The Tennessee Titans wrapped up mandatory minicamp last week. Two players who were not physical participants were offensive tackle JC Latham and defensive end Femi Oladejo. The Titans now head into summer break before training camp with concerns regarding both players.
It sounded like Latham occasionally participated in voluntary OTAs. He also graduated from Alabama and took the time necessary to see that process through. Whatever prevented Latham from practicing at minicamp was possibly a new issue.
Latham suffered a hip injury in training camp last year and re-aggrevated the issue in Week 1. It sidelined him momentarily and derailed his initial performances when he returned to the lineup. The upcoming campaign is a huge one for Latham. The Titans will have to make a decision regarding his fifth-year contract option next offseason.
Oladejo had a disastrous rookie season. The raw linebacker turned pass rusher recorded zero sacks and suffered a season-ending leg injury in Week 6. It was unfortunate for an inexprienced player who needed the reps.
Now Oladejo returns as a sophomore under a new coaching staff. Robert Saleh sounds excited about Oladejo’s potential in his defense, which employs an attacking style front. He’s also competing for reps on a defense that is expected to rotate lineman heavily. Jacob Martin, Jermaine Johnson, Keldric Faulk, and maybe Jaylen Harrell are the players vying for those reps.
It’s unclear if Oladejo’s setback is related to the season-ending leg injury from last year. Because it’s minicamp, Coach Saleh didn’t have to provide in-depth details regarding injuries. Oladejo was often observed by media doing individual work on a side field during OTAs.
The Titans desperately need Latham to be a starting-caliber tackle, and the defense would benefit from a productive Oladejo, too. Both homegrown draft picks need to ease concerns once training camp rolls around.
