The 53-man as training camp closes

Well, I did one as training camp opened, and after the first preseason game.  I didn’t after the second preseason game, but only because Andrew wrote about the real training camp depth chart, so that means it’s time for another stab at the 53-man roster, with some additional focus on the 45-man active roster, something I neglected in my previous roster picks.


QB: Kerry Collins, Patrick Ramsey, Vince Young
RB: Quinton Ganther, Ahmard Hall, Chris Johnson, Javon Ringer, LenDale White
TE: Jared Cook, Alge Crumpler, Bo Scaife, Craig Stevens
WR: Kenny Britt, Dominique Edison, Justin Gage, Mark Jones, Nate Washington
OL: Eugene Amano, Leroy Harris, Troy Kropog, Kevin Mawae, Mike Otto, Michael Roos, Jake Scott, David Stewart
DE: David Ball, Jacob Ford, William Hayes, Jevon Kearse, Kyle Vanden Bosch
DT: Tony Brown, Jovan Haye, Jason Jones, Sen’Derrick Marks
LB: Keith Bulluck, Ryan Fowler, Stanford Keglar, Gerald McRath, David Thornton, Stephen Tulloch
CB: DeMarcus Faggins, Cortland Finnegan, Nick Harper, Jason McCourty, Ryan Mouton, Cary Williams
S: Vincent Fuller, Michael Griffin, Chris Hope, Donnie Nickey
K: Rob Bironas
P: Craig Hentrich
LS: Ken Amato

Added to this roster:
WR Dominique Edison, WR Mark Jones
Cut from this roster:
WR Lavelle Hawkins, OL Ryan Durand

QB: Unchanged from the previous guess where I added Ramsey.  I suspect the Titans would like to carry only 2 QBs so they have another spot elsewhere.  I just can’t see them having confidence in either of the guys if Collins goes down.
RB: Ganther remains the only question mark.  Hall is likely to miss a game or three from his history, so you need a backup FB.  Either he or Ringer will sit most weeks.
TE: Unchanged.  One guy will probably sit most weeks, and that’ll probably be Stevens.
WR: I only had 4 WRs in my previous preview, and history says 6 or 7.  I can see them keeping 5 with the 4 TEs and Cook and Scaife’s ability to play in the slot.  I haven’t seen it much from Edison in games, but camp reports are fairly positive.  Jones is tentatively on because he seems to be the punt returner by default, but he can either firm up or lose a roster spot.  I said this in a comment to Drexel’s WR post the other day, but I think this is a position where the Titans could look for somebody cut by another team.  4 of these guys dress, and all 5 may be in the lineup.
OL: Durand dropped.  I tried very hard to find a roster spot for Matt Lehr, and if Kevin Mawae is not ready to go week 1, I think Lehr or maybe Velasco makes the team as well, with Ganther possibly a week 1 guy who comes back when Mawae is healthy.
DL: I have to talk about this group together.  The reality of the 45-man roster is you’ll probably be dressing no more than 7 DL most weeks.  So, if you keep 10 guys here, there are 2 and more often 3 of your 8 inactives.  With 3 QBs, you then can realistically sit no more than 4 guys from a game.  I don’t like it, but there are only 9 spots here.  Again, for me, Vickerson is the odd man out.  If I was basing it solely on what I’ve seen this camp, Marks, Haye, and Ford would be more likely to go.  But, decisions aren’t based solely on what happens in camp.  Marks was a 2nd round pick, Haye got a big free agent contract, and Ford’s been hurt.  Plus, with 7 guys, you’d like positional flexibility.  Ball and Hayes are ends who have the ability to play inside, so it makes more sense to keep 4 DTs and 5 DEs.  If they decide to keep Vickerson, then I have to think Kearse is the guy to go.
LB: Stamer was my last cut.  Andrew has him as being behind McRath on the camp depth chart, which may simply reflect that the rook is in the long-term plans and Stamer doesn’t need the reps as much for his role.  No, Fowler is not getting cut, especially with Tulloch a little banged up.
CB: Mouton’s injury makes me more confident they’ll be carrying 6.  Until he’s back, you can’t count on him, and they like having bodies out there.  That bodes well for Faggins (who I still think is terrible) and McCourty (who needs to play better than I thought he did against DAL if he wants to be guaranteed a spot).
S: Tuff Harris may yet squeeze his way onto the team, especially if Jones flops as punt returner the last two preseason games.  Carrying 6 CBs hurts their chances of carrying 5 safeties.
K/P/LS: Unchanged.  I’d put Trapasso’s chance of making the team at about 1% barring a Hentrich injury between now and Sept. 5.

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