Tennessee
Titans

McNair was shot four times, twice in the head and twice in his chest, by the young woman, who was part of an extra-marital relationship with the former quarterback. Metro Nashville Police this week ruled the incident a murder-suicide.

The news was all the more stunning, as the personable McNair had quickly become one of the faces of the franchise for a city that was new to professional sports, and even after his trade to Baltimore in 2006 and his eventual retirement, he remained active in charitable works in the communities.

For fans around the city, the incident has marked a fine line. Here was McNair the fallen hero and a man who had given back plenty to those less fortunate having to be weighed against the murky and disturbing circumstances surrounding his passing. According to reports, McNair's wife Mechelle, the mother of two of his four sons, did not know of the relationship between her husband and Kazemi.

There were details of a DUI arrest for Kazemi approximately 48 hours before their deaths, as she was pulled over in a 2007 Cadillac Escalade registered to both her and McNair. She was arrested, and McNair, in the passenger's seat, was allowed to take a taxi home. Later that day (Thursday), Kazemi purchased the gun that was used in the crime.

Later, the website TMZ.com uncovered photos of McNair and Kazemi vacationing together.

Even with those details emerging, many tried to focus on McNair's other accomplishments rather than the sordid details that were seeping out in various reports.

Titans coach Jeff Fisher, who had been on a USO mission visiting American troops in the Persian Gulf, tried to put the focus on McNair's positives when he addressed the media on the Monday following the incident.

"The Steve McNair that I knew was a great person," Fisher, his voice quivering at times, said of his former player. "He, along with these teammates here, put this organization on the map here in Tennessee, put us in our first Super Bowl. I think you all realize everything he did in between.

"I will miss him, as we will all miss him. I ask you to honor what he did on the field and in the community and what he was as a tremendous teammate. That is his legacy and I'm proud to have been a part of that."

Like many Titans fans, some of McNair's former teammates also had hoped to put the focus on his on-field and community legacy, and not the situation that surrounded his passing.

"I don't think that anybody should ever look past the remarkable things he did on the field. ... He was, and always will be a pillar of this organization," said Brad Hopkins, the left tackle who protected McNair's blind side for his entire tenure with the Titans franchise.

Running back Eddie George, who shared the spotlight with McNair as the young faces of the franchise in those days, was careful not to dwell on the negative as well.

"I don't want to dig into it, because it's irrelevant, because you've still lost a friend. It's not gonna bring him back," George said. "Instead of harping on the dirt and the grit, I choose to focus on his life and his spirit, the good times that he blessed me with and the wins he blessed me with and the sadness that we shared together in building something special.

"It was put together not by coincidence, but by a group of guys that meant something to each other, to bring that energy forth and to put together what you see here today. It was special."

--Quarterback Patrick Ramsey signed with the Tennessee Titans, knowing he would have to enter training camp as the third-stringer.

But from the comments he made, Ramsey has no intentions of staying in the No. 3 spot. He has his sights set on winning a battle with Vince Young to claim the second spot behind starter Kerry Collins.

"That's the situation I'm faced with," Ramsey said. "Honestly, what I intend to do is come in here and play as well as I can and let that take care of itself.

"They just said come in and the best players are going to be moved up. Obviously, Kerry is the starter, and I'm going to be competing for the second job," Ramsey said.

Ramsey has the added benefit of having played in Denver for Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger in 2007, and Heimerdinger is comfortable with Ramsey. Heimerdinger is also eager to see how the camp competition will shake out behind Collins.

"I think there's always competition. Anytime you have three people in a spot or four people in a spot, there's always competition," Heimerdinger said. "I would think that you always want to play the best football players, because that gives you the best chance to win."

OFFSEASON STANDOUT: Defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, after struggling through a groin injury that ruined his 2008 season, appears to be back healthy and ready to pick up where he left off. The Titans are counting on a healthy Vanden Bosch to help offset the loss to Albert Haynesworth on the defensive line. Vanden Bosch's high motor attitude and his play in OTAs indicate his he back to his pre-2008 form.

LINEUP WATCH: With Haynesworth gone to Washington, the Titans are shuffling a bit on the defensive line to see where all the pieces fit. Of late, Tony Brown has shifted from left defensive tackle to right defensive tackle (Haynesworth's old spot), while newcomer Jovan Haye and second-year man Jason Jones are rotating mostly on the left side. At left defensive end, with Jevon Kearse slowed by a knee injury, Dave Ball has been working with the first unit.

