NASHVILLE – The Titans face the Arizona Cardinals in preseason game No.3 on Saturday night at Nissan Stadium.
Here's a look at six things to watch in the contest:
Malik, Part 3
The Titans went into the preseason wanting to find out as much about rookie quarterback Malik Willis as possible. On Saturday night, they'll get one more extended look before roster decisions are made on Tuesday. In two preseason starts, Willis has completed 13-of-28 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown, and he's added a team-high 80 rushing yards and a score. Already Willis has done enough to convince some fans he should be the No.2 behind starter Ryan Tannehill. But has he convinced his head coach and general manager? Well, in his third straight preseason start, he'll get one more chance to make his case as he looks to surpass fellow quarterback Logan Woodside on the depth chart.
Caleb Farley
The preseason has provided second-year cornerback Caleb Farley a chance to build some consistency in his return to football after a torn ACL ended his 2021 season prematurely. It's fair to say things haven't always been perfect in Farley's return, but the more reps, the better and more comfortable he should get. While plenty of players won't suit up in this one, Farley is expected to get more work against the Cardinals. The Titans would like to see him settle down, and settle in.
Ugo's Debut
It's been a whirlwind month for Nashville's Ugo Amadi, who was traded from the Seahawks to the Eagles before being traded from the Eagles to the Titans nine days later. The versatile defensive back, who prepped at John Overton High, practiced with the Titans for the first time on Thursday. He's expected to make his Titans debut on Saturday night in No.38. Amadi needs to get comfortable quick in Tennessee because, despite arriving late, he could find himself in the mix when the regular season begins in a little over two weeks.
The Offensive Line
Nicholas Petit-Frere has surged in the competition at right tackle, while Dillon Radunz has seen his reps at the position decrease. As the Titans inch toward the regular season, Petit-Frere has a chance to get even more comfortable with his technique as he aims to earn a starting spot. Aside from Petit-Frere, I'm not really expecting to see much, if any, of the front-liners in action up front. This means others will have a chance to work, and impress, from interior linemen Corey Levin, Jordan Roos, Xavier Newman, Hayden Howerton and Willie Wright to tackles Christian DiLauro, Andrew Rupcich and Jalen McKenzie. The Titans would love to see Willis and Woodside be able to work with solid protection as well.
Last Chance
Let's face it: The majority of the roster decisions have already been made leading up to next Tuesday's cutdown to 53 players. The work from OTAs, minicamp, training camp practices and in meeting rooms has given the team's decision-makers the information they need. But there's potentially a spot or two still up for grabs, and Saturday's preseason finale could break a tie. If not, the league's other 31 teams will be watching. Keep your fingers crossed for no injuries, because no one wants them to factor into the final decisions.
Special Teams
This is an area of the game a lot of fans don't pay a lot of attention to, but you can be sure the coaches will be watching it closely. Players on the back end of the roster – competing for the 51st, 52nd and 53rd spots – are going to have to be able to play on special teams. Some of these new Titans never did it in college, and they've been on a crash course over the past few months. Look for the youngsters making plays on special teams, because they could be earning roster spots. Saturday's game will also give the team one more look at Ryan Stonehouse. The strong-legged punter has proven he can hit bombs, but he probably doesn't need to drop another snap.
