I absolutely hate that I couldn’t get this post done before the Titans released their preliminary depth chart ahead of Saturday’s preseason game. I know this is going to look like I’m reacting to it, but I swear, this has been swimming around in my head for a couple of weeks now. Now, folks are wondering just what on Earth it means for Cedric Gray to be behind guys like Garrett Wallow and Chance Campbell on the depth chart. But, it really didn’t take the release of the depth chart to see that Gray isn’t exactly taking command of one of those linebacker spots.
Back in the spring, Zach asserted that the Titans should just slap that green dot on Gray’s helmet and run him out there with the 1s. If the vision is for him to eventually be the guy, just take the lumps now for the sake of him gaining experience. I agreed. That was largely because I wasn’t too thrilled about the Kenneth Murray signing and I hadn’t really dug into the Jack Gibbens tape. I thought Gray would supplant them both after he was drafted. But, things change and shit happens. Watching Dr. Gibby, I feel like he’s a reliable, safe option for where they’re at right now, and if they can work more turn-and-run range into him, then they’ve got a dude they can run with. It sounds like Murray is poised to prove a lot of us haters wrong this season, too. Utilizing his strengths in this defense to see-ball-get-ball is smart, but it’s the aspect of leadership that makes me think I’ll have to walk that take back. So, I’ve come around on the idea of Gray taking a back seat for now. It’s a luxury to be able to stash and develop a player like that.
But, no one at training camp seems to think he’s done anything particularly noteworthy, and that’s what’s a little concerning here. Read the tea leaves. There’s virtually nothing floating around Twitter. And, again, this isn’t arising from the release of the depth chart. People I’ve talked to have said he’s looked a little bit like a deer in headlights out there. I shouldn’t be so surprised reading back through my eval of Gray from the 2024 NFL Draft Guide on Stacking The Inbox. It essentially reads “traitsy, scrappy guy who has a lighter frame and hesitates sometimes in space.” To this point, AtoZ’s Sam Phalen is the only guy I’ve noticed that has given Gray some flowers, and that was just two days ago. So, what gives? I asked this question on Twitter and I think our guy Kenneth has a solid answer to it.
The problem I heard most with Cedric Gray coming out was that he didn’t have the NFL level strength yet to shed blockers. Wonder if that has to do with it at all, especially since Dennard Wilson likes to blitz his linebackers.
— Kenneth (@TexasSports1015) August 6, 2024
It has been made perfectly clear that Wilson wants physical feisty players on his defense. While Gray is absolutely a willing tackler, it could absolutely be true that this staff wants to get him bulked up a little more before they’re relying on him to play. Murray weighs 241 pounds. Gibbens weighs 242 pounds. Gray came out of North Carolina at 234. So, yeah…maybe there is an element of ‘strength and conditioning’ here. The best case scenario is that it just takes time. Man, not every draft pick is going to hit right off the bat. Not every draft pick is going to hit at all.
I don’t think it’s time to panic with Gray, especially because of a preseason depth chart. Think about it – we understood from the jump that James Williams was going to be a developmental prospect transitioning from safety to linebacker. If we had placed similar expectations on Gray, it wouldn’t be alarming. Maybe that’s my fault as a face in this media landscape – maybe I helped to set expectations that the Titans never really had themselves. My bad, guys. And, maybe Gray is a piece reserved for the future more so than today. Ultimately, there’s a reason they signed Gibbens to a new deal. He can be trusted to be where he’s supposed to be and he’s a thumper (I have a full film study on the guy up on Stacking The Inbox). He can get the Titans linebacking corps through to another offseason while guys like Gray and Williams develop. Ultimately, with Gray, you have to be patient with his level of athleticism. The book isn’t written on him yet.
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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