Titans trying to shake out contenders for cornerback jobs
Lance Schulters?
He’s still around while the Tennessee Titans decide if they can afford to keep the veteran safety. Strong safety Tank Williams is recovering from a torn ACL, and top draft pick Adam “Pacman” Jones has missed the first week of minicamp with an undisclosed upper leg injury.
If the Titans thought their first three minicamp sessions would clear up the picture for their secondary, they were wrong.
Lamont Thompson, who replaced Schulters most of last season, said Thursday that the changes haven’t been a problem.
“We’ve got to focus and concentrate on the people that’s here and that’s going to be on the team. That’s where our attention is at right now. All the other stuff is kind of not in our control,” Thompson said.
Jones was drafted with the expectation that he would compete for one of the open cornerback slots, but he strained something during the rookie minicamp last month. Neither he nor the Titans will discuss what he hurt, but coach Jeff Fisher said they aren’t taking any chances with the sixth overall pick.
“We’re going to work him back into a level of conditioning to where he can go out there and compete. I don’t want to take any chances of him injuring something or pulling something to where he’s going to miss an extended period of time. So this is more of a precautionary thing,” Fisher said.
Jones might start easing his way onto the field Monday when the Titans return for three more workouts.
Andre Woolfolk, their top pick in 2003, and Tony Beckham, a fourth-round pick in 2002, worked with the first-team defense at the corners this week. Woolfolk has spent his first two seasons as Tennessee’s fifth defensive back but hasn’t finished a season because of injuries.
Fisher said the Titans are counting on Woolfolk to become a starting cornerback.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity. That’s why we drafted him, to come in, use his size and his speed and his long arms and take over that corner spot,” the coach said.
Beckham has started three games in his career, and is practicing at the other corner spot 13 months after tearing right ACL. Fisher said Beckham knows he’s in a competitive situation where every play is important for him.
The cornerback from Division III Wisconsin-Stout said he feels he learned well from watching Rolle and Dyson, and is up for the challenge.
“I’ve been showing I can play outside since I’ve been here. I just have to keep working and getting better,” Beckham said.
Schulters has the strangest situation. He missed most of last season with a Lisfranc injury to his left foot. He is healthy now, but his agent and the Titans have agreed he shouldn’t take part in the May workouts to protect him.
The seven-year veteran was paid a $250,000 bonus in March and is due $2.75 million in salary this season — a high price for a team still needing some cap space. His agent met with general manager Floyd Reese on Monday for a frank conversation about Schulters’ future with the Titans.
“Are we going to have that luxury? We just don’t know yet,” Reese said.