RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesThe second week of training camp is in the books, and when the Tennessee Titans take the field again, they will be in Santa Clara preparing for a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers.
There should be some interesting battles throughout the week and in the first preseason game that will start to clear up some of the potential roster moves that lie ahead, and even more battles leading into final cuts, when the Titans will trim their roster from 90 to 53 before their Week 1 matchup with the New York Jets.
Tennessee has an interesting roster with a solid mix of veterans and youth, and while many jobs are locked up, there will be plenty of competition on every unit.
The Titans released their first depth chart, and as usual in the NFL, it likely doesn’t match reality, and Titans Wire’s 53-man roster projection from the second week of practice will likely look very different.
Quarterbacks (2)
Starter: Cam Ward Reserves: Mitch Trubisky
Ward is the unquestioned leader of the offense, and now with a real offensive coordinator in place, he could be poised for a breakout season. Trubisky has appeared to strengthen his hold on the backup role with Will Levis struggling to produce at the same level.
Running backs (3)
Starter: Tony Pollard Reserves: Tyjae Spears, Nick Singleton
Pollard is the starter, and Spears and Singleton provide a solid change of pace. This is the first real change from previous versions, with Kalel Mullings being dropped in order to fill other needs on the roster.
Wide Receivers (6)
Starters: Calvin Ridley, Wan’Dale Robinson, Carnell Tate Reserves: Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike, Bryce Oliver
This may be the group to watch throughout camp. While we still see Oliver holding down the sixth receiver role due to his special teams value, he is being pushed hard by KJ Osborn for that spot. Tennessee could decide to keep seven wideouts and make cuts elsewhere, but if they stay at six, special teams value will be the deciding factor.
Tight ends (4)
Starter: Gunnar Helm Reserves: Daniel Bellinger, Jaren Kanak, David Martin-Robinson
Helm looks like the clear-cut starter, with Bellinger coming in with Daboll to add experienced depth. The Titans drafted a utility knife in Kanak in the seventh round, and he has flashed some potential as a receiver early in camp, which should help the cause. Martin-Robinson is making a strong push and could force Tennessee to keep four tight ends.
Offensive linemen (9)
Starters: Dan Moore Jr., Peter Skoronski, Austin Schlottmann, Fernando Carmona, JC Latham Reserves: Jackson Slater, Pat Coogan, Andre James, Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson
While Latham, Moore, and Skoronski are locked in, the other two starting positions will be battles to watch in camp. Volson will compete with Slater and Carmona, and Schlottmann will battle Coogan and Andre James. Tennessee drafted Coogan and Carmona this year, and they could work their way into the lineup sooner than some expect, with Carmona already drawing starter reps. If he wins the job, Cordell Volson could be expendable.
The final spots at tackle are up in the air with Cranshaw-Dickson and Deculus battling it out for the swing tackle role. If neither proves capable, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the organization look for some veteran depth.
Defensive line (11)
Starters: Jeffery Simmons, John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson, Jacob Martin Reserves: Femi Oladejo, Keldric Faulk, Solomon Thomas, Jordan Elliott, Jackie Marshall, Khelen Saunders, Jaylen Harrell
Head coach Robert Saleh will rotate his defensive linemen and plan on being around nine deep on game day, so keeping 11 makes some sense. There will be a fierce battle for some of these roster spots in a stout unit, but this group looks to be the heart of the defense.
Saunders was just added this week and has experience, has made his presence felt, and could sneak into one of the final roster spots.
Linebackers (5)
Starters: Cody Barton, Cedric Gray, James Williams Sr. Reserves: Anthony Hill Jr., Mohamoud Diabate
These are the top five right now, and should stay that way, although Cody Barton has struggled. Backup Dorian Mausi has tremendous special teams value and was one of the last ones cut.
Cornerback (6)
Starters: Cor’Dale Flott, Alontae Taylor, Marcus Harris Reserves: Joshua Williams, Keydrain Calligan, Micah Robinson
The Titans have been busy adding competition to their cornerback room over the past few days, making it hard to get a full read on how the position will shake out in the next couple of weeks. Right now, this group stays the same, but it could change as it gets deeper into training camp.
Safety (4)
Starters: Amani Hooker, Kevin Winston Jr. Reserves: Tony Adams, Kendell Brooks
The biggest change is the addition of Brooks into a reserve role. The veteran safety has experience and is a valuable special teamer.
Special teams (3) Starters: Joey Slye (K), Tommy Townsend (P), Morgan Cox (LS)
Tennessee may decide to bring in competition to battle Slye, who has struggled early in camp. As of now, they have worked out a few kickers, but none have been signed.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans training camp: 53-man roster prediction after Week 2
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