NASHVILLE – Well, we're now set to head into the final week of on-field work this offseason.
The Titans are scheduled to hold a minicamp this week before a break in the action.
At the end of July, players will be back for training camp.
It's going to be a busy week, and I'm expecting to see a lot of guys for the first time this offseason.
Stay in the loop here, including by checking in on this weekend's mailbag…
Here's the link to ask questions: CLICK HERE
Will Barge from Nashville, Tennessee
Question: Hey Jim! Love the OTA coverage, can't wait for the season. It seems like our TE room has changed a lot this year with Firk and MyCole gone and some new faces (Chig, Hooper) in their place. It seems like the Titans in years past have been more into the "big" sets with two down TEs (granted we ran the ball a lot out of these sets, and this made perfect sense with our personnel). I know we occasionally split Firkser out last year, but given that we seem to have a more athletic TE bunch this year (in my uneducated opinion), do you see the Titans using Hooper and Chig more split out or do you see us running the same "big" sets as before? It seems that the TE position in the NFL has trended toward the more athletic/speedy type (almost a bigger WR who frequently split out in various formations), and Chig/Hooper seem to fit that better than our TEs of years past (Swaim seems more old-school TE to me). We didnt have a TE with even 300 yds receiving last year, and I still cant decide if that was due to personnel or our gameplan, but I feel that it sets us apart from a number of top NFL teams. Thanks for reading and keep up the good work Jim!
Jim: Hey Will. Good to hear from you. I think you'll see the Titans use the tight ends in a number of formations. Chig is a guy capable of lining up on the line of scrimmage, split out, maybe in the backfield, kind of like the team used Jonnu Smith. Personally, I think this is an area where the team has really upgraded. Hooper has been really good – and active – in OTAs. I think he's going to play a big role in the red zone. And Okonkwo is really athletic, someone who is going to create matchup problems. And I don't think any of these guys – Hooper, Okonkwo or Swaim – will be a liability as a blocker.
Trent Snider from North Tonawanda, New York
Question: Hi Jim. Do you think that the veterans or the rookies/1-year experience players will have a bigger impact? I really want people like Henry, Woods and Byard to have amazing seasons.
Jim: Hey Trent. Interesting question. I think the returning players, the real core of the team, will make the biggest impact. I'm talking about guys like Derrick Henry, Ryan Tannehill, Kevin Byard, Jeffery Simmons, Harold Landry and others. But the expectation is for rookies and newcomers to make an impact as well, from Robert Woods to Treylon Burks to others.
Joni Williams from Antioch, Tennessee
Question: On the NFL website, after reading one of the predictions, the Titans were only predicted (based on the schedule and roster changes) to win nine (9) games! How do they come up with these statistics? I want to desperately believe that we might repeat last year and win the division. What do you think?
Jim: Hi Joni. They come up with it by guessing. Don't waste your time getting worked up over these predictions.
Taylor Smith from Old Hickory, Tennessee
Question: Hey Jim. Will Training Camp be open to the public in 2022?
Jim: Hi Taylor. I've been getting this question a lot lately. I'm going to keep including these answers in the mailbag periodically because I don't want anyone to be surprised. It's my understanding there will be some fan access for training camp, but it's likely to be limited. What that means exactly remains to be seen. But I can tell you it's not going to be an open-the-floodgates situation like pre-COVID because of the new construction, limited parking, and reduced space because of the new wing on the building at Saint Thomas Sports Park. Will have more information as we get closer to the start of camp in late July, but things are going to be tight.
Matthew Hunter from Manassas, Virginia
Question: Greetings from Old Dominion. Hi Jim. I'm waiting for a special day when I can travel to D.C. to be there when the Titans visit The White House! But for now a question: How many Super Bowls have you covered/attended, either wearing your reporter hat and your current Titans gear? And which one has been your most memorable? (with Kevin Dyson tackled by Mike Jones one-yard-short excluded, for sake of fairness). Thanks for all you do for Titans fans.
Jim: Hey Matt. I've now attended 24 Super Bowls – 23 that I covered for The Tennessean/Titans Online, and one I attended as a fan of the Buffalo Bills way back in the day. That's a tough call on the best one. The Titans-Rams game was memorable for sure, but so was New England's comeback win over the Falcons, the crazy ending to New England-Seattle with the Malcolm Butler pick, Pittsburgh-Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII. Oh man, it's hard to pick the most memorable because there have been some good ones.
Jimmy Dee from Battle Ground, Washington
Question: Dear Jim, since the Titans won't get much, if anything, from Treylon Burks that means it's as if you only got a 3rd round pick for AJ Brown because the first-round pick you got for him isn't going to amount to much. You could have traded your newly acquired pick 18 in the first round & a 4th or 5th round pick for a later 1st round pick and an additional late 2nd round pick. With that later 1st round pick you could have selected WR Christian Watson and with the later 2nd you could have drafted Luke Goedeke or Ed Engram. You were in a position to solve the OL problem and get a good quality WR2 in Christian Watson but instead, you got Treylon "asthma bust" Burks. I always give the Titans (in general) and Jon Robinson (specifically) praise because the Titans/Jon Robinson almost always do the smart thing BUT in this case, I have to say that the Titans in general and Jon Robinson specifically blew it. The Titans and Jon Robinson snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Ultimately, this all means that you got a 3rd round pick for AJ Brown because your first-round pick is likely a bust. Ugh.
Jim: C'Mon, Jimmy Dee. This goes into the Mailbag Hall of Shame as one of the most premature/ridiculous takes of all time. Let's give Treylon a chance before writing him off after a month.
Nathan Davis from Dunlap, Tennessee
Question: Jim, what do see if the Titans don't go deep into the playoff? Because I don't see us getting close to the SB this season. Will the Titans look to trade or cut Tannehill?
Jim: I'd like to see how the season goes first, Nathan, before speculating on what ifs …
Andrew Elliott from McMinnville, Tennessee
Question: On Monday, the 6th, I got to fly back to Nashville from Dallas alongside our newest waiver pickup Carson (Green). Wanted to ask if we knew what his number was yet? Also, I imagine he may have a chance to get some real playing time given our OL woes, am I wrong to think that? Thanks Jim!
Jim: Great story, Andrew. He's been assigned No.66 right out of the gate. I think he's a good prospect, and I've read some good things about him after he was claimed off waivers from the Texans this week. I think it's more realistic to say he's probably battling for a roster sport than for a starting spot or a lot of playing time, though. Keep in mind this is a player who has never played in an NFL game.
Have a great weekend everyone!
