5 Takeaways From Titans Training Camp Day 5:
The Tennessee Titans returned to the practice field Tuesday at Vanderbilt Health Football Clinic, and it was another spirited session highlighted by defensive takeaways, a breakout play from a rookie receiver, and another heated exchange involving one of the team’s biggest stars.
Here are the five biggest takeaways from Day 5 of training camp.
1. Anthony Hill Jr. delivered his best practice yet
If there was one player who stole the spotlight Tuesday, it was rookie linebacker Anthony Hill Jr.
Hill recorded two interceptions, including one on the final play of practice, and looked increasingly comfortable operating in coverage. His first takeaway came after dropping into the middle of the field and reading Mitchell Trubisky’s eyes before stepping in front of the throw. Later in practice, Hill secured a tipped pass to complete an impressive afternoon.
For a young linebacker, creating turnovers is one of the quickest ways to earn trust from the coaching staff, and Hill continues to make the most of his opportunities.
After practice, Hill credited consistency more than anything else.
“Just doing my job. At the end of the day, you do your job and good things happen.”
His progress isn’t limited to the field either. Hill revealed he has cleaned up his diet—yes, even cutting out Mike and Ike candy—and has dropped roughly six to seven pounds since arriving. The physical improvements, combined with his growing confidence in the defensive system, are beginning to show every time he steps onto the field.
2. Tennessee’s defense continues to set the tone
Tuesday belonged to the defense.
The unit forced four interceptions while consistently making life difficult for the quarterbacks throughout team drills.
James Williams continued his outstanding training camp with another interception while also forcing a punch-out during practice. Williams has quietly become one of the defense’s most consistent playmakers through the opening week of camp and continues building momentum.
The secondary also remained active around the football. Mario Goodrich and Nazeeh Johnson each recorded multiple pass breakups, while Joshua Williams and Keydrain Calligan added pass defenses of their own.
Up front, the pressure never seemed to stop. Jermaine Johnson and Mohamoud Diabate generated consistent heat on the quarterbacks, while veterans Cody Barton and Jacob Martin flashed with several quality defensive stops.
Five practices into camp, one trend has become increasingly clear: the defense is ahead of the offense.
That’s not uncommon early in training camp, but Tennessee’s ability to create turnovers has been especially encouraging for a defense looking to establish a new identity under Robert Saleh.
3. Cam Ward protected the football—and Carnell Tate finally broke through
Rookie quarterback Cam Ward may not have filled the stat sheet Tuesday, but he accomplished something equally important. He avoided turnovers.
Ward finished an unofficial 10-of-18 during team periods while navigating one of the defense’s strongest performances of camp.
There were a few missed connections and what appeared to be some communication issues with receivers, but Ward remained composed and never put the football in danger. His biggest moment came late in practice.
After a relatively quiet start to training camp, rookie receiver Carnell Tate exploded off the line of scrimmage, beat Alontae Taylor downfield, and hauled in a 70-yard touchdown from Ward. It was easily the offensive highlight of the afternoon.
Tate had experienced an up-and-down day before the touchdown, including a drop and another apparent miscommunication with Ward. Instead of letting those moments define his practice, he responded with the biggest play of the day. For both Ward and Tate, it served as a reminder of the explosive potential this young offense possesses.
4. Jeffery Simmons’ competitiveness boiled over again
For the second consecutive practice, emotions flared between Jeffery Simmons and JC Latham. Unlike Monday, however, Tuesday’s confrontation escalated much further.
Following an early play, Simmons became involved in a heated exchange that resulted in punches being thrown. Head coach Robert Saleh immediately removed Simmons from practice, sending him to a side field rather than allowing him to continue participating with the team.
Saleh later explained that the decision mirrors how the Titans would handle a similar situation during a game. If a player throws a punch, he’s removed.
The good news is Simmons still completed conditioning and individual work away from the team, but the incident serves as another reminder that the Titans must balance competitive intensity with discipline.
Nobody questions Simmons’ passion. The challenge is making sure that passion consistently works in Tennessee’s favor.
5. Bryce Oliver keeps making roster decisions harder
While much of the attention has focused on Tennessee’s rookie receivers, Bryce Oliver continues putting together one of the most quietly impressive camps on the roster.
Oliver hauled in two deep receptions from Will Levis, once again displaying his ability to stretch the field while winning contested catches.
His physicality continues to stand out, and he has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to finish difficult catches in traffic. With several young receivers battling for roster spots, consistency often becomes the deciding factor. Oliver is giving the coaching staff exactly that.
If he continues stacking productive practices, it will become increasingly difficult to leave him off the 53-man roster.
Final Thoughts
Day 5 reinforced several themes that have emerged throughout Titans training camp.
The defense continues creating turnovers at an impressive rate, Anthony Hill Jr. and James Williams are making the most of their opportunities, and Bryce Oliver keeps proving he belongs in the conversation for a roster spot.
Offensively, Cam Ward delivered another steady performance highlighted by a spectacular deep connection with Carnell Tate, offering another glimpse of the offense’s big-play potential.
As the Titans move deeper into camp and padded practices become increasingly competitive, individual performances like Tuesday’s often become the foundation for roster decisions in the weeks ahead.
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