ROOKIE IMPRESSIONS: While wide receiver Kenny Britt has gotten much of the attention just by being a first-rounder, the rookie to make the biggest impression in OTAs has been third-round tight end Jared Cook, whose size (6-3-250) allows the Titans to split him out often as a wide receiver. Look for Cook to be incorporated early into certain offensive packages to take advantage of his unique size/speed combination.

INJURY WATCH: Veteran center Kevin Mawae has said he has no plans to retire, but he has missed the entire off-season because of major elbow surgery. Mawae is on track to return in training camp from the injury that takes six months of recovery time.

CONTRACT TO WATCH: The Titans have at least 13 contracts that are up at the end of 2009, with many of them being key players in key positions. The two most interesting, however, are Vanden Bosch and linebacker Keith Bulluck, two vital cogs in the defense. Thus far, little to no negotiations on extensions have taken place. The Titans are apparently in wait-and-see mode with the two 30-something stars.

In a rare move (for them), the Titans actually swapped next year's second-round pick to get back into the third round last April to select the former South Carolina star.

--The Titans also agreed to terms with OT Troy Kropog of Tulane. Kropog, a fourth-round pick, reached an agreement on a four-year deal. Kropog is the latest project for Hall of Fame offensive line coach Mike Munchak, which means that most likely he will spent this season learning, could be inactive on most game days, and will be groomed for an eventual role on the offensive line. Currently, Kropog is ticketed to potentially fill the role of a third tackle, behind starters Michael Roos and David Stewart, and eventually learn the guard position as well. Daniel Loper, who had held that spot for the past few years, signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions.

--The Titans also dropped two players from their roster this week, waiving CB Christian Morton and WR Craphonso Thorpe. Both players were out of the NFL last season, and were signed by Tennessee to futures contracts, hoping to catch on in a backup role. Morton, a one-time draft pick of the New England Patriots, had been trying to put himself into the backup cornerback and punt return mix during OTAs, while Thorpe's chances of earning a roster spot as a backup diminished when the Titans drafted Kenny Britt and Dominique Edison this spring, and with the offseason improvement of holdovers Chris Davis and Lavelle Hawkins.

--RB Chris Johnson is encouraging fans to submit end zone celebration suggestions to him via his Twitter account, which is ChrisJohnson28.

The speedy running back was fined last season for playing the bongo drums behind the end zone in Kansas City after a touchdown run against the Chiefs.

"I'm going to test out celebrations," Johnson said. "I've gotten some, but I feel like I didn't get any one that caught my attention yet. I got a whole lot of reaction. It really surprised me, because I just started Twitter week during OTAs, and I've already got like 500 followers. It really surprised me a lot."

Johnson said he got about 20 suggestions in the first day or so, and the numbers keep growing as word spreads of his request.

Johnson said his aim in the suggestions is to be able to one-up traditional end zone antics by Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco, and he believes asking fans in Nashville can help.

"I think they should (help me), being that this is a big country (music) town or whatever. I think they should be able to come up with some good things, because they're used to entertainment," Johnson said.

--Speaking of Johnson, he and RB LenDale White have been engaging in a trash-talking "phantom feud" via Twitter and through the media over Johnson's claim that he now wants to be known by the nickname "Every Coach's Dream" rather than as the "Dash" portion of "Smash and Dash" that the duo came up with last year.

"Every coach wants a player that if they're sitting at home watching him says, 'I wish I could have that player. I feel I'm Every Coach's Dream,'" Johnson said. "Just tell him (White) that he will never be Every Coach's Dream. That's my name, and he's got to come up with something better, because Smash and Dash is officially out the door."

White's response to that, was simply, "The one thing about dreams is they're not real. Let's remember that. If you're the coach's dream, you're not real."

--LB Keith Bulluck didn't mean to, but he reignited the fire about the Terrible Towel stomping incident in late December when he revealed that he received one of the yellow towels (a commemorative one from the Super Bowl) and a note from an anonymous Steelers fan in February.

Bulluck was discussing the Sept. 10 season opener in Pittsburgh and was asked if he felt he was a marked man because he was one of at least three Titans seen stomping on the towels at LP Field in the aftermath of the Titans' 31-14 victory over the Steelers. He was asked if he felt he would be a marked man by Steelers fans in that game. That's when he pulled the towel and note from the bottom of his locker.

The note that accompanied the towel, read, "On behalf of Steeler Nation, we would like to present you with our new Terrible Towel. Hang this up in your locker room.

Sincerely, the Black and Gold

P.S.: I hope you enjoyed the Super Bowl."

