NASHVILLE – Roughly 10 days ago, Trevor Siemian was a quarterback without a football team.
After playing for three teams over the last five seasons, Siemian wondered when the call might come for another shot in the NFL.
On Sunday, after finishing up his third practice with the Tennessee Titans, Siemian reflected on just how much has changed of late.
"I was joking with (quarterbacks coach) Pat (O'Hara), a week and a half ago I was throwing to my left guard from college in the park in Chicago," Siemian said. "So, I was picking on my buddies where I could to play catch."
Now Siemian is throwing passes in training camp with the Titans, hoping to stick as a back-up behind starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
It's been a whirlwind so far.
"It's been kind of chaotic, so I'm just trying to catch up," he said. "Obviously these guys are far along, and for me it's like drinking through a fire hose. Coach O'Hara, (OC) Arthur (Smith), they've been doing a great job with me and really I'm just trying to cover as much ground as I can and fit in where I can.
"I was working out, staying in shape. But that's nothing compared to doing football stuff and football movements, and being in a training camp practice. I'm getting my tail in shape here pretty quick. But it's definitely good to be on the field in the huddle. It's good to be playing ball again."
Siemian, a seventh-round pick of the Denver Broncos in the 2015 NFL Draft from Northwestern University, signed with the Titans last week and took part in his first practice on August 20.
In five NFL seasons, Siemian has completed 498-of-841 passes for 5,689 yards, with 30 touchdowns and 24 interceptions, along with a 79.6 rating. He's played 27 games, with 25 starts, for the Broncos (2015-17), Vikings (2018) and Jets (2019) in his five-year career.
With the Titans, Siemian is competing with Logan Woodside for the No.2 job.
Siemian said Tannehill, and Woodside, have treated him well.
"Logan and Ryan have been great to me coming in," he said. "I can't say enough about Logan, how he handles himself, and obviously you guys know Ryan well. It's a great room, very fortunate to be a part of it. I'd say right now I'm trying to catch up so much, I'm trying to do as much as I can on the field, but there's a lot of ground to cover. For me, I'm just keeping my head down these first few days especially, and then I can crawl, then walk, then run in the next few days here."
Siemian, who earned a Super Bowl ring as Peyton Manning's back-up with the Broncos during the 2015 season, said he hasn't had a chance to get any Tennessee tips from the future Hall of Famer.
He's been too busy learning new faces --and plays.
"I've got to hit him on that once the dust settles, probably," Siemian said of Manning, who starred at the University of Tennessee. "Outside of my wife and maybe my parents, I haven't talked to many folks here. Just trying to get my bearings and get my legs up underneath me."
In time, Siemian hopes to settle on, and stick.
In 2016, Siemian was a 14-game starter for the Broncos, leading them to an 8-6 record in those starts, and posting 3,401 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Last year for the Jets, he played in one game before being placed on injured reserve. In 2018, he served as the backup for the Vikings and did not play in a game.
What happens in Tennessee will largely depend on how he performs in the next few weeks.
"A lot of new faces, and a lot of names I'm trying to nail down here," he said. "But everybody's been great welcoming me and I'm trying not to pester everybody about questions here and there, but everybody's been super helpful. It's a great locker room, I'll say that. Like I said, fired up to be here."
