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HOT TOPIC
Since the Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee, the team's fans have known only one starting quarterback.
Sure Neil O'Donnell and Billy Volek got some fill-in work, but it's always been Steve McNair's job.
Now supporters will have to get used to what plenty of other NFL teams deal with regularly -- quarterback instability.
Volek, who's got a big arm but a 3-7 record as a starter, inherits the starting job but brings durability and pocket presence concerns. Rookie Vince Young is going to need a while to be ready to play.
"How things are going to fall right now, I can't be specific, but I can say that Billy is going to line up as our starter," coach Jeff Fisher said. "He inherits the role now, and we are getting Vince ready to play as quickly as we can."
Volek has indicate he's hoping to be the next Drew Brees, making such a good impression during his time as the starter that another team wants him by the time young is ready to take over.
"I'm going to take one day at a time and be thankful for each day," he said. "I've played six years in the NFL and it's been a dream and to go into my seventh year as the starter, I'm excited about it. I'm going to take this opportunity and run with it. People know what I can do and just to put a string of starts together is exciting."
Said former Titans left tackle Brad Hopkins: "This move couldn't have been made if they didn't have Billy Volek in place. Vince Young is untested. He has no battle scars. You need a guy who knows how to hold the reigns."
"Right now he's in the Chris Chandler role, preceding Steve. So he's definitely got to go out there knowing he has to mind the store."
PLAYER NOTES
--After the Steve McNair trade, the Titans have a bit more than $9.1 million of room under the salary cap and are feeling flush with freedom.
"With this move we will end up with more money than we've had over the last probably seven or eight years," GM Floyd Reese said. "We'll have money for injuries. We will have money to re-sign some of the 'core people.' We will have money to do the things that we have not been able to do for a number of years.
"It's been hard, and we all know that, but in one fell swoop here, we've gotten ourselves pretty healthy pretty quickly."
Agent Carl Poston said the Titans had not made an offer to cornerback Ty Law and he does not consider them a serious suitor.
Tennessee will carry $14.46 of dead money for McNair this season, then have him off the books for 2007.
--Tennessee struck a 10-year, $30 million stadium naming deal with Louisiana-Pacific, a locally-based building supply company. The Coliseum is now known as LP Field.
--The Titans got a fourth rounder in exchange for McNair. Mistaken reporting was everywhere saying it was a conditional pick that could turn into a third-rounder. It cannot.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Post draft, the Titans' biggest remaining hole is definitely cornerback, where the scheduled starters are second-year players Pacman Jones and Reynaldo Hill, with only Andre Woolfolk as legitimate depth. And Woolfolk was relegated to strictly coving slot receivers last season. Free agent Ty Law could be of interest, but not all of the Titans decision makers are sold on him as the right guy from their locker room, though it's now conceivable they could afford him. He visited Nashville on May 11 and passed a physical, but his agent said he doesn't consider the Titans a serious suitor.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
--CB Tony Beckham (not tendered June 1).
--LS Jon Dorenbos (not tendered as RFA).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
--QB Matt Mauck: Expected to be the third quarterback if the Titans draft the QB of the future and either let Steve McNair go or Billy Volek is traded.
--RB Jarrett Payton is making progress, but isn't going to be more than a role player.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--DE Kyle Vanden Bosch: Potential UFA; $22M/4 yrs, $14.5M guaranteed/$4.75M SB).
--S Donnie Nickey: RFA; $721,600/ 1 yr.
--LB Marcus Randall: ERFA; terms unknown.
--LB Cody Spencer: ERFA; terms unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--WR David Givens: UFA Patriots; $24M/5 yrs, $6M SB/$2M RB '07; 2006 cap: $2M.
--S Chris Hope: UFA Steelers; $32M/6 yrs, $5M SB.
--C Kevin Mawae: FA Jets; terms unknown.
--LB David Thornton: UFA Colts; $22M/5 yrs, $8.5M SB.
PLAYERS LOST
--LB Rocky Boiman: UFA Cowboys; $3.5M/3 yrs, $1M SB.
--C Justin Hartwig: UFA Panthers; $17M/5 yrs, $7M SB.
--OT Brad Hopkins (released).
--LB Brad Kassell: UFA Jets; terms unknown.
--QB Steve McNair: Traded Ravens.
--S Tank Williams: UFA Vikings; $900,000/1 yr.
MEDICAL WATCH: No updates.
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