Vrabel Hopes For Joint Training Camp Workouts With Multiple Teams

For now, all NFL franchises will work virtually at least through the end of the month

NASHVILLE – Mike Vrabel can’t even get the Tennessee Titans together as a group.

That doesn’t mean a man can’t dream.

The third-year head coach still has hope that the Titans’ preseason work will include another NFL franchise. Maybe more.

“There have been some discussions,” Vrabel said Wednesday. “I would anticipate once we get a little more clarity on what training camp looks like, I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to practice with one, if not two teams.”

It has become common in recent years for teams to come to town several days early and to conduct joint workouts with the Titans prior to a preseason contest at Nissan Stadium. That is what happened with the Carolina Panthers in 2017, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018 and the New England Patriots in 2019.

In each case, the combined practices took place ahead of the second preseason contest.

This August, the Titans are scheduled to host the New York Giants in Week 2 of the preseason, which makes that team a leading candidate for some shared practices. It doesn’t hurt that the Giants’ new coach is Joe Judge, a former Patriots assistant whose tenure with that team overlapped with that of Tennessee general manager Jon Robinson.

All of that, though, is speculative because all NFL training facilities and team offices are closed and – as of an order from the league office Wednesday – will remain that way through the end of the month.

“What they have told me is that we’re going to extend the virtual offseason program until May 29, and that’s what I’m planning for,” Vrabel said. “That’s what I told our coaches (Wednesday) morning. After that, then I’ll listen to what they tell us, and I’ll read the memo they send me, and I’ll make adjustments from there.

“… I’m going to concentrate on the things I can control which are our meetings, which are our players, communication with our players. And the things that I can’t control, I’m not going to put too much time or energy into it.”

The NFL has released its 2020 schedule and has said that it expects to begin play on time. However, some franchises already have explored the possibility that they might need to leave their respective cities in order to conduct their preseason workouts.

Vrabel gladly would welcome one or two to Tennessee for a few days, if possible.

But those are decisions for another time.

“When the NFL gives us a direction, then we’re going to try and follow it the best that we can,” he said. “This is a serious time. And it’s a sensitive time. So, I’m going to focus on what I can control with our football team and then when we get some direction from the league, we’ll always do right by the players.

“… You understand that every year’s a process and you have to build. And this year is unique. In a sense, it’s much, much different than anything we’ve been through. But our players are facing and – I think – dealing with the distraction very well.”