Latest news with #ElicAyomanor
Fox News
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Rookie QB Stock Watch: Giants' Jaxson Dart, Dolphins' Quinn Ewers Win Week 2
Our preseason NFL Rookie QB Stock Watch is back, now with even more rookies! We're looking at all the quarterbacks drafted in April and tracking how they're faring and trending each week, and this week we throw in an undrafted gem or five as well. One more weekend of preseason games and then NFL teams must cut their rosters from 90 players to 53, with a ton of late-round quarterbacks forcing difficult decisions for their teams. Stats: 2 for 7, 42 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT The skinny: His first pass was outstanding, a play-action rollout and throw for 35 yards to fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor, but from there, Ward went 1-for-6 for 7 yards and zero first downs on his three drives. He has no turnovers in five total drives this preseason, which is promising, and some of the Titans' early struggles Friday were drops and penalties. There will be real excitement Friday night as Ward plays at home for the first time in Tennessee's preseason finale against Minnesota. Trending: Sideways Stats: 14 for 16, 137 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT The skinny: Dart came in for Russell Wilson midway through the second quarter and was superb. Take the opening drive of the second half, where he had two third-down conversions, then a 20-yard touchdown to tight end Greg Dulcich in a tight window down the middle. He added a one-yard rushing touchdown and had the best night out of four Giants quarterbacks in a win over the Jets. When a rookie completes 88% of his passes under any circumstances, it speaks well to his knowledge of the offense. Trending: Up Stats: 9 for 12, 66 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT The skinny: Shough played the entire first half against the Jaguars and New Orleans mustered just 70 yards of total offense and a field goal, with 51 of Shough's passing yards coming on one drive. The Saints have him and Spencer Rattler competing for the starting job, but at some point it's better to have a clear-cut starter who can get a larger share of practice reps to prepare for a difficult season ahead. Getting drafted in the second round should give Shough the nod if it's a close call, but this wasn't as encouraging as his debut. He'll get another chance to win the job as Sean Payton and the Broncos come to New Orleans on Saturday. Trending: Sideways Stats: 3 for 5, 46 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT The skinny: He was underwhelming on a day when Seattle's offense looked sharp, but Milroe got an early cameo on a third-and-1 play on the opening drive, converting with a two-yard run that could be a sneak preview of situational usage in specialty packages. He was Seattle's third quarterback, coming in midway through the third quarter, and couldn't close out a drive with three plays inside the 5-yard line. Milroe rushed five times for 18 yards, but he looks initially like their No. 3 behind Sam Darnold and backup Drew Lock. Trending: Sideways Stats: 13 for 18, 143 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT The skinny: After missing the opener with injury, Gabriel got to start with Shedeur Sanders sidelined, but this was a mixed bag. He had one pass intercepted and returned 70 yards for a touchdown and also lost a fumble, but he also opened the game 4-for-4 on third-down conversions. Cleveland has yet to play Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett in the preseason, so the team's QB decisions are hard to read entering the preseason finale. Can the Browns trade one of their quarterbacks? Carry four on the 53-man roster? Trending: Sideways Stats: Did not play The skinny: After a promising debut, Sanders sustained an oblique injury in joint practices with the Eagles and did not play this weekend. The Browns are calling him day-to-day, so it's reasonable to think he can play in the preseason finale Saturday against the Rams, with much on the line between Cleveland's five quarterbacks battling for roster spots. Trending: Down Stats: 8 for 16, 47 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT The skinny: McCord accounted for Philadelphia's only offensive points with a touchdown pass to fellow rookie Ainias Smith in the second quarter, but finishing with fewer than three yards per attempt isn't a great day. He had an interception negated by an offsides penalty, but the good news was fellow backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson was even worse on a day when the Eagles finished with 88 yards of total offense against the Browns. Trending: Sideways Stats: Did not play The skinny: Howard missed a second game with a broken finger, and backup Skylar Thompson threw for 115 yards (and a pick), leaving uncertainty whether the Steelers will keep the rookie on their 53-man roster or try to sneak him through waivers to their practice squad. Trending: Down Stats: 7 for 12, 64 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT The skinny: Leonard played most of the second half, leading the Colts to two field goals, and he left the game with the lead with seven minutes left. Indianapolis let backup Jason Bean have the final drive, but that fell short when a catch at the 1-yard line was reversed to an incompletion. The battle for the Colts' starting job remains, but Leonard should be in good shape to be the No. 3. Trending: Up Stats: 2 for 2, 2 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT The skinny: Mertz got the last two drives in a win over the Panthers, with three of his eight plays being kneel-downs to end the game. He threw three interceptions in the preseason opener, and Houston played Kedon Slovis instead as the third quarterback, so Mertz could be on the outside looking in when cuts are