Top 5 Under-the-Radar Tennessee Titans to Watch Against the Chicago Bears

The Tennessee Titans have some high-profile battles taking place on Saturday against the Chicago Bears, but here are some under-the-radar Titans who will be exciting to watch.

NASHVILLE — When the Tennessee Titans take the field against the Chicago Bears on Saturday, everyone will rightfully be watching battles at quarterback, linebacker and kicker, but there are some under-the-radar players who we should be keeping an eye on in the Titans' first preseason game.

Jayden Peevy - DL

Peevy drew rave reviews from Titans defensive line coach Terrell Williams earlier this offseason. Williams applauded Peevy's improvement with his hands, feet and conditioning. Williams even said there is a chance Peevy isn't "playing behind" anyone this year, implying Peevy could challenge for a starting role.

With that sort of buzz, watching Peevy out on the field is an incredibly exciting idea. Williams has long gotten the most out of his group on the defensive line and Peevy has a chance to be the next name that continues that trend.

Young Wide Receivers

The wide receiver depth chart got even more crowded when DeAndre Hopkins was signed. It likely leaves one less spot at receiver for the Titans to keep one of the young players around. The Titans' top three of Hopkins, Treylon Burks and Kyle Philips seem set in stone. It would also be a bit of a shock for the Titans to part ways with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine or Chris Moore.

Quick math tells us that is five spots taken. The Titans would most likely only keep six receivers on the roster. Meaning players like third-year Racey McMath and Mason Kinsey, second-year Reggie Roberson Jr. and rookies like Colten Dowell and Tre'Shaun Harrison are all fighting for one hypothetical spot that may not exist at all.

When competition is that tight, it doesn't take much for someone to separate themselves in a few short weeks with a good preseason performance or two. Which one of these players makes the most of this chance remains to be seen.

Otis Reese Jr. - LB

This selection was made by Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. Vrabel said in a press conference recently that he was personally excited to watch Reese Jr. play. Reese Jr. is a former college safety from Ole Miss that is converting to linebacker with the Titans. He was an undrafted free agent this year that the Titans picked up.

The linebacker room is crowded though. Azeez Al-Shaair, Jack Gibbens, Monty Rice, Chance Campbell, Ben Niemann and Luke Gifford all sit above Reese Jr. on the depth chart, but with a major endorsement from Vrabel, Reese Jr. may have an inside track on a roster spot if he balls out in the preseason, especially on special teams.

Young Offensive Linemen

The Titans do not have great depth or talent on the offensive line. That means that the development of their young linemen is critical. Players like Xavier Newman-Johnson and Andrew Rupcich on the interior, both going into their second seasons, will be interesting to watch to see if they have any shot of being reliable depth down the road.

Sadly, another rookie offensive lineman that would have been interesting to watch is John Ojukwu, but Ojukwu has been out of practice all week and that may make it unlikely he will play. We also should get a good look at Jaelyn Duncan. Duncan was the Titans sixth-round pick in this year's draft. 

Duncan is considered a project with great physical talent that needs some development, but with the Titans uncertain right tackle situation, it would be quite the break for the Titans if Duncan were ready sooner so he could be an option this season at that spot.

Young Defensive Backs

The Titans have seen a few young defensive back stand out during training camp. Amani Marsh, Anthony Kendall and Alonzo Davis come to mind first. There is more depth in the defensive backfield this season than seasons past, especially at cornerback, but that doesn't mean the Titans are so deep none of these younger players have a shot.

Mike Vrabel loves the ability to play man coverage and disrupt the ball from his defensive backs. If any of these young players can show those two qualities while also helping their case on special teams, they could upset the established order and snag a roster spot.

Titans Training Camp Stories

• Titans Stadium Video: The Tennessee Titans will be getting a new stadium in the coming years and the team just released an exciting video with new views and renderings of what the project should look like when complete. CLICK HERE
• Titans' D Dominates: The Tennessee Titans' defense continues to dominate training camp and on Tuesday they were able to get two interceptions off of starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill. CLICK HERE
• Fulton Finds Consistency: The Tennessee Titans corner back is looking to develop more on-field consistency by making some changes to his off-field habits. CLICK HERE