Rookie receivers helping Titans fill gap

There’s Brandon Jones lining up opposite of starter Drew Bennett or Courtney Roby and Roydell Williams pulling in passes. They’ve looked good enough that Bennett likes watching them work.

“This is probably the best group of receivers since I’ve been here that’s come in as free agents and drafted guys. They all run good routes, always keep it very polished. All catch the ball, and all are very fast. All have a pretty mental grasp on the game,” Bennett said.

“It’s interesting.”

Through two exhibitions for the Titans (1-1), the three drafted receivers lead in receptions. The Titans can only hope the production continues to boost a receiving corps that lost its best receiver in February when Derrick Mason, who had 96 catches in 2004, was cut for salary cap reasons.

Jones, Roby and Williams have played well enough to earn the confidence of Steve McNair as Tennessee rebuilds after a 5-11 season. The quarterback thinks they can only improve because of their athleticism and skill.

“They’re making big plays. They’ve got the speed to get downfield and the looseness to come underneath and make something happen. That’s what we need. They’re young, but they’ll grow up fast and see how important they are to this offense,” McNair said.

The three drafted receivers have gotten plenty of work because Tyrone Calico, expected to be the other starter opposite Bennett, has been working his way back from October surgery to repair his left anterior cruciate ligament.

Jones was the third of Oklahoma’s receivers drafted with the 96th pick overall, but he has worked opposite Bennett. The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Jones is tied with Roby for the team lead in preseason catches with six.

The 6-foot Roby was the first receiver drafted by Tennessee with the 68th pick overall. He left Indiana as the Hoosiers’ all-time leading receiver and was the fastest of the three drafted receivers in pre-draft workouts with a 4.34 second 40-yard dash.

Williams is a fraction slower, but the receiver from Tulane is 6 feet and managed to bench press 225 pounds 17 times in pre-draft workouts. He has the rookies’ lone touchdown in preseason with a 76-yarder.

But Roby promises there’s no animosity among the three.

“We push each other every day. Obviously, I’m still learning. We’re all still learning. We’re just three rookies trying to come in and help the organization,” he said. “It’s the learning curve. We’re doing a good job, though.”

Helping the rookies is new receivers coach Ray Sherman, lured to Tennessee from Green Bay by coach Jeff Fisher.

“I’m kind of pleased with their progress. We’ve thrown a lot at them, still have some mistakes being made, but that’s why we have preseason games,” Sherman said.

The Titans have kept the trio busy so far. They have gotten plenty of work early while veteran cornerbacks are still in the game as part of Fisher’s plan to challenge them against the best possible competition.

“It would probably be a little more difficult in other circumstances where you have three or four starters returning. We don’t. We just have Drew at this point. They’ve had to play, which is good. We feel like that has helped to push them along and help them develop,” Fisher said.

That’s certainly what the Titans need sooner rather than later.