#Titans President of Football Ops Chad Brinker and GM Mike Borgonzi comment on Will Levis having season-ending shoulder surgery:

– Levis has been transparent
– Knew surgery was a possibility
– After season, rest & rehab was recommendation of team staff and 2nd opinion doctors pic.twitter.com/Qiqn9J4xgO

— Lauren Walsh (@lauwalsh10) July 22, 2025

It was a quiet day on the training camp front with the Tennessee Titans having a closed walkthrough before returning to the field at Nissan Stadium for their first padded practice on Saturday. 

With the first three days of camp in the books, it’s a great time to look back at some of the biggest surprises from the opening week. 

Here are 7 stories that came as a surprise.

Will Levis to injured reserve

The story broke just before camp, and caught many off guard. Levis had participated in all of the offseason activities with the Titans and even attended Tight End University outside the organization, and his shoulder injury was never publicly mentioned as a lingering issue. While it appears that Levis has been transparent with the organization on the status of his shoulder, the timing of the decision to have surgery seems off. 

Lorenzo Carter retires

The Titans signed Carter as a free agent earlier in the offseason and were counting on him to add depth to the new-look edge room before his abrupt retirement the day before camp. The move caught both the coaching staff and front office by surprise, forcing them to tap into their Rolodex of available players early in camp and eventually sign Jihad Ward to add depth at the edge.  

#Titans weak pass rush group gets weaker as Lorenzo Carter decides to abruptly retire.

Carter would have played a role, particularly as a bigger-bodied early down EDGE.

Need Femi Oladejo to make an impact now more than ever. https://t.co/9yW3MjUPwU

— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) July 22, 2025L’Jarius Sneed on PUP

Even after declaring he was ready to go at his football camp, Sneed has not yet suited up during camp. This may not come as a complete surprise with Sneed battling injuries throughout most of his Titans’ career, but the truth behind this might be a little eye-opening. Sneed reportedly underwent an unannounced procedure to clean up his knee in May and is still in the rehabilitation process. While the organization believes he will hit the field soon, no timetable has been given, and fans’ patience is starting to wear thin.

#Titans Brian Callahan said it was in fact the knee clean up that kept L’Jarius Sneed out of OTAs and minicamp and it’s what has landed him on PUP.

— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) July 23, 2025Kevin Winston Jr. 

When the Titans selected Winston in the third round, it was widely applauded as exceptional value. Coming off a torn ACL, his stock had slipped a notch, which allowed Tennessee to pull the trigger. Now healthy and cleared for camp, Winston has already made an impact in his first days on the field after missing all of the offseason activities. It’s only been two days, but the young safety out of Penn State has caught the eye of observers, including Jim Wyatt, who posted about him on social media. 

Cody Barton

The Titans are relying on Barton to be an upgrade in the middle of their defense in 2025, and the unrestricted free agent addition has proven he is up for the task. The leader of the group inside the locker room and on the field, Barton has been all over the field and could help Tennessee solve a problem that plagued the defense throughout the 2024 season. Through two practices, he has been one of the best players on the field. 

Jarvis Brownlee Jr. 

After being thrust into the lineup as a rookie, Brownlee has come into camp looking the part of the Titans’ top cornerback with L’Jarius Sneed still on the shelf. The second-year pro has been sticky in coverage and has made plays in 7-on-7 action. With no timetable given on Sneed’s return, the Titans will need Brownlee to continue his high-level play. 

The release of Keondre Coburn

While Coburn wasn’t slated to play a major role on defense, many viewed him as a solid depth piece that had an inside track to a roster spot. Unfortunately, unless something significant changes, that won’t be happening in 2025. The Titans released Coburn on Wednesday and appear to be set to let some of the younger guys compete for the role behind T’Vondre Sweat at the nose, making this a position battle to keep an eye on throughout camp.

#Titans‘ Callahan: Got some young players we’d like to take a look at on D-line, hence the cut of Coburn … Ward versatile, can play standup on outside and rush from the interior as well.

— John Glennon (@glennonsports) July 24, 2025