NFL FanHouse

Mike Williams No Longer Morbidly Obese: 'I'm Finally Doing What I Was Picked to Do'

Michael David Smith — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 08:15:00 EST

Filed under: Lions, Titans, Detroit, Nashville

Detroit Lions fans will be thrilled to know that Mike Williams, the team's 2005 first-round pick who ballooned up to 270 pounds and never contributed anything to the offense, is suddenly taking his job seriously.

Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean reports that Williams, now with the Titans, is so devoted to his job that he's down to 242 pounds and deflecting praise by saying he's just doing what was expected of him coming out of USC. When someone told Williams he was looking good, he replied:

"I was the No. 10 pick (in the draft),'' he said. "I'm supposed to look like that. It just so happens that I am finally doing what other teams picked me to do.''

Isn't that great, Lions fans? How come high-priced rookies so rarely look how they're supposed to look when they play in Detroit?

Mike Williams No Longer Morbidly Obese: 'I'm Finally Doing What I Was Picked to Do' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 08:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Titans Bring Back the Powder Blue

JJ Cooper — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 08:08:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, Nashville

The Tennessee Titans are returning to their roots.

After nine years wearing dark blue jerseys at home to go with a white road uniform, the Titans will switch to light blue this year, the Tennessean is reporting. It's the same color that the Titans wore when they arrived in Tennessee as the Tennessee Oilers back in 1997 (as Eddie George shows here), and it's the same colors that Earl Campbell made famous with the Love Ya' Blue Houston Oilers of the late 1970s.

Tennessee won't completely get rid of the dark blue, but they'll now be an alternate uniform that they'll wear for one game a year.

Like most uniform changes, this one is more about marketing than anything else--now the Vince Young or Keith Bulluck jersey you bought a couple of years ago is now clearly out of date--and the Titans hope you'll now go out to get a new powder blue jersey. But if they are going to make a change, going back to the light blue is a good call.

Titans Bring Back the Powder Blue originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 05 Jul 2008 08:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McCareins Looking Like a Starter

JJ Cooper — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:29:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, Nashville

The news coming out of today's Tennessean's see you in late-July preview is that Justin McCareins is likely going to have a starting job when the Titans open the season.

It's hard to say if that's good news or bad news. The good news version is that Tennessee has brought back a receiver who was a outstanding deep threat the last time he was in Tennessee. He's reunited with his former offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger. For a team that didn't go deep very often in 2007, McCareins could help solve the problem.

The bad news version is that McCareins will turn 30 this season, he has caught one touchdown and less than 700 yards in his past two seasons combined, and he was phased out of the Jets offense because he had serious problems with drops. As Jim Wyatt points out, the fact that McCareins was able to step in and immediately retake a starting job says as much about the team's problems at wide receiver as it does bout McCareins' talent.

Four years ago, the Titans tried to fix their wide receiver problems for the forseeable future, drafting Courtney Roby (second round), Brandon Jones (third round) and Roydell Williams (fourth round). Roby's no longer a Titan, while Williams and Jones have proven injury prone. Both are still trying to become starters. Since then, Tennessee has draftted four more wide receivers--none of them have caught a pass in the NFL.

There's still time for fourth-year pros Brandon Jones and Roydell Williams to escape the bust label, while Paul Williams, a 2007 third-rounder, and 2008 fourth-rounder Lavelle Hawkins are very young. But right now, 2007 undrafted free agent Biren Early is running as the No. 3 receiver ahead of all of them. That says something for Early, but it also says something bad about the Titans' recent drafting.

McCareins Looking Like a Starter originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will Young Air It Out More?

JJ Cooper — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:32:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, Nashville

One of the big themes of the 2008 Titans season will be how much Tennessee opens up the playbook in Vince Young's third season.

In his first two seasons, Young has been asked to not make mistakes, make some key third-down conversions and use his legs to move the chains. He only threw 27 passes a game as a rookie, and threw even less, 25 per game, as a second-year pro.

But Young now has 29 starts under his belt, and should be able to take on more responsibility. With that in mind, Young is saying that he hopes to go deep more often in 2008. The big question now is whether Jeff Fisher agrees. According to the Tennessean, new offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger is much more prone to throw the ball downfield than Norm Chow, the coordinator he replaced this offseason. The numbers that run with the story don't necessarily show that, but the general feeling seems to be that the Titans will aim for more big plays in '08.

