Titans running back LeGarrette Blount is well known for his punching attack and subsequent suspension against Boise State last year, so it would seem to be in his best interest to avoid any semblance of a repeat now that he’s fighting for a job in the NFL.

But apparently, Blount did not get that memo, as he took part in a training camp fracas at the end of yesterday’s practice in Tennessee. Blount got angry after defensive players repeatedly tried to rip off his helmet in their efforts to tackle him, and reportedly chased after defensive end Erik Bakhtiari to punch him in his facemask.

Training camp fights are fairly routine, with players often getting into shoving matches and occasional fist fights, thanks in large part to the heavy workload and high heat on the field. Coaches are typically quick to break these arguments up though, as key players can easily be injured if it carries on too long.

Blount is expected to win a job as a backup for superstar running back Chris Johnson, and will likely contribute on special teams as well.

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Mon @ 12:30 am – The prognosis on Johnson’s recovery timetable is much better than initially thought, and in spite of the severity of his injury, Johnson should be back to football activities in about 8-12 weeks according to Titans head coach Jeff Fisher.

Sun @ 12:15 am – For Tennessee running back Stafon Johnson, having a chance to earn a spot on an NFL roster was a dream come true, after he fought his way back from a horrific accident during his time at USC that cost him the entire 2009 campaign.

Johnson dropped a bench press bar stacked with weight onto his throat, crushing his larynx in an instant and almost killing himself in the process.

Unfortunately, that dream was once again cut short, after Johnson suffered another tough injury against the Seahawks tonight, this time a dislocated ankle, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

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This is the part three of our series looking at how each team stacks up headed into next week’s draft. In case you missed it, you can find part one covering the AFC East here and part two covering the AFC North here.

As always, feel free to let us know what you think via the comment section.

Houston Texans (9-7)

The Texans came close to their first playoff trip in franchise history last year, but things didn’t quite play out the way they wanted late in the season. That disappointment has fueled the fires of anticipation in Houston this off-season, and anything short of a solid playoff run will be looked at as a failure, given the level of talent amassed across the board right now. There are still some areas of concern headed into next week’s draft though, and as such, the Texans will need to use their picks judiciously to maximize production from those players next fall. Read the rest of this entry »

Recently we discussed the possibility of a trade involving Washington defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, and while we chalked much of the chatter up to speculation at the time, the possibility still remains that the Redskins could send Haynesworth elsewhere next season.

Since then, there has been some talk of Tennessee making a move to bring Haynesworth back to the team after a year’s hiatus, which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad move, considering the impact Haynesworth made on their defense during his stay with the Titans.

But for now, that rumor is lacking legs so to speak, with Tennessee head coach Jeff Fisher offering up an emphatic “no” in response to questions on any talks between the two clubs. That’s not to say that a trade won’t happen, but for the time being, it seems as though the Titans won’t be contending for Haynesworth’s services.

As always, we’ll keep you posted.

After a year’s hiatus in Denver, Chris Simms is back in Tennessee, joining the Titans as their third string quarterback behind Vince Young and Kerry Collins.

Simms played sporadically during his short stint with the Broncos last season, starting just one game when Kyle Orton was injured. Simms finished the 2009 campaign with five completions for 23 yards, no touchdowns, one interception, and five sacks.

As of right now, Young will be the starter at quarterback in Tennessee, with Collins backing him up. It’s possible that the Titans would consider releasing Collins if he’s unwilling to reduce his salary, especially if they can find a reasonably talented player at the position later on in the draft next week.

The Tennessee Titans improved their defense today, with the signing of veteran linebacker Will Witherspoon. His deal is reportedly for three years and $11 million.

A previous member of the Panthers, Rams, and Eagles, Witherspoon has never made it to the Pro Bowl or received major awards, but has arguably been one of the most consistent defenders over the past few years. Just this past season at the age of 29 he was able to total 92 tackles, a sack, interception and defensive score with St. Louis and Philladelphia.

Witherspoon’s presence should–at the very least–be enough to fulfill the expected absence of OLB Keith Bulluck, who remains on the open market, free to sign anywhere he chooses.

In addition to the signing of Witherspoon, the Titans have also hosted DE Jason Babin for a visit. He most recently played with the Eagles as well, and managed several sacks in a reserve role in ’09.

Tennessee made a tremendous push in the second half of the season to finish the year at 8-8, and while most of the Titans players walked away from the stadium last week feeling good about their chances in 2010, there is at least one member of the team that is unhappy with the status quo.

