The Tennessee Titans are hoping for a lot of improvement this season after they drafted Marcus Mariota to front the franchise into the future. A lot of that success will come from the playmakers Tennessee brought on to aid the quarterback as the Titans remain confident they have an offense built to score. However, offseason could hold that goal back as the Titans await to hear about the future of Justin Hunter entering training camp.
According to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com, the Titans are expecting Hunter to report to training camp following an arrest for the wide receiver's role in a bar fight in Virginia Beach. The NFL is currently reviewing the case to determine what action will be taken on the receiver after he was charged with malicious wounding of a man who suffered a broken jaw. The Titans have remained relatively quiet on the issue saying they will wait to hear what the NFL says, but Hunter is on thinner ice than before.
David Ammenheuser of the Tennessean reports that the best route for the Titans to take with Hunter is to simply release the wide receiver. Prior to offseason workouts, the Titans made it very clear that Hunter had a lot of improving to do, something the wide receiver was aware of. After offseason additions like Dorial Green-Beckham, Harry Douglas and Hakeem Nicks, Hunter's place on the depth chart became a question and now the Titans have the players to make a release easy to deal with.
It is unclear what the team will do with Hunter. If no further action is taken by the league, this could be handled in-house and the team could simply let competition play out. Green-Beckham is expected to contend for a starting spot while Nicks and Mariota have been getting together for workouts prior to camp. According to ESPN.com the two trained together in Nashville as the wide receiver looks to resurrect his career in the league.
The competition between wide receivers will be a fun storyline in Tennessee. Douglas comes in after a successful stint with the Atlanta Falcons. Both Wright and Hunter have been put on notice, while tight end Delanie Walker returns after leading the offense last season. Mariota is expected to take advantage of all his options as the quarterback told the media he is more focused on making the offense successful rather than picking a No.1 receiver to throw to.