If the Titans running game is as good as it should be, than there should be some opportunities to take chances deep, as teams will be forced to walk a safety up in running situations. But Heimerdinger knows that they biggest question that stands between long touchdowns and incomplete passes has little to do with Young's accuracy on the deep ball.

"A wide receiver who can separate. If a wide receiver can't beat one-on-one and separate then we have a problem," Heimerdinger said. "I just think you have to throw it over and over again where you have confidence of where it's going to be and where it should be. If you don't throw it over and over again and work on it then it's less than a 50-50 chance.''

That's the biggest question. No receiver on the Titans roster averaged more than 14 yards per catch last season. But Williams and Jones have the speed to get deep every now and then, while Justin Gage's size should enable him to win some jump balls. It's not a great receiver corps, but the Titans should be able to get deep more often than they did last year.

Will Young Air It Out More? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Titans' Jevon Kearse Arrested for DUI

Michael David Smith — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, NFL Police Blotter, Nashville

Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence, News Channel 5 in Nashville is reporting.

Police said Kearse was speeding and swerving in his car, and that the officer who pulled him over said Kearse had slurred speech, red eyes and the odor of alcohol. He claimed that all he had to drink was a vodka and Red Bull, but he refused a breath test.

Kearse re-signed in March with Tennessee, where he was the NFL's defensive rookie of the year in 1999, after playing the last five seasons with the Eagles. He has struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness in recent seasons and is expected to be a situational pass rusher this season.

Titans' Jevon Kearse Arrested for DUI originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fowler Denies Using Steroids

JJ Cooper — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:14:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, Nashville

Ryan Fowler has tried to clear up any of the questions that are dogging him. In his first public comments since news leaked out that he might face a suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs, Fowler explicitly denied that he's ever taken steroids.

"There is not that much interesting in an innocent man, so I think some people who don't know me may be more likely to jump to the conclusion that all of this is true," said Fowler. "So I hope those people can just sort of be patient and wait for the truth to come out and then once it does they can make any informed decision that they want to make."

But for a man who was working to clear his name, there was one problem with Fowler's press conference. When asked if he had ever dealt with David Jacobs--the man who told the NFL he supplied Fowler with performance-enhancing drugs--Fowler said he couldn't comment. If Fowler had never dealt with Jacobs before, there would be no logical reason to say no comment, so until Fowler says otherwise, it's going to seem like he had dealings with Jacobs at some point.

Fowler said he hasn't heard from the NFL and no hearing has been scheduled. As we mentioned before, with Jacobs now dead the NFL and Fowler have a difficult case on their hands.

Fowler Denies Using Steroids originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Haynesworth's Agent: Let's Not Do This Again

JJ Cooper — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:33:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, Nashville

Last year Albert Haynesworth came into training camp in the best shape of his career. He stayed focused all season and kept his weight in check. Not coincidentally, Haynesworth was a dominant force in the middle of the Titans defensive line and earned all-Pro honors for the first time in his six-year career.

After five years marked more by disappointment than domination, Haynesworth finally lived up to the Titans expectations when they drafted him in the first round in 2002. But it appears, with some reason, that Tennessee is worried that Haynesworth will return to his pre-2007 form if he gets a big money long-term deal. So they haven't been offering him the big money payday he wants.

The Titans have some leverage here. By franchising Haynesworth they're obligated to pay him $7.25 million this year, but that's not really a problem--a motivated Haynesworth is well worth the money. And at the end of the 2008 season, the Titans could simply slap the franchise tag on Haynesworth again.

Which explains why Haynesworth's agent's focus has changed from getting a long-term deal to keeping the Titans from slapping the franchise tag on Haynesworth next year. Now the Titans have to decide whether to gamble. If they don't agree to Haynesworth's offer of signing the franchise tag in exchange for not slapping him with the tag next year, Haynesworth can become a disruptive force for 2008--he wouldn't have to report to training camp at all, which isn't good for a guy with a tendency to add weight.

But agreeing to the deal would make it likely that Haynesworth heads elsewhere in 2009. It's worth noting that of the previous players to have worked out those kind of agreements, Nate Clements and Asante Samuel headed elsewhere the next season, the Bears lucked out to bring Lance Briggs back and Shaun Alexander finally got a long-term deal that ended up being a disaster for Seattle.

