Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky
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One of Jacksonville's position battles appears to have been settled before the team's first preseason game.
Speaking to reporters in Florida Friday morning, coach Jack Del Rio said Khalif Barnes has done good work to hold off Richard Collier.
"I know that Khalif really did begin to separate himself from Richard and we're going to let the game play out tomorrow night, but if something dramatic doesn't occur, Khalif's going to be our starter," Del Rio said.
"He's played very, very well early in camp and really gone beyond Richard."
Another significant battle -- Clint Ingram versus Justin Durant for the outside linebacker slot opposite Daryl Smith -- is ongoing.
"Now with Clint and Justin, they're both battling right now and we're not ready to make a decision there," Del Rio said.
The quick resolution with Barnes seems to suggest the team was trying to get his attention by talking about the job as open for competition.
When I talked to Barnes early in camp he talked about needing to earn the team's trust.
From Del Rio's comments it sounds like Barnes did, while Collier didn't mount much of a challenge.
Del Rio also indicated his starters would play more this preseason than in previous years, though he wouldn't specify why. It could be related to the Jacksonville's flat showing in their opener last year, when the Titans ran the ball with surprising ease in what was rated as an upset.
Jacksonville opens against the Titans again this season, this time in Nashville on Sept. 7.
Kuharsky joined ESPN.com in 2008 after 12 years covering the Oilers/Titans and the NFL for The (Nashville) Tennessean. The New Jersey native and Columbia graduate lives in Nashville with his wife.
