing last year

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Not only does Mike Vrabel not want to harp on last year, he hardly wants to reference it.

I’m not talking about harping on the 12-5 division-winning regular season of the crushing divisional-round playoff loss to the Bengals as the No. 1 seed.

Racey McMath

Racey McMath, who had a big day Tuesday

It’s the elements of what the Titans didn’t do well or may have done very well that made me wonder: How do a coach and his staff who’ve got things they clearly need to address from the prior season heading into the next season do so without really referencing where they come from?

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On Titans' routes that aren't targeted and Kyle Philips

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Ryan Tannehill showed off some quality play recall Monday afternoon.

Asked about rookie slot receiver Kyle Phillips, Tannehill described a Saturday rep the fifth-rounder ran versus man coverage where he lost his defender at the top and won by seven yards.

Kyle Philips

The most interesting thing about the quarterback’s recollection of the play: he was not the guy dropping back and surveying the field for it.

“I think Logan (Woodside) was taking that rep with him,” Tannehill said.

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