Up to now the Titans have played this one right, but they don't really have many good options left right now. But then, neither does Haynesworth.

Haynesworth's Agent: Let's Not Do This Again originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Titans Swear by Kettlebell Workouts

Michael David Smith — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 11:45:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, Nashville, Strongman

Paul Kuharsky of the Tennessean has an interesting piece today about the Titans' use of kettlebells as part of their workout routine. For those who don't know what a kettlebell is, here's a look:

Cornerback Cortland Finnegan says of the workouts:

"I don't enjoy it," cornerback Cortland Finnegan said. "I can run all day, 40s, 100s, 180s, and not sweat as much as I do in here and be in as much pain. This kettlebell workout, Jay has taken this thing to the next level.

"This ain't for me. I can't really speak on the kettlebell; you'll have to find someone more profound on the kettlebell industry. This right here is just torture, I can't even talk on it."

The Titans' use of kettlebells was spearheaded by assistant strength and conditioning coach Jason Novak, who says few workout routines match the kettlebell for building strength and providing cardiovascular benefits. Says Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, "In football it's so much about being tough and not giving up and that's what the kettlebell workout is all about."

Titans Swear by Kettlebell Workouts originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 15 Jun 2008 11:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Titans' Brandon Jones Gets Caught With a Gun In an Airport

JJ Cooper — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:47:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, Nashville

Another Titan is in trouble, but unlike Pacman Jones, Brandon Jones likely won't have to worry about any long-term ramifications from his misdemeanor charge of carrying a gun through airport security.

It appears that this was just an innocent mistake by the third year wide receiver. He said in a statement his agent released that he forgot that the bag he threw his clothes in before heading to the airport had been last used when he went to a range to do some target shooting.

It's a dumb mistake, but one that apparently happens pretty often. Score one for the TSA agents in Nashville for spotting the gun in the x-ray machine.

While it does carry a misdemeanor charge, the situation wasn't serious enough to keep Jones from making his flight, which probably means that while he'll have to pay a fine, he won't be facing any sanctions from the league.

Titans' Brandon Jones Gets Caught With a Gun In an Airport originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dead Man's Words May Sink Fowler

JJ Cooper — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:49:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, Nashville

How do you defend yourself against the words of a dead man?

That's the conundrum Titans linebacker Ryan Fowler is facing. Apparently David Jacobs named Fowler as one of the NFL players who Jacobs named as a recipient of steroids, which is enough evidence to likely nail Fowler with four-game suspension.

But since then, Jacobs and his girlfriend have been found dead in his house. The police have ruled Jacobs' death a suicide--although the fact that he was shot twice, once in the chest and once in the head, would seem to ensure that there needs to be a thorough investigation.

Any death is a tragedy, but for Fowler, Jacobs' death also means that it will be very hard to defend himself against the charges. If the NFL takes Jacobs at his word and considers that sufficient evidence to suspend Fowler, there's not really much of a chance for Fowler to clear his name after all how do you prove that you didn't do something.
His attorney, Peter Ginsburg, is strongly trying to make the case that without further evidence, the NFL doesn't have enough to suspend Fowler. But it's not clear whether the NFL is buying what Ginsburg is selling.

"Ryan has never tested positive for banned substances," Ginsburg said. "There seems to be an admitted felon who spread some unsubstantiated rumor about Ryan and now the NFL is trying to use that to punish and compromise Ryan's professional career. It's disturbing, it's disappointing and it's in violation of Ryan's rights."

If you want to parse words, Ginsburg didn't say that Fowler didn't use steroids, just that he never tested positive for them. That doesn't mean that Fowler did use steroids, but it may mean that Ginsburg is playing it safe, just in case further information comes forward.

If Fowler is suspended, Tennessee is reasonably well equipped to survive a four-game suspension. He missed the final couple of games of the season last year with a shoulder injury, and the Titans survived that, and his backup Stephen Tulluck has some starting experience.

Dead Man's Words May Sink Fowler originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Titans Could Bring Back Henry

JJ Cooper — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:43:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, Nashville

It may seem crazy, but could Travis Henry come back to Nashville?