In response then to the original question, Bulluck said, "So, you tell me if I'm on their mind. Look at the date. It was like a week-and-a-half after they won the Super Bowl. So you tell me if I'm a marked man. I can't wait until we go to Pittsburgh. You just asked the right question. You asked the perfect question. I've been trying to save it, but it was just the perfect opportunity."

Bulluck said he has no intention of stomping on any more towels, but that he might bury the towel in Pittsburgh.

--Rookie TE Jared Cook is getting a crash course in professionalism, courtesy of veteran TE Alge Crumpler.

"Crump is like a coach. Crump has been around the league for a long time," Cook said. "He has a lot of wisdom to share. Every time I come off, he'll tell me the little things that I need to correct, which is very helpful in the meeting rooms when we're watching the field. It's just day by day, he's always in my head, helping me. It's just great to have somebody like that around."

Crumpler is happy to help the rookie the same way Reggie Kelly and Brian Kozlowski helped break him in with Crumpler was a rookie with the Atlanta Falcons.

"I'd do it for anybody, but he's got special talent, and in order for him to reach that full potential, it's important that he attacks this game as a professional every single day," Crumpler said.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Right before we'd go out to battle, we would give handshakes to everybody coming out of that locker room, coaches, players, staff, anybody wearing a Titans uniform, and just look them in the eye for that final confirmation that we're all ready. He and I would stand out front and at the very last moment, turn to each other and say, 'I love you,' and embrace and go out to war." -- Former Titans RB Eddie George on his favorite memory of slain teammate Steve McNair.

MEDICAL WATCH: Titans C Kevin Mawae (elbow) might not practice too often in the early part of training camp, but is still expected to be back for most of camp and preseason as he recovers from surgery on a torn biceps tendon. Mawae said he has already been able to resume normal life activities for quite some time now.

FRANCHISE PLAYER: TE Bo Scaife: Tendered at $4.462M (signed tender April 28).

TRANSITION PLAYER: None.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (not tendered)

--CB Reynaldo Hill (not tendered as UFA June 1).

--WR Justin McCareins (not tendered as UFA June 1).

--CB Tyrone Poole (not tendered as UFA June 1).

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.

DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED

--TE Jared Cook (3/89): $2.45M/4 yrs, $700,000 SB; 2009 cap: $485,000.

--CB Ryan Mouton (3/94): $2.415M/4 yrs, $665,000 SB: 2009 cap: $476,350.

--LB Gerald McRath (4/130): Terms unknown.

--OT Troy Kropog (4/135): $2.15M/4 yrs, $400,000 SB; 2009 cap: $410,000.

--CB Jason McCourty (6/203): Terms unknown.

--WR Dominique Edison (7/206): Terms unknown.

--OG Ryan Durand (7/239): Terms unknown.

--S Nick Schommer (7/242): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

PLAYERS RE-SIGNED

--LB Colin Allred: ERFA; terms unknown.

--PK Rob Bironas: Potential UFA; $12M/4 yrs, $5M guaranteed.

--QB Kerry Collins: UFA; $14M/2 yrs, $4M SB/$8.5M guaranteed; 2009 cap: $6.5M.

--S Vince Fuller: FA; terms unknown.

--P Craig Hentrich: UFA; $1.8M/1 yr, guarantees unknown.

--TE Bo Scaife: Franchise FA; $4.462M/1 yr.

--DT Kevin Vickerson: Potential RFA; $535,000/1 yr.

PLAYERS ACQUIRED

--CB DeMarcus Faggins: UFA Texans; 2 yrs, terms unknown.

--DT Jovan Haye: UFA Buccaneers; $16M/4 yrs, guarantees unknown.

--WR/KR Mark Jones: UFA Panthers; terms unknown.

--QB Patrick Ramsey: UFA Broncos; 1 yr, terms unknown.

--WR Nate Washington: UFA Steelers; terms unknown.

PLAYERS LOST

--CB/KR Chris Carr: UFA Ravens; $5M/2 yrs, guarantees unknown.

--DT Albert Haynesworth: UFA Redskins; $100M/7 yrs, $41M guaranteed.

--WR Brandon Jones: UFA 49ers; $16.6M/5 yrs, $5.4M guaranteed.

--CB Eric King: UFA Lions; $4.25M/2 yrs, SB unknown.

--OT Daniel Loper: UFA Lions; 1 yr, terms unknown.

--QB Chris Simms: UFA Broncos; $6M/2 yrs, $1.5M SB.