Four tight ends possible for Titans
Undrafted rookie Gregg Guenther is the team’s leading receiver with 11 catches for 100 yards even though the 6-foot-8 tight end wasn’t signed until three days before training camp started on July 29. He came into camp behind veteran Erron Kinney, Ben Troupe and drafted rookie Bo Scaife.
But Kinney bruised his chest in the 16-13 overtime loss to San Francisco on Friday night, and Troupe, who broke his left foot in May, has yet to practice with the Titans. That makes it tough on an offense that features regular use of two tight ends on the field.
Coach Jeff Fisher said Guenther did a nice job in returning from a mild concussion suffered Aug. 19 at Atlanta, and he thinks there is a potential to keep four tight ends.
“What you do when you get to 52, is you say is, `OK, is this guy better than the sixth receiver or the fourth running back and so on.’ He knows what to do, and he is making a lot of plays for us,” Fisher said.
Guenther has some familiarity with new offensive coordinator Norm Chow’s offense because he played football at Southern California before deciding to play only basketball last year as a senior.
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SHIELDING PACMAN:@ Adam “Pacman” Jones has been practicing with a dark shield on his helmet, but he wore a clear shield in Friday night’s 16-13 exhibition loss to San Francisco. That wasn’t a problem since the game was at night.
But the Titans have petitioned the NFL for permission for the cornerback to wear the dark shield in the regular season because all of their games are scheduled for early kickoffs.
“We still need league approval,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “Day time, he needs that. We have to wait until approval.”
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NO MOVES YET:@ The first roster cutdown deadline is Tuesday afternoon, but the Titans, who released three players before leaving for San Francisco, had not release anyone as of Sunday.
The first cut is to 65 players. The Titans have nine exemptions for NFL Europe, so they must trim 14 players. With the Titans among the first teams to pick players off the waiver wire, this week could be very busy for team officials.
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INJURY REPORT:@ Running back Chris Brown, who twisted an ankle in the game, did not practice. Coach Jeff Fisher said he is day-to-day.
Steve McNair did not practice.
Tight end Ben Troupe continued working out with a trainer. Fisher said Troupe will pick up his work with some cutting in his running, and the Titans remain hopeful Troupe might play in the season opener at Sept. 11.
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SHORT WEEK:@ The Titans didn’t return to Tennessee until early Saturday morning after their overtime loss at San Francisco. They practiced Sunday and must wrap up the preseason Thursday night with a visit from the Green Bay Packers.
Coach Jeff Fisher said the top point he made was the need for rest.
“They did that. It looked like they did it because they were good today. We had to work the soreness out. We are in the one-a-day practices now. It is going to be important. We have to come back and bounce back and play well and play long this week,” he said.