It's crazy because the Titans are a team that already has three recent early draft picks on the roster. In Lendale White (2006 second round), Chris Henry (2007 second round) and Chris Johnson (2008 first round), Tennessee would seem to have plenty of guys for Vince Young to handoff to.

But the reality of it is that Henry would likely be better than any of them. And because of his troubles (lots of child support bills, and two strikes in the NFL's drug testing program) he might come a lot cheaper than a back who is just a season away from a 1,200-yard effort should cost. And the Titans have the advantage of already knowing all about Henry's makeup--remember that they wanted him to stay last year, they just didn't want to pay a big offseason bonus. Now just a year later, they could have him back for a lot less money.

By signing Henry to a low-cost, incentive heavy deal, Tennessee could pick up a likely starter, but with plenty of backup plans in place in case he slips up and fails a drug test--which would lead to a year-long suspension. In the Titans case, that would just mean putting White back in the starting lineup--right where he was last year. No harm done, and the team would wipe its hands with Henry.

It does seem insane that Tennessee would do even more to bulk up the running game while leaving the passing game basically neglected, but there aren't any wide receivers out there in free agency that could significantly help the team, so it's a case of improving a strength when there aren't any good options to help fix a weakness.

Titans Could Bring Back Henry originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Young Now Says He Never Wanted to Quit

JJ Cooper — Fri, 30 May 2008 07:39:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, Nashville

On second thought, Vince Young says that he never really thought about retiring.

In an interview with the Tennessean on Thursday, one week after Young told an NFL.com reporter that he thought about hanging it up after his rookie season, Young said that while the pressures of being a quarterback are pretty intense, he never really planned to quit.

"I was never going to quit football,'' Young said. "Football, that is my pride and joy, it is my dream. I am playing my dream. And I don't plan on giving that up any time soon.''

But at the same time, Young didn't say that he was misquoted in last week's story, when he said that he thought long and hard about retiring. Now he's saying that everything had been "blown out of proportion." It seems that the pressure and constant attention that came with being the Titans' star made for a tough adjustment.

"When you retire, a lot of stuff goes away, people calling you and asking you for things. Some people say things about you that you don't like, and a lot of that stuff was killing me inside,'' Young said. "I am trying to be a role model and be a good citizen and have fun with my friends. Things were so fuzzy (that) I could hardly see through it all.''

If the attention of being an NFL quarterback and all the media attention in Nashville was almost too much for Young, consider how fortunate he is to not have been drafted by the Eagles, Jets or Giants. In Nashville there is one main paper, an alternative weekly, a couple of TV stations and a few radio stations covering the team. In New York, Young's life would be scrutinized from many more angles.

But it seems that Young has developed some coping mechanisms. He went on a trip to Europe with teammate Keith Bulluck, and he's now focused on winning three or four Super Bowls, then retiring.

Now if the team could just get him a couple of wide receivers to help reduce his stress level a little more.

Young Now Says He Never Wanted to Quit originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 30 May 2008 07:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vince Young Party Pix Apology: 'Not Going to Stop Me From Having Fun'

Stephanie Stradley — Fri, 23 May 2008 00:25:00 EST

Filed under: Texans, AFC South, NFL Gossip, Nashville

Today, Titans quarterback Vince Young apologized to children who may have seen shirtless pictures of him in a bar, including one where he appears to drink liquor straight from the bottle. Even so, he doesn't believe he did anything wrong:

"I apologize to some of the kids if they did see it because I am trying to be a role model for them. But at the same time, I was just trying to have fun with (friends). That is the life of a quarterback, somebody of my status. I guess somebody was trying to make some money and sold the picture to the web site. But at the same time that is the life I chose to live. But it is not going to stop me from having fun. I just have to watch myself. They always want to try and get some negative pub on me. It wasn't really nothing bad. ... Everybody deserves to have a good time every once in a while during the offseason."

