NASHVILLE – Titans Coach Brian Callahan spoke to reporters on Tuesday at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park.
Here's a look at some of the hot topics from today's presser:
-I wrote a separate story on Callahan discussing the offseason work of quarterbacks Cam Ward and Will Levis. CLICK HERE to read that story.
Now, more of today's topics:
-The Titans start Phase 3 of the offseason program next week. Callahan said he's looking forward to seeing players compete. "Everything so far in Phase Two is very individual-centered as far as position groups," Callahan said. "It's unit-centered, so you're doing a lot of things with the unit, but you're not going up against anybody else. So you get a chance to actually see guys compete a little bit. No pads on or anything like that, but we get a change to see now the schemes, guys picking up things in real time and real speed and execution against an actual defense and an offense and a special team. So that's the part that's your next step. So it's very teaching focused here in Phase Two. A lot of things schematically you're trying to get better at, working a lot of technique and fundamentals. And then you get into Phase Three, and you get a chance to see a little bit more application of those things you're working on. So excited about that. It's a good part of the off- season. Last ramp up before training camp really when you're actually going against each other."
-Callahan said he has confidence in Dan Moore at left tackle, who was acquired in free agency. "You watch the sacks they give up, you watch the pressures they give up, and you watch penalties. And you try to determine what's fixable and maybe what isn't, and what you're okay with. There's things that I think he can be corrected in, technique-wise, that are going to help him a lot. There's some things that—sometimes you just get beat by good players, which the AFC North has a few of them and we'll see a few of them ourselves. And so there's that part of it, and how can you help in those situations, schematically? But yeah, you watch all of it and you have to go through and you see what's fixable and what maybe isn't fixable, but you can help with the process of it. So there's no perfect player. They're all going to have things that they got to get better at. And we felt really comfortable with Dan (Moore) and he's been fantastic since he's been here in that regard, so excited to have him."
Callahan said JC Latham looks different physically compared to last year: "Yeah, he really committed himself to getting his weight at the range that he needed to get it to. He probably admittedly was heavy at the end of last season as the second half of the year wore on. He learned a lot of lessons himself about what it takes to play tackle in this league. The caliber of players you face every week, and there's no let down. And I think every rookie goes through that phase where they realize, 'Man, whatever I did before I got to do it better if I want to have a chance to be the player I think I'm capable of being.' And JC (Latham) is capable of being an excellent football player and he really dedicated himself to changing his body like a lot of first-year players going into their second year find ways to do. He looks great, he's in great shape, he's moving really well. I'm excited about where he's at but all the credit goes to him and just understanding what he realized it was going to take to be the player that he wants to be and he dedicated himself to it."
Callahan discussed L'Jarius Sneed, from his load management plan to his rehab. Sneed's rehab has been on his knee and quad. "He's coming back injury-wise. So, the rehab process is ongoing. He's in a good spot, excited about where he's at. But there's definitely a part of, I'd like to practice more. I think he's on the same page, too, where you got to balance those things. There's a management part for a lot of players. But there's also you got to practice and get better at your craft and continue to improve. So, we'll balance that. I feel good about where that process is for us and for him. I think he's well on the same page as well. … "It's both (the knee and quad). I mean the knee is something that you manage all the time. And then for the quad injury, it has taken some time to rehab from. So those things are still kind of ongoing, simultaneously. It's all part of the process for him. But he's in a great place, excited about where he's at. He's progressing as expected."
Callahan believes Van Jefferson can be productive for the Titans: "Yeah, I think Van's (Jefferson) been a productive player. He's had some years, like you said, that have been more productive than others. Some of that's just how the team was built around him. I think Puka (Nacua) came in at one point and you got Cooper (Kupp) who became the point for that operation. But he's been a really solid player for every team he's played on, and he's been great so far. He's got some experience in the system and doing some of the things that we do, which is good. He's a pro's pro. Obviously, coach's son, so knows how to operate. Excited about what he can bring to us. I think he adds depth and competition to the room, which you can't ever have enough of that. But I'm excited to see how he comes out of it. I think he is determined to prove that he wants to show that he's more of what that productive season was than maybe what the last two or three have been. So, you got a motivated player and a serious veteran player that I think it's going to help us."
Callahan discussed potentially altering running back Tony Pollard's workload: "He was battling the second half of the year quite a bit. But I think in a perfect world, it's a healthier division of labor. I think he ended up carrying the ball a lot. He was our most productive running back. And then Tyjae (Spears) had some injuries early, too. So, he ended up playing a lot early and then Tyjae sort of came on as the year went on further. So, I like really both of those players a lot, I think we can do a better job of managing that load so they both play a little more evenly and allows us to maybe have a spot for a third back between Julius (Chestnut) and Kalel (Mullings), some heavier style back and runner. So hopefully that division of labor gets a little more evenly distributed so he doesn't have to take the brunt of it. And we can get 17 games out of all those guys at their best."
Callahan discussed ways he's trying to improve leadership, including dividing the team up into eight groups during the offseason work: "It's something that we've really put a lot of work into. What I mean by that is it's an emphasis for us as well. Just like we emphasize trying to eliminate those negative plays and our execution, there is a leadership emphasis. And part of the reason I did what I did with dividing our team up into teams is now they're all accountable to each other on that team. There's a leadership that starts to grow because now each team has a captain and an alternate and now you've got more people in leadership spots. One of the things I think is unique about the process is it allows those guys to start to find their own voices and it's not about an offense versus defense. It's much more of a holistic team approach to it. We encourage these guys to spend a lot more time together, both in the building and out of it. It's been a focus for us, and I think you can develop leadership. I don't think leaders necessarily just walk into a room ready to lead. I think there's skills you have to learn. You have to have the communication as a leader. You have to know your teammates. We spend a lot more time trying to get to know each other on a level that I think is going to be beneficial to fostering more leadership from more people. One of the things I tell our team all the time that I think is really important is a lot of times you ask people, 'How do you lead?' And most people say, 'I lead by example.' And my retort to that is there's really no such thing in pro sports. Leading by example is the expectation, that's your job. To be on time, to do what you're supposed to do, to work hard, to study, that's in your contract, and so my challenge to our team this year was to do more of the things that require bringing people with you, making other people better. And so leadership is something that we talk a lot about. It's a focal point of our offseason and the idea is that you develop a team full of leaders and everyone has different styles, but it's something that I think the more people you have that are comfortable in those roles and understand that it's more about how you interact with people and how you make people go around you better. That part of it, I think, is something I'm excited about."
More on the points systems for the offseason competition: "The cool part about it is you can earn points a lot of different ways. For example, let's say defensively, Amani Hooker has an interception, that's a three-point swing for his team. But on his team is also the quarterback. And the quarterback threw the interception, so that's a minus three-point swings. So really, he's a net zero for his team for that particular play. But what it does is you see more communication, more conversation, more accountability to other folks around the team. And they get to know each other on a different level than maybe just offense and defense. That's one of the things I think we need to do a better job of, is just the whole team interacting more, not just by position or by side of the ball. And I think so far, it's been a lot of fun. I think the guys enjoyed it. And I also think it's grown those leadership qualities, that accountability to each other as opposed to just trying to be the best offense or the best defense that day."
