What to watch for: Preseason Game 1

[Jamalisms]

NFL teams keep things pretty close to the vest during the preseason but these next four games still have interesting storylines. What are some things to keep an eye on and what questions may get (partially) answered in preseason game one?Offense

The Titans enter the 2013 season with a new offense and a renewed focus on running the football. With that said, the signal caller is still the focus of fan interest. The run game and the passing game each have things to watch for.

Quarterback

In today’s NFL, you want your QB to do well. When you have a highly drafted QB, you want him to do well. When you have a QB who hasn’t yet proven he’s a quality starter coming into year three, you want him to do well. Jake Locker, please do well.

Ryan Fitzpatrick was signed to be the backup for Locker. He’ll likely play for awhile on Thursday night.

Rusty Smith has been the Titans third quarterback for a number of years. Between the Vince Young / Kerry Collins combo, then the Matt Hasselbeck / Jake Locker era and now the Fitzpatrick era – Rusty hasn’t been given much of a shot at the backup QB role. How does he look in the new offense and is there any potential the Titans part ways with him? It would seem unlikely that the Titans don’t carry three QBs, but at some point a player either progresses past a status as “the other QB” or he ceases to hold value.

Offensive Line

Injuries and quality of play were an issue in 2012. Big investments were made in free agent starting left guard Andy Levitre and 10th overall draft pick (and assumed starting right guard) Chance Warmack. How does the line look in terms of improved quality and early cohesiveness?

Does right tackle David Stewart look returned to form and healthy after breaking his right leg in a game against Houston last year?

With rookie Brian Schwenke missing time, there appears to be a two-way battle at Center. How do Rob Turner and Fernando Velasco look? Does one or the other have a leg up in the competition?

Wide Receiver

Kenny Britt is more than a year removed from his knee injury and reports from camp indicate that he is playing well. The Titans are having him focusing solely on the X role while other receivers learn all positions. Will a return to physicality and potential dominance be foreshadowed?

Kendall Wright led the Titans in receptions as a rookie last season. In watching highlights from last year he looked more explosive than I had remembered. Will losing weight and maturing into the NFL turn him into a playmaking receiver?

Nate Washington was the subject of offseason trade rumors. The assumed maturation of young receivers makes for an interesting numbers game despite that recent reports indicate Nate is a team leader. With so many injuries at wide receiver across the league, trade rumors are bound to rise again. Will Nate be featured enough to quell the rumors?

The Titans traded up in the second round to nab wide receiver Justin Hunter. Reports from training camp indicate that fiery WR coach Shawn Jefferson has been working hard to prepare Hunter mentally. What will his debut indicate about his rookie year, if anything?

With Britt, Wright, Washington and the rookie Hunter firmly in the discussion at WR, Damian Williams becomes an interesting player to watch. He’s a proven versatile player and, given that the Titans are having receivers learn all positions, such versatility would seem to make him a strong fifth candidate to make the roster.

After the top five, Michael Preston and Marc Mariani are presumed to be in a battle for the sixth spot (assuming six players are kept). Preston saw more and more playing time as the season wore on last year. He’s a tall WR who seems to work hard. Mariani is returning from a gruesome injury last year. If he makes an impact, I would assume it’s in the slot. Is that a big enough need and is he healthy enough to fill it? Kevin Walter will also be in the final roster-spot battle but he is still injured and will not play this week.

Runningback

Chris Johnson is the top back and Shonn Green is second in line. Darius Reynaud, Jalen Parmele and Jackie Battle are fighting for the third back role. How many carries will each get and how will their respective performances reflect on the battle?

Returner

Both Marc Mariani and Darius Reynaud are in contention for the returner role and each is a bit of an afterthought at their respective positions (WR and RB). Might the battle for returner decide who does or doesn’t make the roster? Damian Williams is also a possibility at returner, though less likely. He was on the roster when Mariani won the role and when Reynaud was given the role after Mariani suffered an injury a year ago.

Tight End

Versatile newcomer Delanie Walker is still injured. This will give other players more opportunity to step up. Taylor Thompson was a project last year and may step into a larger role in 2013. Craig Stevens played more snaps than departed Jared Cook. Both have potential to see a changed role in the new offense.

Will Thompson be used creatively to take advantage of his athleticism? Will he be able to showcase the progress he has made?

Will Craig Stevens see more work as a receiver in the new offense or will he still be primarily used as an in-line option who runs routes but sees few opportunities?

Jack Doyle is an undrafted rookie who has made some noise. Will he show enough to force the Titans to keep four tight ends on the roster? If not, will he show enough to make it difficult to hide him on a practice squad?

Fullback

Quinn Johnson or Collin Mooney at fullback? How about maybe neither? Could versatile TEs reduce the need to carry an already underused true FB?

Defense

Enter Greg Williams. Enter a number of run-specific defenders. Enter attitude. Enter maturation of young players. The Titans defense will feature many of the same players as the 2012 defense that underwhelmed. At the same time, they expect that the new pieces and maturation of young players will pay dividends. Fans hope so. Don’t expect too much to be revealed in the preseason, but here are some players and positions to watch.

Linebacker

Zach Brown impressed as a rookie. As the season wore on he played more and better. By the end of the year he was playing more than 90% of snaps in multiple games. His speed makes him a valuable asset. Brown’s potential maturation between year one and year two will be a big factor for the defense in 2013.

