NASHVILLE — Quarterback Jake Locker is hopes to put his best foot, and even his injured foot, forward after this week taking part in team drills for the first time week since suffering a Lisfranc injury last year and missing the final seven games of the 2013 season.
Locker is in the final year of his rookie contract with the Titans after Tennessee declined a $14 million option earlier this offseason. That means that 2014 is make-or-break for Jake as the Titans starting quarterback.
Locker is also busy learning his third system in four years in Tennessee, but said he has found Ken Whisenhunt’s quarterback friendly system — one that helped Ben Roethlisberger cut his teeth as an NFL quarterback and revitalized the sagging careers of Kurt Warner and Philip River — to his liking.
Locker said Whisenhunt and offensive coordinator Jason Michael have been flexible in suiting their offense to his style of play.
“The one thing that I’ve felt thus far is that it’s open discussion. ‘Hey, do you like this? Have you done something similar?’” Locker said. “There’s open dialogue on both sides to find a comfort zone with plays they like calling and plays I like running and feel confident running. I think it’s a comfortable collaboration from both of us to find something that works for everybody.”
As for his injured foot, Locker said the injury is mostly a thing of the past, after he spent months rehabbing the injury following surgery.
“I felt really good moving around. It was the first time I’ve been able to go in team periods, 11 on 11 and I felt comfortable today,” he said. “… I’m just kind of managing the stiffness and soreness that I might get from doing it, but barring any big setbacks I hope to keep moving forward and make it something of the past.”
Whisenhunt was impressed that Locker’s return came ahead of schedule.
“It’s a credit to Jake for working hard. It was good to get him out there, going through the team. That was a big piece of it,” Whisenhunt said. “But it was just the first day, so we’ve got to continue to see how that progresses. … I respect the way he has come in here and worked.”