During his rookie season, Tennessee Titans cornerback Roger McCreary played more defensive snaps than any player in the NFL. Despite his ironman status, the former Auburn All-American wants to go into the 2023 campaign even better prepared physically for the rigors of an NFL season.

“You can’t get much faster than what you are now, really,” McCreary said on Wednesday, “so really I was just focusing more on my body – being more professional, being more healthy, and all that stuff because the season is long and I learned that guys are just going down, so I feel like that’s what I need to focus on, just being more healthy and just trying to focus more on my body.”

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How serious is McCreary about his preparation? A player whose scouting report said “likes cereal and bologna sandwiches and baked beans” made changes to his diet.

“I’ll admit diet, I still need to work on that,” McCreary said. “That’s something I still need to work on. I’m getting better. …

“I’ve been trying. I’ve been doing good. I haven’t had baked beans in a while.”

While at Auburn, McCreary ate a bowl of baked beans topped with sugar for his Friday night meal before games.

McCreary is hoping the changes lead to improved performance on the field.

Among the NFL’s cornerbacks in 2022, McCreary ranked fifth in total tackles and second in solo tackles. But only one defensive player was thrown at more by opposing quarterbacks, and he gave up six touchdowns in coverage last season as he spent much of 2022 as the nickel or slot corner for the Titans.

“I spent a lot on just watching over the last games – the bad plays, the good plays,” McCreary said. “First starting out with the bad plays. I pay attention mostly to that. Playing that slot, that was something different for me, so I feel like that was something I needed to focus on and look to see what I need to improve on the most, and I noticed what I needed to work on in the offseason. …

“I feel like I wasn’t at the top of my game at the nickel, so I feel like it would be great just to get back from Day 1 to how they want me to play the nickel, literally everything from off to press to knowing the plays to better reaction to knowing how the game speed goes and everything, so I felt it was just great seeing myself on tape.”

The Titans have started their offseason program after posting a 7-10 record in 2022. Seven consecutive losses to close the season ended a three-year playoff streak for Tennessee that included the AFC South title the previous two seasons.

McCreary is experiencing his first full NFL offseason.

“It’s been great just to have that little down time just to get your body back right after a long season, after the rookie season and everything,” the former Williamson High School star said. “It was all great, and coming back here, meeting the new people that have come on the team, new coaches and stuff, it’s just great, again, how we’ve started to find a foundation here, and I feel like the stuff we got going on now in the offseason is going to be great. …

“Last year, I did a lot. I feel like I did a lot. Now I feel like I know a lot. I feel like I know what’s coming at me now, so just coming out there, going over the plays, I just feel confident, I just feel comfortable that I know what I’m doing. I did it before.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.