Titans’ Kevin Byard, Kenny Vaccaro training with some of NFL’s best DBs

You can’t pass up working with talent like this.

Tennessee Titans safeties Kevin Byard and Kenny Vaccaro and CB Joshua Kalu traveled to Austin, Texas, to meet up with other players for what they’re calling “DB Week.” The group includes some of the league’s top defensive backs: Ravens safety Earl Thomas, Chargers safety Derwin James, Redskins safety Landon Collins, Colts safety Malik Hooker, Cardinals safeties Budda Baker and Deionte Thompson and Lions CB Quandre Diggs.

Vaccaro, Diggs and Thomas played for the University of Texas, right by where the defensive backs have been training all week. The group arrived on Monday and started working with performance coach Jeremy Hills — a former Texas running back who put the group through a series of grueling workouts in a sandpit, on the field and in the weight room. They also incorporated an intense Pilates workout for recovery.

DB Week is a great opportunity for elite players to come together and push each other and take their training to another level. Byard didn’t get to attend last year’s workouts because he had something bigger on his hands: He got married. But he was excited to meet with the group this year.

“The kind of work that we are doing down here, a lot of guys aren’t working like this … two-a-days every day,” Byard said. “Seeing how these guys have worked so hard to maintain an All-Pro level for so many years, that’s the main thing I got from this so far. I am working out with guys like Earl Thomas. We have so many great safeties here, some elite players. These guys are out here going to work. It’s the work ethic.”

College teammates Thomas and Vaccaro got together in Austin to train with other safeties before, but they decided to expand things this year to include other defensive backs. This year’s group even had a weight room session that included rookie defensive linemen Christian Wilkins (Miami Dolphins) and Charles Omenihu (Houston Texans).

The players will wrap up the week this Saturday with a “Bowl with the Pros” charity event.