NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans signed safety Kenny Vaccaro earlier this month, and threw him into the fire.

Vaccaro, heading into his sixth NFL season, admitted it was an adjustment at first, from getting to know his new teammates and coaches, to wearing a new uniform.

"At first it's like, "Wow, I have different colors on.' I was with the Saints for five years, so it's different," Vaccaro said. "But it happens. People change teams and you adjust."

Vaccaro has started the first two preseason games alongside fellow safety Kevin Byard.

At the same time, he's gotten to know his new teammates on and off the field.

"You have to earn the respect of the locker room with how you play, how hard you play, how hard you work, how hard you practice," Vaccaro said. "Are you at practice? Are you available? Guys see that and it's contagious.

"But things are going good. I am getting acclimated to everything. I have been here long enough to where I am getting the defense down, getting to know my teammates, and getting some good practices in, so it's been good."

Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Vaccaro has handled himself well.

"I think he is conscientious, and he seems to be coachable," Vrabel said. "Guys coming from other systems, it could be easy to say, 'This is how we did it' or "This is what I think we should do.' He has been coachable … and very open to being coachable."

Tim Shaw visits practice

Former Titans linebacker Tim Shaw visited Saint Thomas Sports Park on Thursday, and watched practice.

Shaw visited with coaches and players several times during training camp. He was also in the building on Wednesday.

Shaw, who is battling ALS, used his motorized wheelchair to travel across the practice field as other linebackers ran alongside him on the way to drills.

"Unfortunately, some of the guys, the younger guys, they haven't been able to see, or they don't really know Tim, or kind of who he is and how passionately he's played this game," Vrabel said. "Or how the game was taken away from him.

"I enjoy seeing him. He comes in and we talk special teams a lot. He loves special teams. He loves golf - a lot of the same things that I like. When his health will allow, he is always welcomed here. It's great to see him here. It's a beautiful day. It's always a good reminder to not take this game for granted. We try to explain that to the players all the time."

Injuries

Tight end Delanie Walker, linebacker Brian Orakpo, linebacker Rashaan Evans, cornerback Malcolm Butler, linebacker Derrick Morgan, receiver Michael Campanaro, running back Akrum Wadley, Steven Terrell and safety Kendrick Lewis did not practice on Thursday.

Receiver Rishard Matthews and Jack Conklin, who remain on the team's Physically Unable to Perform list, watched practice.

Matthews ran some routes before practice, with Vrabel lined up across from him.