And when he says "every once in a while," I'm guessing his definition is different than most people's. Below the gallery is a selection of six Vince Young birthday party links (and pictures) from just last weekend hosted by a promotion group called "inDmix":

Athletes Partying

Matt Leinart

TheDirty.com

Vince Young

Blogxilla.com

Reggie Miller

DonChavez.com

Eli Manning

DrunkAthlete.com

Michael Jordan

Lioninoil.blogspot.com

Tim Tebow

EveryDayShouldBeSaturday.com

Kyle Orton

DrunkAthlete.com

Chris Berman

Deadspin.com/trusesportsfans

Jimmy Johnson

DrunkAthlete.com

Greg Oden

DrunkAthlete.com

Vince Young's White Tee Party @ the ROC Wednesdays - 5.14.08 (I'm not sure that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell would approve the use of NFL imagery in picture #5 down. Body painted females not the safest for work).

Vince Young's Invite Only Pool Party at the Westside Tennis Club - 5.15.08 (Shirtless Vince again but this time with a water gun not a bottle. It's a pool party so I guess shirts-optional is a fairly normal thing).

Vince Young's Birthday Weekend KickOff Party & Premiere of the iBar - 5.16.08

Vince, Shawn Marion & Jevon Kearse host Baby Blue Carpet Affair @ Club Level - 5.17.08 (Here's a note at the end of picture set showing pictures of 3 police officers : "Of course the haters came through to shut it down ... but I think it is a complement when your party gets shut down. VY you get mad props on a super sick party son.")

Vince Young Bday BBQ Cookout & Daytime party at the Red Door - 5.18.08 (Tight looking cake. Vince cake smushing pictures on page 2).

Lil Wayne, Lloyd, Mannie Fresh, Lil Keke at Vince Young Bday Bash at BAR RIO - 5.18.08

For the record, in response to Young's statement, the person who writes BlogXilla.com wrote in an email to me that the site did not pay for the pictures that are the subject of the apology. Someone sent them to the site:

"My website is not a gossip site, it's about romance, relationship, movies and entertainment. And Vince, like it or not is an entertainer and in Urban America what he does is apart of our life."

So were the pictures that Young was apologizing for a result of just people trying to "get some negative pub" on him? Seems to me the pictures were just embarrassing. He wasn't doing anything disgusting, but as Young notes, quarterbacks get extra scrutiny. In a world of picture phones, it is probably not the best judgment to be out in public drinking what appears to be tequila straight from the bottle.

And I think it also goes to the deeper issue of whether he is taking seriously the responsibilities of being an NFL quarterback.

Arguably, Vince Young got his offensive coordinator fired last year for finding it easier to throw interceptions than touchdowns. Coming off such a season where his maturity, accuracy and understanding of NFL quarterbacking was questioned, a few seasons removed from a draft where scouts had concerns about his intelligence and judgment, you would think he would go out of his way to dedicate himself to being and appearing professional.

Before the 2006 draft, Jason Whitlock had an article at ESPN Page 2 suggesting that Vince Young was not conducting himself in the manner that will lead to long term success in the NFL. At the time, I thought some of Whitlock's individual concerns Young's posse might be a little overblown, but I thought his overall point about how NFL quarterbacks achieve long term success through preparation and good judgment was a point worth saying:

"Before any NFL owner gives Young a bunch of guaranteed dollars, the general manager better make sure Young is going to hit the film room and practice field just as hard as Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb and Tom Brady. The GM also should make sure that the head coach and offensive coordinator -- not some let's-hit-the-strip-clubs posse member -- have the ear of the quarterback.
Playing QB in The League is a different animal."

I don't want to make too much of this. It's not a particularly a newsflash when a player goes to a bar, goes to lots of bars or even looks stupid in a bar. (Though I think fans love to see this stuff, given the success of DrunkAthlete.com). But I do think the Whitlock article is worth a trip in the wayback machine to read.

The Titans have a lot of money invested in Vince Young, and if something bad happens to a franchise quarterback, it can ruin a team. This is why teams expect more from their quarterbacks than any other position on the field. Young shouldn't just apologize to children who saw that picture, he should apologize to the Titan franchise and fans for putting himself in a position where such photographs could be taken.

When Vince Young went back to UT this summer to take classes, he said, "It's not about the money and fame. It's about education."

Actually, for a well-paid NFL quarterback, it shouldn't be about money, fame or education. Unless it's really about a sense of entitlement and an excuse for a fierce baby blue party promotion poster.

Previously at FanHouse:
Vince Young: Shirtless, Swilling at a Party?
Matt Leinart, Alex Smith Pics at TheDirty.com: The Future of Sports Media?

