3 Titans starters who could be benched with a poor training camp
• Right guard seems to be a question mark for the Titans
• Tennessee can't wait for Nicholas Petit-Frere to return
No. 2 Titans starter who could be benched with a poor training camp: Monty Rice, LB
The Titans put together a solid defense in 2022 and one player that flew under the radar due to the presence of bigger stars such as defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and safety Kevin Byard was linebacker David Long Jr.
Long, a sixth-round pick in the 2019 draft, appeared in five games with 26 starts over the last four years. However, he left in free agency to join the Miami Dolphins. The good news is that they brought in a solid replacement in Azeez Al-Shaair.
By signing Al-Shaeer in free agency, Tennessee checked off a box on their to-do list. Now, they need to figure out who will start next to him in 2023, Monty Rice or sophomore Jack Gibbens.
Rice, a third-round pick in 2021, is seemingly in the driver's seat for the starting job, having played 23 games with 10 starts over the last two seasons. The former Georgia Bulldog has flashed but he hasn't been particularly consistent.
Meanwhile, Gibbens went undrafted last year but ended up appearing in five games for Tennesse. Although it was a limited sample, the former Minnesota Golden Gopher fared well against both the run and the pass when called upon and could be even better in Year 2.
Head coach Mike Vrabel recently said that he's keeping an eye on both players but given Gibbens' upside, nobody would bat an eye if he gets the nod over Rice, especially if he makes a strong impression in training camp.