The Tennessee Titans continue to progress towards one of the most important moments of the preseason, which is the first preseason game. The contest is set to begin around 6 p.m. PT (8 p.m. CT) at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, as the Titans will be taking on the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday.
There will be many position battles to watch, but these two have been ongoing and intense recently.
Wide Receiver No. 2
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The second wide receiver spot seems to be a bit up for grabs, despite this seeming like a locked competition before training camp even arrived. The player expected to hold this spot, and who many believe is still leading, is veteran receiver Calvin Ridley. Ridley is returning from an injury and is set to make his first step back on a football field for a regulated game since the injury took place last season.
The player who is battling for his job is Elic Ayomanor, a wide receiver who is entering his second season in the NFL and his second season with the Titans. Ayomanor was a starter for the franchise last season, and he made the most of his opportunities. This year it seems that he has taken a major step forward in both his training camp growth and production as a whole. He has been the MVP of camp thus far, and is the player that I am watching the closest in this battle.
The competition on Thursday night will feature both players, and will allow fans to see who clicks with the quarterbacks the best.
Starting Linebacker
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It is no secret that Cedric Gray will be one of the starters for the Titans after what was one of the better seasons that the Titans have had out of a linebacker in recent memory. He finished as one of the better tacklers and has secured himself as one of the team's best players. The question is going to revolve around the player who is paired with him. At this time, it seems the battle is going to be between returning starter Cody Barton and rookie second-round pick Anthony Hill Jr.
This game could be the determining factor in who actually sees the field as the starter when it comes to Week 1, as both players haven't been able to get ahead. This will be one that will be easy to watch on TV for the fans who couldn't make the game in California, as they play in the middle of the field on the defensive side of the ball.
