For those observing outside the ropes. an NFL training camp exists, typically, in opinions. You’ll have highlight plays and memorable moments, sure, but two different people can watch the same practices and gradually come to conflicting verdicts on evidence as perceived.
Every so often, though, the evidence is irrefutable to anyone watching. It’s just obvious.
First-round rookie receiver Carnell Tate is happening in such a way.
During the Tennessee Titans’ Aug. 9 practice on the eve of their cross-country trip to San Francisco (for practice with the 49ers), Tate was the story. He caught a touchdown pass from Cam Ward. Then he caught another. Then he grabbed a third, sailing above Marcus Harris to secure a jump ball.
The secondary fared adequately against every other receiver, but it had few answers for Tate. That has been the case since the summer. In this instance, it was two days after Tate goosed fans at the team’s Nissan Stadium practice with an impressive one-handed snag of an inaccurate throw from Ward.
With Tate, these weren’t just rookie flashes. He’s impressed like that since he got here. Which can happen when a player is naturally capable of making the difficult appear easy.
Tate is just smooooth out there. His fluid precision and ball skills are going to be a problem for defenses in this league.
Training camp isn't teaching that about Tate as much as it's merely confirming it.
An offensive day, for once
At the end of this latest practice, Titans coach Robert Saleh instructed the defense to do 20 push-ups, and he got down and joined them in the effort.
The Titans’ offense has more often faced those post-practice push-ups this preseason, but this practice, it had gotten the better of Saleh’s defense.
Now, it wasn’t domination. Ward’s connections with Tate were the highlight, while the second and third offenses struggled to get much going. But what stood out more to me was how effective the offenses ran the ball during the early portion of practice. Backs Tyjae Spears, Nick Singleton and Michael Carter all contributed long runs. Heck, even Will Levis broke a QB keeper for a touchdown.
It can be difficult to gauge running plays when they are playing touch football and not tackling to the ground, but the ballcarrier had plenty of space on all these carries.
The run game, I’d say, has been an overlooked bright spot this preseason for an offense that has generally been outplayed by the defense.
Is that a kicking competition ahead after all?
It didn’t take the Titans long to start looking for a backup plan at kicker after a rough couple of practices for Joey Slye. The team’s solo, unquestioned kicker until a few days ago, Slye missed a handful of field goals during practice on Aug. 6 and then followed it with a shaky practice at Nissan Stadium.
The next day, the Titans brought in three free agent kickers for a tryout: John Hoyland, John Parker Romo and Younghoe Koo, who was the Atlanta Falcons’ kicker for more than five seasons.
Slye hasn’t had much pressure on him this preseason. That, however, is quickly changing.
Extra Points
- To those seeking odds on the raging camp competition at right guard, I’d say rookie Fernando Carmona Jr., has become a legit contender. Looks like his stock is up. Jackson Slater may be down. Cordell Volson is holding steady. All that could change tomorrow, but that’s what it looked like today.
- I spent a lot of this practice focusing on edge rusher Femi Oladejo, who appears to be making strides in this new defense. The former second-round draft flashed a few times during this latest practice (hurrying the QB on rollouts by accurately diagnosing the play), and he’s also getting a lot of opportunity. He rotated during three different defensive units at practice. I’d consider this an approving nod to Oladejo’s fitness, but also a sign that he needs the experience. He’s someone who is still learning a lot of the nuances to being an NFL edge rusher. Give him some time. He’s coming along.
- One aspect of the Titans’ passing offense that’s largely been missing this preseason: The tight ends. It’s not that the QBs aren’t completing many passes to the tight ends. It’s more that they simply aren’t attempting many passes to the tight ends. One rare stretch during this latest practice had Ward side-arming a fastball through Gunnar Helm’s hands before missing Daniel Bellinger on the next play. Those two incompletions ended that possession.
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: OK, Carnell Tate is that dude (and other observations from Titans practice) | Estes
