The Tennessee Titans conclude the 2013 preseason tonight with a game in Minneapolis against the Minnesota Vikings. The game begins at 7 PM CT and can be viewed on the Titans and Vikings preseason television networks, as well online via the NFL's Preseason Live service. The game will also be aired on NFL Network Saturday at 7 PM.
The fourth preseason game is generally the least meaningful. Offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains described the sort of plays the Titans would be running as first day installs, so there will be no scheme notes to take away from the game. The Titans will play their starters, some, but likely less than they did in any of the previous three games. This will instead be a chance for backups to play and play extensively and make one last case for a roster spot on the Titans or any other NFL team before the mandatory cut-down to 53 on Saturday.
Here are the players I'll be most interested in watching tonight, and might write about on a re-watch:
1. Rusty Smith;
2. Michael Preston;
3. Brian Schwenke;
4. Blidi Wreh-Wilson.
Smith and Preston are on the bubble, but players with relatively known skills and whose presence (or not) depends as much or more on the overall shape of the roster and needs elsewhere than on what they do. Schwenke and Wreh-Wilson are the mid-round picks who haven't gotten as much playing time as the Titans may have hoped or wanted. Contrary to what I thought might happen, Schwenke seems likely to start as a backup, as his hamstring injury did knock him out of the race to be the starting center. Wreh-Wilson looks like the fifth corner, generally a fine position for a rookie third-round pick to be in, but I wonder about his position in slot. Could he be the backup to Coty Sensabaugh there?
We will have a recap up after the game, then roster news and cutdown analysis this weekend.
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