A rookie who arrived in Tennessee on the final day of the draft is making a real push to be part of the Titans’ opening-day offensive line.
Fernando Carmona, a fifth-round pick, opened at right guard in the team’s first preseason game last week and is set to get another look there this week. That’s notable for a club that brought in multiple veteran offensive linemen this offseason, but Carmona has clearly worked his way into the conversation for one of the five starting spots.
“He put his foot in the door, and he’s doing everything he can to throw his shoulder through,” head coach Robert Saleh said, via Teresa M. Walker of the Associated Press.
Carmona’s path to this point has been a steady transition. He started at right guard in the preseason after playing left tackle at San Jose State and Arkansas, then shifting inside to guard in his final year with the Razorbacks. This summer, he’s been leaning on the daily challenge of going against defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, and he said that matchup has been a big part of his growth.
“Being a rookie, there’s a lot of things I need to grow on, and he sees a lot of those flaws in me,” Carmona said. “And it’s just awesome having that veteran leader being able to tell you what he sees and how it can improve my game.”
The Titans are hoping Saleh’s arrival helps steer the franchise toward a better stretch of football than it has seen in recent years, and Carmona may end up being one of the players who helps shape that turnaround.
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