Under normal conditions, new Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer would be months into working one-on-one with Jake Locker, the rookie quarterback selected with the No. 8 overall pick in April's NFL draft.
But with the lockout preventing Palmer from coaching or even speaking with Locker, the veteran coach has tried to plug the gap with film study, *The Tennessean* reported Sunday.
So far, Palmer likes what he sees. After watching hundreds of hours of Locker's work at the University of Washington, Palmer cited the rookie's toughness and "personality" -- and told the newspaper that the quarterback's style of play is a good fit for the Titans' offense.
"We have not been a big quick-game passing team here," Palmer said. "The (previous) coaching staff had a reason -- and it was a very sound reason -- why they didn't do a lot of it. But if we are playing with a young quarterback, we know that they are going to blitz him. So the quick game has to be a part of us."
Palmer, hired in February to join new coach Mike Munchak's first Titans staff, acknowledged he's itching to work with the offense.
"I'm anxious. We're all anxious," said Palmer, who added that Locker's potential will require managing.
"There are things you think they can do, and then you get on the field and say, 'Hmm, maybe they can't do it,'Â " Palmer said. "We can't do that right now, so we're trying to speed up the process."
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Palmer assured the Titans' faithful earlier this month that if Locker turns out to be the best quarterback on the roster, he will start.
Palmer, who noted that Munchak and Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt have declared the starting quarterback job an open competition, recalled being with the New England Patriots when they drafted Drew Bledsoe and brought in a veteran to hold the starting job until they believed he was ready.
"Ten days into camp, it was very clear to players, the coaches, the fans that Bledsoe was our best quarterback ...," Palmer said. "As this lockout continues, we may have to pare down some of the things we do, but I don't think it'll affect our play on the field. And when they're ready to play, they're ready to play."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
