Delanie Walker’s progression in rehab
Veteran tight end Delanie Walker, who will be 35 next month, is coming off a broken ankle that forced him to miss all but one game last season. Throughout 2018, it was abundantly clear how much he was missed by the Tennessee Titans’ quarterback.
In the four years prior, Walker totaled 800 yards or more (1,088 in 2015) and averaged five touchdowns per season. In that time, Walker became Mariota’s favorite target and vital to the team’s passing offense.
Nothing has changed in 2019. Yes, the Titans have more weapons in the passing game than ever before, but Walker still remains vital as a reliable target for Mariota. His return should be closely watched as a result.
Walker has made it clear he is a candidate to start training camp on the PUP list, however that isn’t concerning. He can still be activated at anytime after and the real goal is to have him ready for Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns.
We’ll get plenty of updates on where Walker stands throughout camp, regardless of if he hits the PUP list or not. A veteran like Walker, who keeps himself in great shape and has tons of experience, doesn’t necessarily need to practice a ton to be ready.
The Titans are playing the long game with Walker. Don’t be surprised or concerned if he ends up on the PUP list for camp. It’ll only be time to start worrying if he can’t make it back for Week 1, which at this point he is expected to be ready for.