made. Trending: Down Stats: 2 for 6, 25 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT The skinny: Miller started well, entering a tie game in the fourth quarter and converting a third down to set up a go-ahead field goal. But after the 49ers answered to tie the game, Miller went sack, sack, interception in the final minute, setting up a game-winning kick for San Francisco to escape with the win. As long as the Raiders carry three quarterbacks on the 53, he'll be fine. Trending: Down Stats: Did not play The skinny: He has yet to practice this preseason as he returns from a torn ACL. It's possible he just takes a medical redshirt year, if you will, while he rehabs the injury and focuses on competing for a backup job in 2026. Trending: Down Stats: 11 for 17, 116 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs The skinny: After a rough debut, Ewers played well, throwing a pair of second-half touchdowns to rookie Theo Wease and then leading a 15-play drive that ate up half the fourth quarter for a field goal and a win over the Lions. He won't challenge Zach Wilson for the No. 2 job but will be the No. 3 as long as Miami carries three QBs on the 53-man roster. Trending: Up Stats: 15 for 27, 156 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT The skinny: Brosmer has impressed this preseason, making a case to be Minnesota's No. 3 quarterback, and he played the entire second half against the Patriots. He guided the offense to three field goals, and had a chance for a game-tying touchdown, but his pass as time expired was intercepted in the end zone. Stats: 6 for 11, 74 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT The skinny: The former Missouri quarterback is battling with UFL star Adrian Martinez, but it's no given that the Jets will carry a third quarterback on their 53-man roster. Cook played well in a loss to the Giants with a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Stats: 14 for 18 for 106 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT The skinny: Bazelak got to play the entire second half and played well. After a late interception by Tampa Bay's defense, he converted on a third-and-9 to set up a game-winning field goal as time expired. Best-case scenario for him is a spot on the practice squad. Stats: 7 for 11, 109 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT The skinny: The undrafted rookie from Canada led Green Bay on three scoring drives, and while he won't unseat Malik Willis as Jordan Love's top backup, he could stick around as a third quarterback on the practice squad. Stats: 7 for 13, 55 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT The skinny: He came in with the lead in the second half and didn't do anything to jeopardize it, moving the chains on third down and avoiding turnovers. It could be enough to earn the former Fresno State and Louisiana passer a practice-squad job. Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He previously spent a decade covering the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
USA Today
07-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tennessee Titans training camp: 5 takeaways from joint practice with Buccaneers
#Titans and Bucs get into a fight during joint practiceFOOTBALL IS BACK!!! #TitanUp🎥 @StankBastard The Tennessee Titans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wrapped up an intense and productive joint practice on Thursday, two days ahead of their preseason opener on Saturday. Quarterback Cam Ward maintained his composure after a shaky start and bounced back to lead the offense to some success against a formidable Bucs defense. Not only was the unit solid in a two-minute scenario, but they also recorded their best red zone period of camp. The defense also appeared to enjoy the competition against another opponent and brought intensity and physicality to the session. While each unit got in some shots, it made for a productive and positive day for the Titans. Now that the dust has settled, here are some takeaways from the joint practice. Tensions ran high While there were no full-blown camp fights during the session, there were a few skirmishes that led to some pushing and shoving. The first involved Jeffery Simmons and Cody Mauch, and that was followed by Graham Barton and Cody Barton exchanging blows. The craziest, though, was Jarvi/s Brownlee chirping at the fans that were in attendance. The feisty young cornerback made his presence known and appeared ready to take on the entire set of bleachers. Holding their own There has been optimism surrounding the Titans throughout training camp, and a sense of hope for the future with rookie quarterback Cam Ward under center. While today's practice meant little in the grand scheme of the NFL, it was a solid step forward for the franchise. 3-14 Titans with a rookie QB having a pretty even practice with a playoff team? Ya I'll take that 10/10 times. By all accounts, the Titans traveled to Tampa and held their own against the Bucs in that session. That's a positive sign for a young Titans offense and rebuilt defense going against a team with playoff pedigree. That's especially big for the offense, which found success against one of the top defenses in the NFL. Young receivers step up Early in practice, the Titans' wideouts worked some 1-on-1 drills against the Bucs' defensive backs, and although the ball still hit the ground too often, there were some positives that should be highlighted. #Titans Rookie Elic Ayomanor with a FILTHY route today against #Buccaneers As one would expect in a drill slanted toward the receivers, Calvin Ridley made some splash plays, but the real story was the young receivers. Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike, and Xavier Restrepo all had multiple winning reps, showing solid route concepts and gaining separation. From there, the young group carried that over to team drills, where they all made plays. Success in the red zone After struggling early in training camp with red-zone work, Cam Ward came alive against one of the best defenses in the league. Ward threw back-to-back touchdowns to Bryce Oliver and Chimere Dike to kick off the period, and the offense looked the best it has so far in training camp. After a couple of weeks of red zone struggles, #Titans starting to look rhythmic. Ward just threw back to back TDs on in-breakers to Oliver and Dike, fitting the Dike pass into a tight window on the back line for a toe-tapper. While there is still work to be done, this success should help build confidence for this young offense. Injuries The biggest news was that there were no new injuries announced after the intense practice, which is significant news at this stage of training camp. The Titans did practice without T'Vondre Sweat, Blake Hance, Cedric Watkins, and Kevin Winston Jr., but none of those injuries appear to be long-term ailments. Newly signed safety Quandre Diggs was in attendance, but is still working his way into game shape. Expect him to make a larger impact next week in Atlanta.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Titans 53-Man Roster 2025: Exciting WR youth movement, how much should you expect from rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike
Titans 53-Man Roster 2025: Exciting WR youth movement, how much should you expect from rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike originally appeared on A to Z Sports. Rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike are the future for the Tennessee Titans at receiver. But how quickly can the get up to speed? Advertisement This is the fourth and final WR installment of an ongoing article series, breaking down the Titans projected 53-man roster one position at a time. Here's what we've covered so far, in case you've missed it: To wrap up this deep dive on Cam Ward's receivers, lets look at the two rookies that will make or break the strength of the WR room: Wide Receivers Calvin Ridley Van Jefferson Elic Ayomanor Chimere Dike Tyler Lockett Bryce Oliver Xavier Restrepo Cut: James Proche, Colton Dowell, Treylon Burks, Jha'Quan Jackson, Mason Kinsey, TJ Sheffield Rookie Roles When the Titans entered Day 3 of the draft in April, they hadn't taken a pass catcher yet. That was, reasonably, very concerning for fans! I remember tweeting that night about how the Titans WR depth chart had Calvin Ridley, Hopes, and Prayers as the projected starters. Advertisement Then early on Day 3, the Titans drafted the players they hope push Hopes and Prayers down the depth chart. Their names were Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor. This pair of 4th Round picks presented some tepid excitement for fans, but now just a couple months and a handful of public practices later, the excitement is much louder. Everything about these two guys has been green flags so far. They seem to be fantastic young men off the field, and their coaches and teammates can't say enough nice things about them. Based on the conversations I've had, they're both really far ahead in their study and understanding of the offense so far. One of the biggest unseen hurdles for rookie receivers is getting comfortable with the speed of an NFL offense mentally. It's like learning a new language: once you start thinking in that language, you're truly up to speed. And it's not uncommon at all for young guys to take some time to grasp their role in that way. Although it's early, it sounds like both Dike and Ayomanor are ahead of schedule on that front. And that's very important if both of them are going to be an early impact in this offense. But how will they be used? With Ayomanor, I don't see how they don't play him at X. For my money, he's the only true X receiver on this team in terms of body type and skillset. That's a big part of why I liked him so much in the draft and was elated that the Titans took him. Finding guys who can consistently win on the boundary in the NFL is hard, and that's why that skillset is so coveted. I actually think he's likely to be a Week 1 starter at the position, and if it's not quite Week 1, it'll be month 1. I'd be disappointed if that's not the case at this point. And with Dike, I don't think his involvement in the offense will be very far behind Ayomanor. If you told me he's actually more involved a bit earlier than Ayomanor, I wouldn't be surprised at all. They really feel neck-and-neck, and it will likely just come down to positional deployment. The thing about Dike is how much I expect his role in the NFL to change from how he was used in college. At Florida, his usage was pretty disgusting. I'm not sure anybody was forced to run a further distance in 2024 than Dike was, who apparently was required to run no less than 40 yards every time he was in the route. He was on that Cardio King diet, running deep crossers until the cows come home. Advertisement That's not how the Titans are going to use him at the next level. I actually think they'd like him to develop into a starting role as a big slot option, utilizing his speed and acceleration up the middle of the field. He'll play on the outside as well and has three-position versatility in that way, but I think we'll see a lot more of him aligned inside and running a more diverse route tree than he did at Florida. Realistic Rookie Rises Here's the cognitive dissonance of this situation: Yes, these players are exciting so far and have every opportunity to become starters in 2025. But they are still Day 3 picks, and those guys just don't hit at a very high rate statistically! In fact, Since 2015, only 11% of Day 3 WRs have reached 500+ yards their rookie year. So are we getting entirely too far over our ski's with the expectations for these two young players? The answer is... maybe. Advertisement Because they're 4th round picks, it shouldn't