Tennessee Titans WR Robert Woods, CB Caleb Farley push each other in ACL recoveries

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Veteran wideout Robert Woods and second-year cornerback Caleb Farley are the Tennessee Titans’ model of iron sharpens iron.

Every sustained a torn left ACL final yr. Farley’s harm occurred Oct. 18, and Woods’ harm occurred Nov. 13, so their restoration timelines are comparable.

Woods and Farley began their offseason restoration course of collectively quickly after the Titans despatched a 2023 sixth-round choose to the Los Angeles Rams for Woods in March. Their presence on one another’s path again to the sphere has been a mutually helpful expertise.

“We’re each hungry,” Farley mentioned. “We obtained to push one another this offseason, working with one another. It’s type of been cool to have any individual to undergo the hearth with.”

Added Woods, “The timeline of our harm was type of across the identical level after I got here in and rehabbed. So we had been type of at all times doing the identical drills, after which even simply difficult one another within the weight room.”

Their work collectively did not cease there. Woods had his eye on a ramp that connects the primary and second degree of the parking storage at Saint Thomas Sports activities Park, the place the crew goes by means of coaching camp.

Todd Toriscelli, the Titans’ director of sports activities drugs, gave Woods the inexperienced mild to run the hill, presenting one other alternative to compete with Farley. They ran the hill as soon as per week, pushing one another and sharing suggestions on what helped or harm their knees within the course of.

At 30 years outdated, Woods enjoys the chance to compete with a younger teammate just like the 23-year-old Farley. Having Farley round helps preserve him younger.

“Caleb is a useful resource for me,” Woods mentioned. “He is younger, gifted, sturdy, quick, fast. That is any individual I can work with and feed off of him. With the ability to run hills, having any individual subsequent to me, with the ability to compete.”

Farley pointed to veteran steering when requested how Woods has helped him.

“Simply to have that man there serving to me by means of this offseason; speaking soccer has been one thing large for me,” Farley mentioned. “It is undoubtedly a luxurious. Robert Woods is a superb teammate. It has been a blessing for me to be round a man like him to look at and be taught from.”

A lot of the steering that Farley referred to has come because the two obtained again on the sphere for OTAs and minicamp. Each Farley and Woods had been restricted members then and practiced with a knee brace, however now they are going in opposition to one another in coaching camp with out them.

They are not but participating in one-on-one durations that pit receivers working full-speed routes in opposition to defensive backs, however they nonetheless discover methods to get higher by getting their very own one-on-one work.

Woods works on his releases off the road of scrimmage and on the prime of the route whereas Farley makes an attempt to match his actions.

“There’s some issues that we’re holding them out of,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel mentioned. “They have been in a position to, after we’re doing these drills, to go over there and discover methods to work for a couple of minutes with one another, which type of makes it good. They’re each going by means of the identical course of, and so they’re mirrored positions.”

Woods is thought for his crisp route working, so it is an awesome studying expertise for Farley. The 6-foot-3 Farley presents a height-and-speed mixture that rivals any cornerback Woods will face this season.

To date, they have been matched up a number of occasions throughout crew and 7-on-7 durations. Farley confirmed sticky protection on some routes, inflicting quarterback Ryan Tannehill to decide on different choices.

Nonetheless, Woods used his savvy veteran methods to get the most effective of Farley when he hauled in a deep move from Tannehill throughout a latest apply, regardless of Farley being in place to make a play on the ball.

The Titans are relying on Woods to make these sorts of performs on Sundays as he helps information a younger group of receivers of their quest to develop a potent passing assault with out A.J. Brown, who was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in April. They will even be counting on Farley to step right into a beginning position at cornerback and assist their move protection.