Latest NFL Photos

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** FILE ** In this May, 8, 2008 file photo, Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Matt Ryan throws during a minicamp workout in Flowery Branch, Ga, The Falcons moved quickly to lock up their new franchise quarterback by signing Ryan to a six-year, $72 million deal. Ryan, the No. 3 overall pick in last month's NFL draft, is guaranteed $34.75 million in the deal signed Tuesday May 20, 2008. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

** FILE ** In this May 10, 2008 file photo, Atlanta falcons rookie quarterback Matt Ryan rolls out during an NFL football minicamp workout in Flowery Branch, Ga. The Falcons moved quickly to lock up their new franchise quarterback by signing Ryan to a six-year, $72 million deal. Ryan, the No. 3 overall pick in last month's NFL draft, is guaranteed $34.75 million in the deal signed Tuesday May 20, 2008. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

C** FILE ** In this Sept. 16, 2007 file photo, Carolina Panthers' Dan Morgan is shown during an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C. Linebacker Dan Morgan retired Monday may 19, 2008, two months after the frequently injured former first-round draft pick from Miami signed with the New Orleans Saints. Morgan, who signed with the Saints March 11, played seven seasons with the Carolina Panthers. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn, File)

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The tattoo on the arm of Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Jake Long, the 2008 number one draft pick, is seen during the 2008 Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles May 17, 2008. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES)

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Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Jake Long, the 2008 number one draft pick, smiles as he is fitted with a microphone before being interviewed during the 2008 Reebok NFL Players Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles May 17, 2008. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES)

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Indianapolis Colts guard Mike Pollak, the team's top draft pick, hits a blocking sled during a minicamp at the NFL football team's training facility in Indianapolis on Friday, May 16, 2008. (AP Photo/Tom Strickland)

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Vince Young Party Pix Apology: 'Not Going to Stop Me From Having Fun' originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 23 May 2008 00:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Johnson's Catching On With Titans

JJ Cooper — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:48:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, Nashville

The Titans expect Chris Johnson's speed to make an immediate impact this season, but where exactly are they planning to play him?

A report out of Thursday's offseason workouts seems to indicate that Tennessee might use Johnson to help out the team's thin wide receiver corps as much as its backfield. In his first public practice, Johnson spent a lot of time at receiver, although he also served as the team's No. 3 tailback. He also offered this tidbit.

"I ran a couple flies (on patterns). I beat everybody on that," Johnson said.

The straight fly route is something that is a part of every receiver's normal route tree, but it's not something you ask your running backs to run very often. And it's a route that the Titans have had no reason to send a running back on for years--Lendale White, Chris Brown, Travis Henry and Eddie George weren't guys who gave safeties nightmares about being beaten over the top.

It seems that the best description for how the Titans plan to use Johnson is to give him a role much like Eric Metcalf had with the Browns in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Metcalf was a running back/returner at Texas, but thanks to his small size (5-10, 190 pounds), Metcalf never rushed for more than 700 yards as a pro.

But he was excellent as a receiver out of the backfield and split out in the slot--good enough that the Falcons eventually made him a full-time wide receiver and he responded with a 1,000-yard season. He also returned 10 punts for touchdowns in a 14-year career. Overall he ranks 11th in NFL history in combined yards and was always the kind of player who drove opposing teams crazy.

Maybe Johnson will be more of a running back than that, but if he can come close to equaling Metcalf's production, he'll go a long way toward filling a void in the Titans offense.

Johnson's Catching On With Titans originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 22 May 2008 22:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Williams Loses Weight, Cornerbacks Yawn

JJ Cooper — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:11:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, Nashville

Mike Williams has given up attempting to impersonate an offensive tackle as the wide receiver has dropped 30 pounds to give a full attempt in what might be his last shot at an NFL job.

After failing miserably in Detroit and Oakland, Williams was signed by the Titans late last year, but they weren't exactly impressed with the former first-round pick. And since they don't have anything invested in him, they don't have to be nice.

"That conversation with Fisher, only a fool wouldn't take it as such," Williams said of the coach's ultimatum after a recent minicamp session. "It was pretty much, `You make a commitment to be in shape when you come back or ... move forward."

