NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Titans players have scattered in multiple directions for a five-week break but said they liked the one direction the team is heading after its nine-week offseason program.
Tennessee finished the program Wednesday, one day ahead of schedule, and after consecutive days of simulated games (rookies had one more day in the building on Thursday before their departures).
Kenny Britt missed a significant amount of field time last season in 2012 as he recovered from multiple knee surgeries. He's been crisp this offseason on short, medium and long routes and said the team has taken a great approach off it.
"I wasn't out there on the field with the team last year so I can't say as much on the field, but I can say in the locker room and the meeting room with us being together, you can see that we've become one and actually became a family," Britt said. "There's nobody out there playing for themselves. We're all playing for each other."
Players said they will take a few days of rest but fit in workouts during their travels and keep in the front of their minds that they will report back to Baptist Sports Park on July 24 and open training camp the next day.
"This time is not time for us when we leave here to just kick our feet up," running back Chris Johnson said. "When we leave here we've still got to work hard and make sure we come back to camp in shape."
Johnson said he's comfortable with the running plays that have been installed and will continue to study pass plays and stay in shape with workouts a few days per week.
The Titans want to increase Johnson's receiving totals from 36 catches in 2012 as part of the offensive overhaul. He caught 43, 50, 44 and 57 passes his first four seasons in the NFL.
Across the line of scrimmage, where tackling was prohibited, Derrick Morgan said the defense is developing chemistry and identity and needs to be ready to build on the progress they've made.
"I think (our identity is) changing," Morgan said. "It doesn't happen overnight but we've taken the necessary steps to get to the next level on defense. We're just going to have a new attitude. We're going to be the dictators of the game. We're not going to let offense dictate to us. I think that's the attitude of what we're trying to develop and just play with more of a mean streak."
Titans coach Mike Munchak told players in his final talk with them that he wanted them to enjoy time with their families while maintaining their strength and conditioning.
He also advised players to "get everything done that you need to do because when we start there's no time for anything else, other than your full concentration on our goals."
Munchak said the offseason program provided valuable time for new players (a bevy of free agents, draft picks and undrafted rookies, new coaches and coaches in new roles to observe the progress of the plan that he and general manager Ruston Webster formed the day after Tennessee's season ended.
"We said we weren't going to stand for 6-10 and we were going to do everything we could within our power to fix that," Munchak said. "I think we've shown with Ruston Webster, myself, the staff, from the time that game ended against Jacksonville, I think we've done everything we feel we could to make this thing different this year with the players we brought in, the coaches we brought in, how we've worked and what we're trying to accomplish here.
"I think in our mind we're on the right track and I hope there's a lot of excitement," he continued. "In the preseason games, hopefully people will see the spark and people will see what we're talking about and see that change. We've got a lot of work ahead of us. We're happy with what we've been doing and know we've got a long way to go."
