NASHVILLE — Quandre Diggs said he knew for a while that Music City would probably be the next stop of his NFL career.
The 31-year-old safety took to social media on Monday to announce he had agreed to a deal with the Tennessee Titans, and the team made it official Tuesday. The process of luring Diggs to Nashville had been brewing for weeks via ongoing talks with general manager Ran Carthon, the chance to play for Dennard Wilson helped clinch the deal.
Wilson is a first-time defensive coordinator, joining the Titans as part of first-year head coach Brian Callahan’s staff, but he has worked in the NFL for more than a decade and coached defensive backs for the Batimore Ravens last season.
“I’ve got friends around the league that he has coached that spoke highly of him,” Diggs said Wednesday. “He really wanted me here, and I wanted to be here also.”
Diggs took part in individual drills Wednesday during his first practice for Tennessee. The 5-foot-9, 198-pounder was held out of other drills in a padded practice.
The three-time Pro Bowl selection will work with fellow safety Amani Hooker, one of the few holdovers in an overhauled secondary that also now features Diggs’ former Seattle Seahawks teammate and longtime friend Jamal Adams at the same position, along with veteran cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and L’Jarius Sneed.
Diggs acknowledged Adams being in Tennessee was another selling point.
“I think Jamal was 16 or 17 when we first met,” Diggs said. “It played a good part, but he also gave me my own space and let me make my own decision.”
Callahan said Diggs, with 24 career interceptions, adds versatility to the secondary. A sixth-round pick in the 2015 draft, Diggs played his first four full NFL seasons for the Detroit Lions before being traded in October 2019 to Seattle, where he earned all three of his Pro Bowl selections (2020-22).
“He’s really instinctual. He can find the ball,” Callahan said. “He can still cover in the post and can come down and tackle. He has an aggressive mindset.”
AP photo by Mark Zaleski / Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Dillon Radunz walks off the field after Wednesday’s training camp practice in Nashville.Charles gone
Callahan, the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals the past five seasons, is preparing to take another notable step as a head coach in Saturday’s preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
He called it surprising that Saahdiq Charles, listed as the starting right guard for that home game, abruptly retired Tuesday.
Charles, 25, signed this offseason after playing his first four pro seasons for Washington.
“He felt like football wasn’t for him anymore. Anytime anybody decides they don’t want to play football anymore in the middle of training camp, it’s a little bit surprising,” Callahan said. “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, the Titans’ second-round pick in 2021, is next in line at right guard. Another option is Daniel Brunskill, a veteran player who started 14 games at that spot last season, while Andrew Rupcich rotated with Radunz on the first unit during Wednesday’s work.
On the other side of the ball, cornerback Caleb Farley, who missed practice Sunday because of hamstring tightness, went inside with a trainer before team drills commenced Wednesday.
Also, the Titans said that Garret Wallow, who was competing for a roster spot at linebacker, tore a pectoral muscle Sunday and will be placed on injured reserve, missing the season.
AP photo by Marta Lavandier / Miami Dolphins cornerback Siran Neal, right, covers Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Rondale Moore during a joint practice Tuesday in Miami Gardens, Fla.Falcons WR hurt
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Rondale Moore was carted off the field with a leg injury during the team’s joint practice with the Miami Dolphins on Wednesday.
Athletic trainers placed an air cast on Moore’s leg as both teams immediately rushed to be near the injured player. Atlanta players knelt while Moore received attention. The practice did not continue, and Moore was transported to a nearby facility for evaluation.
“Thoughts and prayers are with Rondale,” Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins said after practice. “Not really sure what’s going on, but hope it’s not serious.”
The 24-year-old Moore is in his first year with Atlanta after spending his first three NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and compiling 135 catches for 1,201 yards and three touchdowns. He has been listed as a backup in the first two weeks of training camp.
Atlanta and Miami completed two days of joint practices and will meet in the preseason opener for both teams Friday night at Hard Rock Stadium, the home of the Dolphins.