Vrabel’s expectations for OTAs
Mike Vrabel laid out his expectations for the Titans’ three weeks of organized team activities, which begin Monday at Saint Thomas Sports Park, during a presentation at the Taste of the Titans charity dinner last week at Nissan Stadium.
The primary goals: Keeping in shape, learning the playbook, improving onfield communication and avoiding injury.
“We need to continue on the path that we’ve been on, I think to stay in condition, to be able to line up and execute the plays at a pace conducive to spring football,” Vrabel said during an on-stage interview with Mike Keith, the team’s director of broadcasting. “I don’t want a whole lot of contact. I don’t want a whole lot of guys on the ground. We’re trying to practice fast and stay on our feet. The message is going to continue to be the same.
“We’re looking for competitive, tough, disciplined, conditioned football. We’re trying to get those things across to our team as we go through the spring, so that when September comes around … we know what to do and play fast and aggressive, and guys aren’t standing around wondering what I should be doing. They know what they’re doing and they’re playing 100 miles per hour.”
The third annual Taste of the Titans charity event raised $115,000, controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk told the crowd. All proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee and the Titans Foundation.
The Titans’ voluntary OTAs take place Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. They continue from May 29-30, June 1 and June 4-7. They are closed to the public.
A mandatory minicamp is scheduled for June 12-14.
Afterward, players will depart for a summer break. The team will reconvene for the start of training camp in late July.
“Situational football, that’ll be in training camp,” Vrabel said.
“Right now we’re just making sure that these guys are communicating with each other, that Kevin Byard is talking to (Johnathan) Cyprien, (Wesley Woodyard) is talking to the guy next to him … and all those guys are communicating.”
Titans general manager Jon Robinson, who shared the stage with Vrabel and Keith, said the pieces are in place for a third consecutive winning season and playoff appearance, and that one of those ingredients to success is players understanding the work it takes to reach the postseason.
“I think we got a core of players that believe in what we’re doing. They trust in the process,” Robinson said. “They see our fans out here supporting them and cheering them on, they’ve had some success over the last two years, but they all know – they’re all grounded guys – they all know we’re starting from scratch again. Every team is undefeated. Every team is chasing that trophy starting in late July when we show back up to training camp.”
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