Running back LenDale White has clearly been pushed aside in favor of superstar rusher Chris Johnson, who put together a season for the ages with 2,006 yards on the ground, and that seems to be something that White is unhappy about headed into the off-season.

According to Jim Wyatt of the Nashville Tennessean, White is hoping to have an opportunity to leave the Titans via free agency for a team that will give him more a chance to be the lead runner next year. Under normal circumstances, White would be free to do as he wishes this off-season, but without a new collective bargaining agreement in place, he’ll be a restricted free agent instead.

That will allow the Titans to offer him a one year contract and have a shot at matching any other deal White gets on the open market. If they decide not to match it, they’ll receive compensation from the team that takes White on board, making a big contract highly unlikely, at least this year.

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The Washington Redskins have been cleared of all tampering charges regarding defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, the Associated Press has learned.

Haynesworth’s former team, the Tennessee Titans sent information to the NFL indicating that the Redskins may have contacted Haynesworth and his agent, Chad Speck before free agency officially began on February 27th, 2009. Washington naturally denied any wrongdoing.

Argueably the NFL’s top free agent this past offseason, Haynesworth left the Titans to sign a seven-year, $100 million contract with the Redskins. Had the Redskins been found guilty of tampering, the NFL could have imposed penalities of forfeited draft picks and/or significant fines.

Titans RB Chris Johnson isn’t overly boastful about his talent as a runner, but he isn’t shy about it either.

So it comes as little surprise that he would have his eyes peeled for a run towards one of the most hallowed records in the NFL: the single season rushing yards mark set in 1984 by Rams RB Eric Dickerson. That season, Dickerson ran over, under, and around his opponents en route to 2,105 yards, and while several backs have come close in the interim, no one has been able to pass him by.

But all of that may change this year, as Johnson is set to rush for 2,030 yards this season, if he stays on his current pace of 126.9 yards per game over the final five weeks of the season. It’s definitely a plausible goal to reach on Johnson’s part, especially if he can replicate his production from November, when he rushed for 800 yards.

Johnson currently sits at 1,396 yards on the season, which is easily the highest mark in the league this year.

All in all, this has easily been one of the most trying seasons in recent memory for the Tennessee Titans, who were expected to contend for the AFC crown but have instead tallied just two wins this season. That said, things have been looking up as of late, with both wins coming courtesy of QB Vince Young’s return to the starting lineup.

But unfortunately, the NFL has a way of bringing teams back to reality in a hurry, and such is the case today, as the Titans were informed that WR Justin Gage has multiple broken bones in his back. The team has yet to have ruled him out of any further contests this season, but it’s fairly safe to assume he won’t be playing when Tennessee hits the field on Sunday against the visiting Buffalo Bills, given the risk of suffering a more permanent injury.

Gage’s injury apparently has had no effect on his spinal cord at this point, and he has retained full movement of his body, which bodes well for a successful recovery during the off-season.

As always, we’ll keep you posted when more information becomes available.

Tennessee’s dreadful 0-6 start to their season has made headlines for all the wrong reasons, but through it all, head coach Jeff Fisher has steadfastly refused to turn back to a young quarterback the team invested its hopes and dreams in just two seasons ago.

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, that player is QB Vince Young, and even though the Titans clearly have nothing to lose as the season progresses in giving him another shot, Fisher has thus far chosen to stick with veteran QB Kerry Collins instead, driving a wedge between himself and several key figures within the organization in the process.

One of those individuals happens to be team owner Bud Adams, who has unequivocally voiced his displeasure at Young’s continued stay on the bench, claiming the team needs to find out what Young can do for them soon.

“I have been wanting [Fisher] to play Vince Young more because Collins has been having his problems out there,” Adams told The Tennessean last week. “I just think we need to find out how well [Young] can do. If you don’t play the guy and lose all your games, it is hard for you to see what he can do for you. Vince has won a lot of games for us.” - Tennessee owner Bud Adams

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11:47 pm: The Associated Press is reporting that Harper is expected to miss four to six weeks as a result of his broken arm.

12:30am: The Titans secondary took a major hit in Sunday night’s game against the Colts, as cornerback Nick Harper broke his right forearm. Specifics of the injury have not yet been released, but Tennessee is expected to take a look at the injury tomorrow and see how bad it is.

At any rate, Harper will likely be off the field for most of this season at the very least, so the Titans will probably have to hit the street this week to find a serviceable corner to take his place in the meantime.