Monday ended up as a day for teams to lock up key special-teams players.
The Tennessee Titans agreed to a one-year contract with running back Jackie Battle, The Tennessean reported. That followed the Oakland Raiders' signing of corner/special-teams player Taiwan Jones.
Battle rushed for 142 yards with a touchdown on 36 carries in 2013, but he makes his bread on special teams.
"The past three years I didn't know where I was going to be or if I was going to be somewhere until right before training camp," Battle said. "So it's great to know early, and I'm glad the Titans thought enough of me to want to bring me back."
Locking up the third-string running back will have little-to-no bearing on the future of first-string running back Chris Johnson. Due $8 million next season, CJ2K is expected to be released unless he bends on his stance of not wanting to take a pay cut.
As for Battle, he enters his eighth season as a backup running back. He did have a modicum of success in 2012 with the San Diego Chargers, and he rushed for 597 yards in 2011 for the Kansas City Chiefs. He provides the Titans some veteran backfield depth, especially in short-yardage situations.
On the latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast," the guys talk about the Jim Harbaugh drama in San Francisco and discuss who made the most striking impression at the NFL Scouting Combine.
