Lost between the free agent addition of Jevon Kearse and the draft choices of Jason Jones and William Hayes, the Titans have had good in-house developments on the defensive line.
Two draft picks from 2007 who were lost early on to season-ending injuries are on track to return and make their play for defensive roles.
Tackle Antonio Johnson (knee) is ahead of end Jacob Ford (Achilles). Johnson was set to line up in Albert Haynesworth's spot in recent OTA workouts. Haynesworth, designated the Titans' franchise player, is seeking a long-term deal and won't be around until that's resolved.
In the meantime, a team that lost ends Antwan Odom and Travis LaBoy and tackle Randy Starks in free agency feels like it has a lot of options.
Johnson said his rehab is over and he got cleared several weeks ago.
"I've been with the regular (offseason conditioning) program for about three or four weeks now and everything is going fine," he said. "For OTAs I'm cleared to do everything and I will be doing everything. I'll be running with the first group, that's what my coach told me, and we'll see how that works out. ... It's very exciting."
He is down from 335 pounds to around 320 without losing power and trainers gave defensive line coach Jim Washburn great reports about Johnson's rehab work ethic.
"You don't want to get too high on anybody, but it's exciting to watch Mookie," Washburn said, using Johnson's nickname. "He's a big, powerful man. He's like Robaire Smith when he was new. Remember how it wasn't really anything to do with the weight room? He was just strong."
Washburn said Johnson also has a mental toughness that some of the Titans big linemen have lacked at this early stage. Still, translating the size and strength into game performance is the big challenge and will be the focus of Johnson's work from now to opening day.
"If you put him one-on-one hitting the sled, he's the best guy I've got," Washburn said. "If you put him one-on-one, he's pretty good. But then two-on-one, he's not quite as good. And put him in team and he gets a little bit lost. So losing that year didn't help him."
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I was just looking at our schedule for the upcoming year, and I have to say that I feel pretty good about it. We play almost all of our toughest games at home. I see us being somewhere between 10-6 and 12-4, depending on how we are with injuries and whatnot.
Week one- We've go the Jaguars to start out with again, this time in our house.
I was reading other post on the Titans message board and it got me thinking. What are our needs on D. Some say its DE others say it is DB. Like everyone says we need a big play wideout on O but what do we need on D. if anything.
please explain why you think we need this position
Ok, since the NFL talks are completely dead right now... i'll try to start some talks about the Titans. What is the worst thinkg you have done when the titans lost.
if any of you are as big as fans as i am... when the titans almost beat the Colts in the begining of t
I was thinking today, about the draft, and how we drafted Chris Johnson in the first round. I also thought to myself.. how is the running back situation going to work out this year? Will johnson be our starter at the begining of the season or will
I saw a report that Mike Williams has dropped his weight from 270 to 256 recently. I liked him a lot in & coming out of college. I still have hope that he can be a very good WR, but he is going to have to get his head out of butt and get with the program. He has all the tools to be great. If he can get it together, he will h
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