be surprising to anybody if either (or God forbid, both) of them just don't pan out in the NFL. It also shouldn't come as a surprise if either or both of them hit a ceiling as a role player. Finding NFL starters is hard! But as long as we keep the statistical reality in mind, I don't think it's unreasonable to be really excited about these specific players given the circumstances. Most "Day 3 picks" aren't 4th Round picks. Obviously, that increases their odds of panning out. They both also have a good reason to think they were undervalued by their draft slots. With Dike, it's what the Titans believe was his gross misuse in college. And with Ayomanor, most draft analysts projected him as a Day 2 pick for a reason: that's what his tape showed! The understanding I have is that a small medical hiccup is what pushed him down team's boards. And finally, perhaps most importantly, they're in a WR room with much more opportunity than the vast majority of Day 3 receivers. Besides Calvin Ridley, this puppy is wide open. They're going to get many more chances to go out there and get baptized by fire than most rookies. So let's see what they do with it. Related: Titans 53-Man Roster 2025: Why a career year for Calvin Ridley should be the expectation with the Cam Ward connection in Year 2 Related: Dolphins trade rumors could open the door for two Titans to be on the trade block following blockbuster Jalen Ramsey trade View the original article to see embedded media. This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watch: Titans' Cam Ward builds chemistry with young receivers
In less than a month, fans will begin to rejoice as training camps for all 32 NFL teams will kick off in cities across the nation. This will mark the final stage before the start of the 2025 NFL season and finally give some clarity on the burning unanswered questions that remain. The Tennessee Titans will be reporting to camp in Nashville on July 22, and the excitement in the air is building. However, just because the players are in their off-time before camp does not mean they are not still putting in the necessary work to improve their craft. One of those players is rookie quarterback Cam Ward, who is still working to build chemistry with his receivers and improve his mechanics. In the video from 305 Sports, you can see Ward working on different aspects of his game while training with the team at Select QB in Miami in this session. Advertisement Some of his current and former teammates made the trip to Miami to take part in these sessions. While no official list was released after the session, social media reports indicate that tight end Chig Okonkwo and rookie wide receivers Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike, and Xavier Restrepo were in attendance. Gaining these extra offseason reps is vital for these young players, who appear poised to take on significant roles with the Titans in 2025. It will be interesting to see how this translates to the field once the players report to camp in three weeks. This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Watch: Titans' Cam Ward builds chemistry with young receivers
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Surprise Titans WR Projected to Start in Week 1
Surprise Titans WR Projected to Start in Week 1 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Tennessee Titans made several changes on the offensive side of the ball this offseason under new general manager Mike Borgonzi. Advertisement Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, was the biggest upgrade, but he also carries the most hype and expectations. Borgonzi also made an effort to bolster the team's pass-catching unit in free agency by adding veterans Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson before the draft. The team selected wideouts Chimere Dike from Florida and Elic Ayomanor from Stanford in the fourth round as well. Former Miami Hurricane and one of Ward's favorite college targets, Xavier Restrepo, was also signed as an undrafted free agent. Calvin Ridley is seemingly the lone holdover at wide receiver from last year's roster. Tennessee Titans WR Elic Ayomanor (5).Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images With the season now just under three months away, AtoZ Sports' Easton Freeze made predictions about when each of the Titans' rookies would make their first professional starts. At wide receiver, he made a bit of a surprise choice. Advertisement "I'm calling my shot," Freeze wrote. "I think 4th Round rookie Elic Ayomanor will be out there on the Titans opening offensive play from scrimmage in Week 1." While Ayomanor may seem like an interesting choice, considering he was selected in the fourth round, Freeze came ready with details about his strong performance throughout the team's offseason program. "He's been my guy since the draft process, and I believe in his ability to both physically and mentally get up to speed in the NFL in a hurry," Freeze continued. "He's the only true X receiver on this roster for my money, and that's where I think he's lined up to begin the year. I was really encouraged by what we've seen from him in practice so far, and look forward to his continued progress in Training Camp." During his last two college seasons at Stanford, Ayomanor caught 125 passes for 1,844 yards and 12 touchdowns. At 6-foot-2 and 206 pounds, the rookie wideout has an NFL-ready frame and could be ready to contribute right away. Advertisement Tennessee begins the season on the road against a difficult opponent, the Denver Broncos. Denver won 10 games last season and made the playoffs in a loaded AFC, so the Titans will be challenged right off the bat. Related: Titans Reporter Explains Why Team Released All-Pro Player Related: Titans Reportedly Unworried About $76 Million Star's Injury Concerns This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