Akeem Ayers had a solid rookie year and followed that with a solid sophomore year as well. The Titans are talking about using him more to rush the passer this year. They did that last year as well. With Brown coming into his own and a (hopefully) more settled position at middle linebacker, will Ayers be truly freed up to get used creatively? As a young player in his own right, Ayers’ potential maturation is a big factor for the Titans.

Colin McCarthy is nursing a hamstring injury. Moise Fokou was signed in the offseason and has spent quite a bit of time playing with the first team defense. Will he prove a valuable player in the middle?

Scott Solomon was drafted as a defensive end last year but will look to make the transition to linebacker. Can he make an early impact to prove the transition merits a roster spot?

Cornerback

Jason McCourty is the top cornerback but there is a battle for the second spot. Incumbent Alterraun Verner and third year player Tommie Campbell seem to be getting the most reps with the first team defense. Verner will start game one and Campbell is slated to start game two. Which guy will play himself into (or out of) the starting role?

Coty Sensabaugh locked down the nickel CB role last year. Will he hold onto it or could Verner move inside if Campbell wins the outside role? How does Sensabaugh look in his sophomore campaign?

Safety

Michael Griffin will be freed up to play free safety. How much will this role aid him in a return to form?

Bernard Pollard and George Wilson were signed in the offseason to lock down the role opposite Griffin. Pollard has a mouth and has been working to instill a “killer” attitude in the Titans defense. Pollard is generally perceived as better against the run while Wilson is better in coverage. How will these two players be used/rotated? Will Pollard live up to the hype he has self-generated? Will the Titans feature three safeties with any regularity?

Markelle Martin is slated to make his long-awaited debut after spending his entire rookie season on the physically unable to perform list (PUP). How much rust will manifest in his game and what kind of player did the Titans draft in the sixth round last year?

Verner has seen some time playing safety in camp. Will he get some playing time in that role tonight?

There’s a numbers game going on at safety. As such, it’s always interesting to see who steps up. Al Afalava, rookie Daimon Stafford and Robert Johnson all have roles to win, though injuries will be a factor. Johnson is currently on the PUP list.

Defensive Line

Derrick Morgan had a solid year in 2012, playing a large majority of snaps at left defensive end. Training camp has shown him being used on both the right and left side. His continued progress as a player is one of the most important factors for a defense in need of elite performers. Kamerion Wimbley played a large majority of snaps at right defensive end. He’s likely to play less this year. How much less is debatable, as is a potential increase in production/quality per snap associated with usage more suited to his skill-set. He has a history playing linebacker in the NFL which gives the Titans some flexibility to use him creatively. Ropati Pitoitua is a big defensive end, (potentially a tackle, at times), and may play a big role in trying to improve the defense on run downs.

Jurrell Casey is a clear starter at tackle and is young enough to yet progress. Considering the number of injuries he played through last year, an improvement in 2013 isn’t unlikely. After Casey are free agent Sammie Lee Hill and Mike Martin. Hill was signed to stop the run. Martin had a solid rookie year and could make an impact in year two.

After the above mentioned players, the defensive line as a whole, possibly more-so than any other group on the Titans defense, is a numbers game. Karl Klug is looking to transition from a penetrating defensive tackle to a defensive end. He’ll have a lot to prove to earn a roster spot, given the presence of Morgan, Wimbley and Pitoitua, as well as rookie DE Lavaar Edwards. Tackles Antonio Johnson, DaJohn Harris, Zach Clayton and Stefan Charles won’t all be kept. Young players are always trying to prove themselves but because of the numbers game, all defensive linemen will be looking to make an impact to earn a roster spot.

Charles is an interesting case because he might otherwise be a practice squad candidate if he didn’t have a CFL career waiting for him. He was the 10th overall pick in the CFL draft this year. The Titans might lose him to Canada if he isn’t on the roster.

How much and how well newcomers Pitoitua and Hill play will be worthy of note. If both are leaned on with regularity instead of being primarily run-stopping specialists, this could impact how many linemen are deemed necessary on the final 53-man roster.

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[Jamalisms]

Stewart is out, Otto to start at RT.

[Jamalisms]

Turner starting at C over incumbent Velasco. Verner at CB, as mentioned.

Somewhat surprised Otto got the start over Singily, who start to end year and played in place of Stewart even this week.

[Cyrus]

Probably just continuing to rest Stewart. Absolutely critical that he's healthy come the regular season. 

[titanruss]

I just want to see what kind of systems we are running and how the first and second year guys do.

[Bobo]

Turner starting at C over incumbent Velasco. Verner at CB, as mentioned.

Somewhat surprised Otto got the start over Singily, who start to end year and played in place of Stewart even this week.

Both those o-line decisions surprise me a bit too. Velasco was solid last year, bit I know squat about Turner. If he's an upgrade, great. With all the hype for Shwenke, I don't think he's the man this year. Maybe they plan on Stingily getting lots of LT reps so they give Otto the RT start. Maybe Stingily is the primary LT backup now and Otto the RT?

[Number9]

As banged up as the Redskins are, the defense should shine. RG3, Morris, Garcon and I think Davis are out.