The Tennessee Titans have officially wrapped up their first padded practice of training camp. While the session featured plenty of positive developments on the field, it was also overshadowed by a handful of spats and extracurricular activities.
The Small Fights From Practice on Monday
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One scrum during this practice came between a veteran wide receiver and a newcomer cornerback. The altercation involved Mason Kinsey, who has spent the past five seasons with the Titans and is entering his sixth season with the franchise, and Mario Goodrich III, who just signed with the Titans days ago after spending last season with the UFL's Birmingham Stallions.
It remains unclear what sparked the tussle, but the two were likely matched up against each other during the Titans' first padded practice. Unfortunately for the franchise, that wasn't the only altercation of the day; it proved to be just the beginning.
The second scuffle involved expected starting right tackle JC Latham and team captain Jeffery Simmons, both former first-round picks in the NFL Draft. This isn't the type of leadership the Titans want to display this early in training camp; however, heated competition can help fuel growth. Neither player has given any indication that this incident will become a lingering issue, although Simmons has been involved in heated training camp exchanges before, including one with quarterback Cam Ward.
Reports indicated that the heated exchange stemmed from shoving and words being exchanged between the two, suggesting the confrontation was more of an emotional in-the-moment reaction than anything personal. That's an encouraging sign for the Titans, as it suggests both players should be able to move past the incident and keep their focus on preparing for the season.
Robert Saleh Shares His Thoughts
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Following the conclusion of practice, head coach Robert Saleh met with the media to discuss how the day unfolded. As expected, the first topic he was asked about was the extracurricular activity on the field, specifically the skirmishes that broke out during the Titans' first padded practice of training camp.
"It was fine. They're always going to be scrappy. As long as we aren't out there throwing punches, I couldn't care less about the scuffles," Saleh said when discussing the events after the whistle during Saturday's practice.
The Titans will now shift their focus to Tuesday's practice as they continue working toward training camp and preparing for the upcoming preseason.