Now here's where it gets tricky. According to the story, Williams weighs somewhere around 245-250 pounds right now, although he's laughably listed at 230 pounds on the Titans Website. Williams said he played at above 260 pounds last year (he wasn't more specific), but if his 30 pounds of weight loss can be believed, he actually tried to play receiver last year while carrying closer to 280 pounds--which would make him one of the bigger tight ends in the league, and the fattest receiver since William "The Fridge" Perry ran a route.

.Even when he was 230 pounds coming out of college, there were concerns that Williams was too big and slow to make an NFL impact. It seems nearly impossible for him to get back to that college playing weight, and it also seems nearly impossible for him to ever live up to the expectations he had coming out of USC.

Now it's always stupid to completely rule out the chances of a former star turning their career around. But in Williams case, it will be a shock if he ever becomes more than a back-of-the-roster filler. It's now been five years since Williams actually starred on a football field, and even with a renewed emphasis on conditioning, he's still struggling to battle against faster, more agile cornerbacks. He may have a size advantage, but with them able to laugh at his ability to beat them deep, it's hard to get open on the underneath routes

Williams Loses Weight, Cornerbacks Yawn originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 22 May 2008 22:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Titans Talking to Dayne

JJ Cooper — Thu, 22 May 2008 08:07:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, Nashville

It sounds like a bad practical joke.

After drafting a tailback in the first or second round of each of the past three drafts, the Titans are talking to veteran tailback Ron Dayne. Do the Titans just like collecting running backs?

Actually it makes some sense. The Titans have Lendale White, Chris Henry and first-round pick Chris Johnson on the roster, but as mentioned here yesterday, the team could actually use one more running back for depth--on a team that depends a lot on its running game, an injury during training camp could leave Tennessee a little thin.

Dayne would give Tennessee another power back, which leads Dayne's agent to speculate that Lendale White's knee injury may be a little more serious than everyone thinks.

"What they said to me was LenDale is coming off a knee injury, so that is maybe a concern of theirs. Ron has proven he can play through whatever,'' agent Karim Lawrence said.

After being a big-time bust with the Giants, Dayne has been reasonably productive in stints with Denver and Houston the past three seasons. What seems puzzling is why Dayne would want to come to Tennessee, where he would be an insurance policy, instead of finding another team where he could serve as a No. 2 or No. 3 back.

Titans Talking to Dayne originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 22 May 2008 08:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Life As an NFL Scout: Lots of Work, With No Guaranteed Payoff

JJ Cooper — Wed, 21 May 2008 19:56:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, Nashville

So you want to be an NFL scout? Imagine spending months preparing for a draft, where it's highly possible that you won't have any player you scout drafted. And even when the draft ends, you can end up getting shut out on undrafted free agents as well.

The Sporting News has a solid piece on Titans scout C.O. Brocato up on their Website. It details Brocato's frantic calling to try to land undrafted free agents in the minutes after the draft ended. He worked really hard at it, but still ended up being shut out, as two of his targets ended up being drafted in the seventh round, while three more targets opted to sign elsewhere.

But we still found out plenty from the story. It explains that the Titans aren't big spenders in the undrafted free agent market (they offer small bonuses while other teams will go up to $10-15,000). Defensive tackle is one position where an undrafted free agent would have a chance to make the team--something that's pretty apparent from looking at the depth chart. While starters Albert Haynesworth and Tony Brown are set, there is no experience behind them--2007 fifth-round pick Antonio Johnson missed his rookie year with a knee injury, while Eric Taylor and Eric Vickerson have been practice squad vagabonds, so Barry Booker, a rookie from Virginia Tech, has a chance to earn a spot with a strong training camp.

Brocato was also trying to land an undrafted free agent, although his target (Oklahoma's Allen Patrick) was drafted. Tennessee ended up still signing a pair of rookies--Allen Cuff and Rafael Little. Although it seems crazy, even with Chris Johnson, Lendale White and Chris Henry, one of them could make the team. If the Titans decide to carry five running backs, or if there is one injury, there isn't a lot of competition for Cuff and Little.

Life As an NFL Scout: Lots of Work, With No Guaranteed Payoff originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 21 May 2008 19:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Players' Union President Kevin Mawae Favors NBA-Style Rookie Wage Scale

Michael David Smith — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, Nashville

One of the strangest things about the way the NFL does business is that unproven rookies routinely get paid more money than established veterans. Some teams have highly drafted rookies who get signing bonuses in the tens of millions while Pro Bowlers on the same team haven't made that much in their entire careers.

Tennessee Titans center Kevin Mawae wants to change that. And Mawae has the power to do quite a bit about it, because he's the president of the NFL Players' Association. On ESPN Radio today, Mawae said this:

"I know there is sentiment around the league amongst the players like, 'Let's do something to control these salaries and control these signing bonuses' and things like that, and I know that's something that the owners are talking about and I'm sure that's going to play in to this round of negotiations for this collective bargaining agreement,"

It's refreshing to hear Mawae say that because Gene Upshaw, the executive director of the Players' Association, is clinging to a system that hurts the veteran players. When it comes to fair and equitable pay for rookies and veterans, the NBA has a far more sensible system than the NFL. It's good to know that Mawae realizes that, even if Upshaw doesn't.

NFL Players' Union President Kevin Mawae Favors NBA-Style Rookie Wage Scale originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 21 May 2008 16:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LenDale White Discusses His Appearance in Snoop Dogg 'Life of Da Party' Video

Michael David Smith — Sat, 17 May 2008 11:34:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, Nashville

Look closely about a minute and 15 seconds into Snoop Dogg's "Life of Da Party" video, and you'll see Tennessee Titans running back LenDale White:

White, tells the Tennessean of Snoop, whom he met when he played at USC, "That's my guy." He adds that he wanted to keep his appearance in the video low-key:

"I didn't want nothing too big,'' White said. "Because had I been in that video a long time ... let's say something happened this year and I had only 20 yards rushing. Then everybody around here would be on my back, saying, 'If he wasn't in the Snoop Dogg video maybe he would've been (better).'

I think that's pretty perceptive of White. Whether it's right or wrong, athletes who gain high profiles off the field of play are invariably criticized for that profile when they fail on the field of play. As Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson found out, athletes' private lives get blamed when they don't play well.

But that's wrong. If White is keeping himself in shape during the off-season, there's nothing wrong with also taking some time off and appearing in a Snoop video. Maybe next off-season he'll do more than just a cameo.

LenDale White Discusses His Appearance in Snoop Dogg 'Life of Da Party' Video originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 17 May 2008 11:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vince Young: Shirtless, Swilling at a Party?

Stephanie Stradley — Thu, 15 May 2008 22:37:00 EST

Filed under: Titans, AFC South, NFL Gossip, Nashville

I guess Titan quarterback Vince Young was jealous of his 2006 draft classmate Cardinal quarterback Matt Leinart in the embarrassing party pix department.

Blogxilla.com, a blog discussing "Urban Life Daily," received some pictures that the sender claimed was Vince Young at a bar getting his drink on in Austin Texas. The site has a series of pictures of shirtless Vince Young and friends, including one where he looks to be drinking what appears to be Silver Patrón tequila straight from the bottle. (I worked in bars to pay for school, so uh, I think that is a good guess).

Athletes Partying

Eli Manning

DrunkAthlete.com

Michael Jordan

Lioninoil.blogspot.com

Tim Tebow

EveryDayShouldBeSaturday.com

Kyle Orton

DrunkAthlete.com

Chris Berman

Deadspin.com/trusesportsfans

Jimmy Johnson

DrunkAthlete.com

Greg Oden

DrunkAthlete.com

Matt Leinart

TheDirty.com

Brady Quinn

DrunkAthlete.com

Larry Johnson

DrunkAthlete.com

Blogxilla's comment on the pictures, "It looks like a Sausage party to me b/c I don't see nearly enough women around to warrant taking off anyone's shirt!!! It's just not right!!!"

I'm not sure I have much to add to that, other than I suppose I understand now why it was so important to Young to go back to Austin to work on his college degree.

Previously on FanHouse:
Vince Young Spends His Spring Break From Texas Learning the Titans' Offense
Matt Leinart: 'The Internet Is a Bad Thing'
Matt Leinart, Alex Smith Pics at TheDirty.com: The Future of Sports Media?
Another Matt Leinart Photo; Cardinals Coach Ken Whisenhunt Will Love This One
Cardinals Coach Ken Whisenhunt Disappointed in Matt Leinart Photos

Vince Young: Shirtless, Swilling at a Party? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 15 May 2008 22:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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