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Delanie Walker unsure if he'll open camp on PUP list

Delanie Walker sat out Tennessee Titans minicamp in July, and the veteran tight end is unsure if he'll begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list.

"I'll leave that up to the coaches," Walker told Jenny Vrentas of SI.com.

Walker suffered a brutal ankle injury in Week 1 of the 2018 campaign that required surgery and wiped out his entire season. The 34-year-old took it slow with his rehab. He returned to do a few drills during OTAs but was held out of minicamp last month.

"Just stepping on the field, running routes and doing drills, that was the biggest [hurdle]," he said of his OTAs work. "I had only been running for two weeks, and being able to run routes against guys, and beating them."

The goal for a veteran like Walker is to be ready Week 1, not the start of training camp. Any work he gets in during July and August is a bonus. Expect the Titans staff to play it safe with the veteran TE.

Walker doesn't sound like he's fretting being ready for the season, even if that means starting camp on the PUP list.

"We have great coaches and training staff," he said. "They're probably not going to let me hit the ground running like I want to, but I look forward to getting into my groove."

The Titans are entering a pivotal season, especially for quarterback Marcus Mariota. Having a reliable TE weapon like Walker on the field to start the season healthy would be a huge boon for the Titans' 2019 prospects.