Overcast skies, cooler temperatures and attending Tennessee Titans fans were all welcome additions for the third practice of the team’s 2026 training camp.
Here’s the rundown from August 1:
Don’t forget about Elic Ayomanor
Entering this preseason, it was difficult to know what to make of Elic Ayomanor’s trajectory with these Titans. Sure, it’d been a respectable rookie season for Ayomanor, especially since he’d been asked to do too much too soon as a fourth-round rookie who was a leading option in a meager receiving group.
But, this offseason, the Titans drafted Carnell Tate in the first round. They signed Wan’Dale Robinson. They brought Calvin Ridley back. Suddenly, this receiving room wasn’t so paltry, and you wondered what that’d mean for Ayomanor as a second-year player with
a diminishing role.
Well, perhaps that role won’t be greatly diminished.
Ayomanor has been one of the few productive offensive standouts during these first three Titans practices, during which the defense has generally gotten the better of things. Ayomanor had at least five catches during scrimmage drills (easily the team’s best), each of which earned a response from fans.
The highlights included a long pass over the middle from Mitch Trubisky, a leaping grab on a high throw from Cam Ward near the sideline and then another play near the sideline where Ayomanor got late separation from cornerback Joshua Williams to haul in the pass.
He might’ve been out of bounds on that third one. Didn’t matter. Dude made a play. This offense needs more of that.
“To me, Elic is a star,” Ridley said. “… The kid is a stud. He’s going to continue to get better.”
Titans' new-look defensive line is the main event
Attending fans (and media, for that matter) aren’t getting great views of the action at these Titans practices. Team scrimmaging has largely been conducted on the other side of the facility, closest to the building, far from the new bleachers for fans in the end zones closest to the lake.
That said, fans were treated to an up-close view of what has been the most entertaining aspect of practices to this point: Positional drills for the D-Line.
It’s lively over there. These guys are working, sprinting through snaps and dummies at an accelerated pace, with coaches driving them. The group is defensive tackles and edge rushers, and the atmosphere more resembles a military boot camp than an NFL position group. When Robert Saleh warns that D-linemen aren't going to be able to play more than a limited number of snaps in this defense “if they are doing it right,” this what he means.
It’s an impressive group, top to bottom, with depth and talent. The D-Line is looking like the strongest positional group the Titans have had anywhere in years.
Today’s name to know
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate is already trending up quickly as a newcomer to the Titans’ defense. He has flashed in each practice (he had an impressive PBU on a short throw in this latest practice), and his role appears to be increasing. This has the makings of a good offseason find for the Titans. Diabate is only 25 years old.
Extra Points
- After not making Will Levis available for interviews during practices all summer, the Titans finally allowed the quarterback to speak to the media. Levis, as usual, had interesting things to say. He still believes he should be a starting quarterback.
- No pads again for this Titans practice, but that’ll change in the next practice on Aug. 3. That’s when you’ll start hearing about 1-on-1 reps – and when we’ll be able to better gauge the battles up front between the linemen. From what we’ve seen to this point, odds are that the D-Line is going to … flat … out … dominate the O-line. But we’ll see.
- The O-Line did get right tackle JC Latham back in a limited capacity, just in time for those padded practices. Goes without saying that this is a huge season ahead for Latham. He’ll need to impress for his own future, but the Titans badly need his best as well. One can’t envision this O-Line being sufficient without the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft playing more to that level.
- Training camp is where we get treated to sights like receiver Xavier Restrepo playfully kicking short field goals before practice. After hitting the crossbar from 30 yards, his next one barely cleared it. Restrepo celebrated with Tate, who’d been his holder.
They said it
“I just want to see myself stay healthy. If I stay healthy, I’m going to be a good player on this team and contribute to this team.” – Titans receiver Calvin Ridley
Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and hang out with him on Bluesky @gentryestes.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Don't forget about Elic Ayomanor in Tennessee Titans' upgraded receiving room | Estes
