Titans wideout Corey Davis will be working his way into Marcus Mariota's progression slowly.
How slowly?
"There won't be a snap] count," [Titans head coach Mike Mularkey said Monday, via ESPN.com. "We'll have him in on specific situations and see where he goes from there."
Davis battled both contract issues and a hamstring injury this preseason -- a double whammy that can wipe out any chance of developing chemistry with a starting quarterback during the offseason. When it comes to a rookie in Mularkey's offense, it could also mean an exceptionally well-planned assimilation into the offense.
It's important to believe Mularkey here when he talks about specific situational usage for rookies. Last year, I wrote about the sometimes puzzling utilization of Derrick Henry which, according to ESPN.com at the time, amounted to a portion of time where the Titans are leading with four minutes to go in either half. Some of that was thanks to an unexpectedly productive season from DeMarco Murray, but there is no doubt that Mularkey wants his younger players to earn larger roles by mastering smaller ones first -- a reason we saw a lot of Henry near the goal line this preseason.
The Titans heavily upgraded their offense this offseason, with Davis, a player receiving comparisons to Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant, at the center of their rebuild. At times this preseason, Mariota flashed some improved mechanics in the passing game and the idea of him combining those talents with a top-five caliber wide receiver are enticing. Like all good things, they will be worth the wait. And wait we will for a true Davis reveal in Nashville.
