NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans practiced in Music City on Wednesday morning and then headed out for their longest preseason road trip since the franchise left Texas in 1997.
Second-year coach Brian Callahan scheduled not one, but two sets of joint practices around back-to-back road games starting Thursday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He sees nine nights away from Nashville as a way to create more of an old training camp vibe for a young team.
“That’s sort of the intent of the whole trip,” Callahan said. “Spend some time, get a chance to grow together, and then get to go play against some other teams.”
Callahan also wants to hear the reviews from the Buccaneers, then the Atlanta Falcons on what they think of how the Titans compete. He sees this as a chance for a starting point of what the Titans can be this year.
“And get a change to do some things as a team on the road, some events together, things like that,” Callahan said. “It’s something I’m really looking forward to. Can’t wait.”
The Titans, who went 3-14 in Callahan's debut season, will be away from Nashville for nine straight nights. They won't practice again in Nashville until Aug. 19 before wrapping up the preseason by hosting Minnesota on Aug. 22.
After opening this preseason Saturday night against Tampa Bay, the Titans go to Atlanta for two joint practices and a game Aug. 15.
Left tackle Dan Moore has had only one joint practice with Pittsburgh, and that was last year. This will be a bit of a new experience, though Moore is familiar to going away to camp with the Steelers a regular at Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
“Obviously, we’re on a business trip, but we’ll have some free time, some downtime," Moore said. "We’ll be in the hotel. Guys can hang out, do stuff together and go places, go eat, whatever. And I think that’s a good time for us to just bond as team and build chemistry.”
Bonding can only help a franchise that has added 37 free agents, nine drafted rookies and five more players added off waivers through Sunday — a total of 51 players in training camp.
Safety Quandre Diggs isn't new after playing eight games for Tennessee last season before going on injured reserve. He signed Tuesday, and the Titans are easing him back into the mix. He recognizes a lot of faces on the roster, including his cousin, rookie quarterback Cam Ward.
“It’s different when you walk in the locker room and you see your family, like real family," the three-time Pro Bowl safety said of Ward. "And so it was cool.”
Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson has been trying to throw every look possible at Ward to help prep the No. 1 draft pick overall for the season opener Sept. 7 at Denver. Now the Titans will get a glimpse of how other NFL defenses might challenge the rookie.
“He's a grown man to me,” wide receiver Calvin Ridley said of Ward. “He's a confident guy, he's a guy that wants to be good.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press
