The offseason has been a whirlwind for Tennessee Titans fans, but everything has come to a screeching halt.
In a little less than four weeks, the Titans will come back together and report for training camp. That will mark a six-month marathon to see if this team can make it back to the postseason. If they do qualify for the playoffs, it will be because the new-look Titans did something that we haven't seen in decades in Nashville.
For the first time since the Warren Moon days, the Titans will be leaning on the passing game to take them to the playoffs.
Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard are still going to be important at the running back position, but being able to catch the ball and block on passing downs is a prerequisite now, not just a nice skill to have. The Titans' identity is evolving and a lot of the responsibility is going to fall on the shoulders of sophomore quarterback Will Levis.
Luckily, Levis is going to be learning from new head coach Brian Callahan, a proven offensive mind that knows how to get the most out of his quarterbacks. With the right coach in place, Levis's development is going to come down to time on task and how quickly he can develop chemistry with his receivers.
That is why it is such a big deal that Levis, DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley, Chig Okonkwo, Josh Whyle, and Tyjae Spears took a trip together to bond and work in Cabo, Mexico.
If you haven't played football at any level, this might not seem that important. It is obviously good that they are spending time together, but if they just do this for an hour a day and then spend the rest of the time relaxing, does this make that much of a difference?
The answer is yes. For Levis, keeping the playbook front of mind, talking to his pass catchers and figuring out what they like best, and working on timing is going to make it easier to jump back into everything when camp starts in July.
Also, it is easier to stay in football shape if you are going through drills and running routes consistently. The Titans want to be great on offense, and the players are putting in the work during their free time.
All of these reps count as much as the reps in OTAs and minicamp do. They could be the difference between a strong start to the 2024 season and a slow start, which could be the difference between a successful season and a disappointing one.
Levis has been a leader at every turn this offseason. He's been everything that Titans fans could have hoped for, and everything that skeptics doubted he could be. It is still early to tell just how good Levis might be this season, but he is putting in the work, and he and his teammates have bought into making this team as successful as possible right away.