Marcus Mariota Not Having Any Red Flags Was a Red Flag

MARIOTA TIME: Getting used to working under center is just one of the challenges Mariota faces in transitioning to an NFL offense from the spread he operated at Oregon. “I had tried (surfing) before, and I wasn’t too good at it. So I kind of brushed it off. This time around I was able to stand up, and catch a few waves”.

HEALTH UPDATE: Defensive tackle Sammie Hill is expected to be ready for the start of camp after hurting a knee this spring.

The Titans want to give their new starting quarterback plenty of work to get him ready, but coach Ken Whisenhunt said the team will be conscious of overworking Mariota. If you stink, you need to get better. “As kind of a joke, we all decided that we wanted to go and try surfing”, Mariota said.

Since players weren’t allowed on team facilities until Thursday, Mariota and some of his receivers worked out at a private suburban Nashville facility.

I don’t think anyone saw this coming! In order to get better, you need to find out asap if this guy can play and make you better. “So I’m excited. I can’t wait to get things going, and I look forward to tomorrow”. Tennessee has enough youth and positions up for grabs that Whisenhunt said it likely would be easier for him to list the areas that he is not anxious about going into training camp: defensive line, inside linebackers and tight ends. Now, they don’t want to hinder his ability to keep progressing. “Obviously there are some things he does well”, Whisenhunt said. “When you’re out there in shorts and helmets, you don’t really get a sense of a real pocket”. The coach avoided setting any specific goals before Friday’s first practice with a roster featuring only three players with nine years or more experience in the NFL.

“He did a lot of nice things, moving in the pocket, stepping up (during OTAs)”. But now when you have bodies around you, it’s a little different. “We had a good laugh about that”. But he watched most of the offseason after aggravating a hamstring injury during a rookie minicamp, so camp offers him a chance to show what he can do.