NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Quarterback Marcus Mariota and the Titans are still over a week away from the preseason opener in Green Bay.
The regular season opener in Miami is over a month away.
So there's still plenty of time.
A week into training camp, however, Mariota likes the progress being made on offense, with his young receiving corps.
"I think it's come along great," Mariota said on Wednesday. "They've made plays day in and day out, and we're all just kind of learning together. For being a young group, I think they've done a good job. You can tell that they're in their books in the summer. There hasn't been a whole lot of mental errors and that kind of stuff. So as we move forward, that's the expectation now. It's just building that chemistry for the rest of the year."
Heading into his fourth NFL season, Mariota is still adjusting to a new head coach, and offensive coordinator. The team has plenty of new faces, with a group of young receivers.
Corey Davis, Taywan Taylor and Tajae Sharpe have all played just one NFL season, and that's the group of receivers Mariota's been throwing to most in practices, with veteran Rishard Matthews out. Darius Jennings has also been productive in practices, but he has less game experience than any of the players mentioned previously.
But Mariota is seeing improvement.
"I think every day you come out here you try to get better," Mariota said. "Coach (Mike) Vrabel always talks about competing, finding ways to improve in one thing or in one area. So I think kind of across the board, across the team I think guys are really buying into that, and throughout this entire process, I think guys have gotten better.
"When you've got a young group, yeah, it would be nice to have a veteran leadership. I think Rishard (Matthews) has done a good job in that role. At the same time though, it's kind of fun to see those guys grow up together, and they're all leaning on each other. Someone's got a question, they're all trying to help each other out, and when you're able to do that, I think that builds the chemistry that's going to be needed for the year."
Among the things Mariota has been encouraged by in recent weeks: Communication.
The group is on the same page, he said. During the offseason, Mariota organized workouts in California and Nashville, so that presumably helped along the way.
"I think communication has gotten a lot better." Mariota said. "Guys are talking - whether it's Corey, Taywan or Tajaé. They're all saying, 'This is what I'm seeing.' We're all just communicating. If there is a certain route where I expect him to be at, I may go over there and voice what I want. Those guys are doing their best to achieve that. When we're able to go out there and compete and it's an open form where everyone is communicating, it allows us to be on the same page. Eventually, hopefully, that will create some success."
The Titans take the field for Day 6 of training camp practice on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018 at Saint Thomas Sports Park. (Photos: Gary Glenn)
