Barkley, Woodside Equally Matched in Opportunity, Production

In a matter of days, the Tennessee Titans will have to choose one to be their backup quarterback.

NASHVILLE – The battle between Logan Woodside and Matt Barkley to become Ryan Tannehill’s backup might be too close to call – at least for anyone outside of the Tennessee Titans’ facility – but no one can say it was not a fair fight.

Over the course of three preseason games, Woodside got 105 snaps with the Titans’ offense and attempted 40 passes. Barkley got 104 snaps and threw the ball 39 times. It marked just the second time in eight years that two Tennessee quarterbacks each attempted at least 39 throws in the preseason, and – of course – this time it happened in a preseason shortened to three games.

The big difference is that Woodside started the first two contests while Barkley was the first one on the field for Saturday’s 27-24 loss to the Chicago Bears in the preseason finale. After they played one half each against the Atlanta Falcons, the two alternated roughly two possessions at a time over the last two contests so that coaches and the personnel staff could compare their respective performances with roughly the same supporting casts.

“It’s a tough rotation to get into rhythm,” Barkley said Saturday. “Half and half is a little easier. At least [you get to] to put a few drives together, but that sounds like an excuse. There’s nothing you can do other than go out and be ready to play.”

The fact that it has been any kind of competition at all is a tribute to Barkley’s experience in the NFL. The Titans did not sign him until Aug. 5, more than a week into training camp and just eight days before the preseason opener. The 30-year-old (he will be 31 in a little more than a week) was a fourth-round draft pick by Philadelphia in 2013, has played for three different franchises and spent time with several others during his career.

Woodside, 26, is the incumbent but has thrown just three regular-season passes – all for Tennessee last year – in his NFL career.

“I feel really prepared,” Woodside said. “I have tried to take these last couple of years and try to get under (Tannehill)’s wing and see how he prepares and see how he acts out there on the field and try to emulate that into my game. But compared to two preseasons ago, I feel I am light years ahead of where I was.”

But did he do enough to beat out Barkley or vice versa?

With the offseason addition of wide receiver Julio Jones to a lineup that already features two-time rushing champion Derrick Henry and Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown, the Titans have high expectations for their offense this season.

If something happens to Tannehill, can they trust that unit to someone with as little experience as Woodside? And what about potential issues with COVID-19 (Tannehill is currently one of eight players out of action due to protocols in place to deal with the coronavirus)? Last season Tennessee used one of its practice squad spots for a “quarantine quarterback,” someone who stayed separate from the rest of the players to assure he could not be impacted by contact tracing. That more than likely is a job for an experienced player, but would Barkley even make it through waivers so they could put him on the practice squad?

Of course, none of that takes into account who has been the better quarterback in the time the two have been on the roster together. In the preseason, Barkley was the more aggressive of the two. He completed 61.5 percent of his throws but averaged 7.6 yards per attempt. Woodside’s completion percentage was 72.5 but his yards-per-attempt average was 6.2.

Each threw three touchdown passes with one interception, and their final passer ratings were comparable. Woodside’s was 102.9. Barkley’s was 99.8.

“Those guys are competing,” coach Mike Vrabel said. “I thought they both settled down well [Saturday] and allowed us to give ourselves an opportunity to win the game. … I think they both kind of settled down and got into a flow of the game as we were asking them to do.”

There could be a delay in declaring a winner. NFL rosters must be reduced to 53 players by Tuesday afternoon, and it has become the norm for Tennessee – and many other franchises – to carry just two quarterbacks on the active roster.

With Tannehill on the COVID list, which is not included as part of the active roster, franchise officials can hold on to the other two until he clears all protocols and is free to rejoin the team. Eventually, though, a choice must be made.

“We’ve been kind of going back and forth this camp, so read into that what you want,” Barkley said. “I thought I did some good things. I wish a few plays I could have had back (Saturday) night. Sometimes there’s just games like that but again, as long as I keep building, I think I’ll be in a good place.

“… It’s up in the air for a lot of guys. You’ve just got to stay confident in who you are no matter what happens, and I guess believe in yourself.”