Tennessee Titans draft pick creates competition for a job a veteran wants

Carthon reviewed the Titans' 2024 draft class in an interview with "Ramon, Kayla, and Will" on 104.5 The Zone earlier this week. According to Carthon, Gray is one of three candidates to wear the green dot along with Jack Gibbens and Amani Hooker, who has already reached out about it.

"It really depends on the person," said Carthon when asked if a rookie is capable of being the green dot on defense. "Cedric [Gray] definitely fits that. Three-year starter, two-year captain, so he has those leadership traits. He has that ability to do it. It's just a matter of how he comes in and how he connects with the defense. It's up to him."

But if things don't click for Gray, the Titans have some other viable options. And as we know, Carthon does not believe the green dot role is limited to an inside linebacker.

"I believe Jack Gibbens can do it as well and I believe we could also be creative. It's gonna be a hard time convincing Amani Hooker that he can't do it," said Carthon. "After one of the pressers I mentioned Eric Weddle - as a safety had been the green dot communicator in Baltimore and in his time with the Rams - and as soon as I got back to my desk, I had a text from Amani saying he wanted it and how can he go about getting it."

We say this every training camp, but competition is a good thing. Iron sharpens iron. Hooker, Gibbens, and Gray all trying to earn the green dot means you have three key defensive players working to be the most knowledgable teammate possible. 

This is one of the position battles that I'll be most interested in watching once training camp opens this fall. Cedric Gray is a really intriguing prospect that could play a big role as a rookie, and I'm interested in seeing how he fits with the defense on Day 1.