Veteran Quandre Diggs feels at home in the Titans’ rebuilt secondary

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Safety Quandre Diggs said he knew for a while that the Tennessee Titans would probably be the next stop of his NFL career.

Diggs announced on social media Monday that he had agreed to a deal with the Titans, and the club made the announcement Tuesday.

But luring Diggs to the Titans had been on going for weeks with conversations with general manager Ran Carthon and the chance to play for new Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson helped to make Tennessee a destination for him.

“It’s been a couple months’ process, dialogue every week with Ran, Dennard, my agent, myself. It’s been a process, but it was definitely the best place for me,” Diggs said.

“Just the fact of knowing the caliber of coach that Coach Dennard is. You see it around the league. I’ve got friends around the league that he has coached that spoke highly of him. He really wanted me here, and I wanted to be here also.”

Diggs did individual work in his first day on the practice field, but was held out of competitive drills as the Titans went through a full padded practice on Wednesday.

The three-time Pro Bowl selection is expected to slot in alongside Amani Hooker, one of the few holdovers in an overhauled Tennessee secondary that also now features his former Seattle teammate and longtime friend Jamal Adams, plus veteran cornerbacks L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie.

Diggs acknowledged that Adams being in Tennessee was a selling point as well.

“It helped. That’s one of my best friends. We’ve been knowing each other for so long. I think Jamal was 16 or 17 when we first met. It played a good part (in my choice), but he also gave me my own space and let me make my own decision,” Diggs said.

Coach Brian Callahan said Diggs, who has 24 career interceptions, adds some versatility to the secondary.

“He’s really instinctual. He can find the ball. He can still cover in the post and can come down and tackle. He has an aggressive mindset. A lot of what he does as a safety is multiple,” Callahan said.

Charles retirement

Callahan admitted it was surprising that Saahdiq Charles, who had the inside track to the starting right guard position, abruptly retired on Tuesday.

Charles, who had been signed in the offseason from the Washington Commanders, had worked mostly with the first team throughout the offseason and the early portion of training camp. He was listed first on the Titans initial preseason depth chart.

“This is just one of those things where he felt like football wasn’t for him anymore,” Callahan said Wednesday.

“Anytime anybody decides they don’t want to play football anymore in the middle of training camp, it’s a little bit surprising. This is a decision he made and a decision that he felt was best for him. That’s about all I can tell you.”

Dillon Radunz, a second-round pick of the Titans in 2021, is next in line to take the right guard spot. Veteran Daniel Brunskill, who started 14 games at right guard last season, is also an option. Andrew Rupcich rotated in during Wednesday’s practice with Radunz on the first unit.

“Obviously, this is an opportunity to start, and that’s what I’ve been fighting for in this camp,” Radunz said. “I’m just trying to take this opportunity and learn as much as I can and run with it and grow into this spot.”

NOTES: Linebacker Garret Wallow tore a pectoral muscle in Sunday’s practice and will be placed on injured reserve. He will miss the entire season. Wallow was in the running for a backup inside linebacker spot and role on special teams. … Cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie (calf), L’Jarius Sneed (rest) and Anthony Kendall and receivers DeAndre Hopkins (knee) and Tre’Shaun Harrison (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday. Cornerback Caleb Farley went inside with a trainer before team drills commenced. Farley had missed practice on Sunday because of hamstring tightness.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl