Camp was set to start on Saturday July 31, with players able to report on Friday; but not required to until Saturday. Many veterans reported early and also voluntarily got their conditioning test out of the way on Friday. Coach Fisher said that the conditioning test that the Titans run players through at the beginning of camp is “similar to the test that you’ve been hearing about the last few days,” referring to reporting of former Titan’s defensive linemen Albert Haynesworth having failed the Redskins condition test 2 days in a row, and being kept out of practice. “We do precisely that test. We do a 300 yard shuttle.”
As for rookies, the Titans got 4 of their 5 remaining rookies signed by Friday night, including coming to terms with receiver Damian Williams from Southern California, their second pick taken in the third round of the draft. Yet, as of Saturday morning defensive end Derrick Morgan of Georgia Tech, their first pick at No. 16 overall still had not signed.
Fisher reasoned that as other first-rounders signed and Williams sees where he is slotted, he’d be likely to sign soon. Coach Fisher expressed “concern” with the state of Williams hamstring, saying “he had a hamstring issue when he left.”
The biggest offseason worry though was to work things out with defending league offensive MVP Chris Johnson. “We got very creative, we had to move some things around,” Coach Fisher stated about coming to an agreement with Johnson. ''CJ's happy. We're happy. I'm expecting him to be in great shape, come in and really pick up where he left off. I have no reservations whatsoever about his conditioning level,'' Fisher said. Johnson had stayed away from Titans workouts all offseason, and was not saying if he would be in camp, until last week when terms were reached in principle.
The other veteran offseason holdout over shadowed by Chris Johnson’s long cast was starting linebacker Stephen Tulloch. When asked if Tulloch would be reporting for camp on time, Fisher matter-of-factly stated that he expect Tulloch would be there since he singed his free agent tender of $2.52 million dollars in June; and that he has no reason to think Tulloch will not participate in preseason games. Tulloch has stayed away from Nashville in protest, wanting a longer term, bigger dollar deal.
There were others who didn’t practice with the team during the offseason, but that was do to injuries. Tackles Tony Brown and Jason Jones didn't practice with the team during the offseason as they recovered from surgeries, nor did linebacker David Thornton with a shoulder injury requiring surgery.
Asked about Keith Bulluck, who recently signed a 1 year free agent deal with the New York Gaints, having stated in a local radio interview that he hadn’t heard from the Titans since February, and that phone calls to the Titans were not returned; Fisher said that account was “not accurate”. Fisher stated that “to my understanding there were some communications,” saying that he believes Bulluck made this decision “in his heart,” and arguing that “would he have been happy here” with the kind of deal that he got in New York. Bulluck suffered a torn ACL last December, dropping the aging former Pro Bowlers value, and making teams, including the Titans iffy on presenting Bulluck a big offer.
Keith Bulluck did not respond to questions about Coach Fishers words when I questioned him about the statements via his twitter Friday night.
To the other recent controversy in the media surrounding the Titans, that of USC’s Lane Kiffin poaching Fisher’s coaching staff, hiring away running backs coach Kennedy Pola without permission from the Titans: the Titans see that as unlawful interference with their contract with Pola, and filed a lawsuit against USC and Kiffin on Monday.
Fisher said that the notion that this lawsuit is regional revenge for Kiffin ditching the University of Tennessee, is “absurd”. When asked about Kiffin’s state that after he and Fisher had spoken on the phone that Fisher may have softened his stance or felt better about the situation, Fisher looked at the questioning reporter with a contorted face, and then dismissed that notion as well.
Fisher moved Craig Johnson from coaching quarterbacks to running backs Wednesday to replace Pola. Read more: http://www.blogdoctor.me/2007/02/expandable-post-summaries.html#ixzz0fvTXmFSF
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