NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans are choosing to be cautious now that they finally have their first-round draft pick in training camp, so wide receiver Kenny Britt's sore right hamstring has landed him on the physically unable to perform list.
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Britt signed a five-year, $12.25 million deal, with $6.5 million guaranteed, on Saturday night, and since he was just 10 miles away from Titans camp, he reported the next day. But Titans officials checking out the former Rutgers wideout discovered that the hamstring he injured in May wasn't completely healed, so Britt walked out for his first practice with a slight limp and watched as his teammates worked without him.
"After the evaluation, it was apparent he could probably fight his way through practice," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said of Britt. "But with the experience that we've been through in the past, it would really be subjecting him to reinjuring the hamstring."
Britt could be back by the middle of the week, and Fisher said the team might wait a week before allowing the No. 30 overall pick to practice. Fisher wouldn't rule Britt out of the Titans' Aug. 9 preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills in the Hall of Fame Game.
The Titans hadn't drafted a wide receiver in the first round since Kevin Dyson in 1998, and Britt is just the third wideout ever drafted by this franchise. The Titans want to get the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Britt on the field to give veteran quarterback Kerry Collins more targets to boost an offense that averaged 176.2 passing yards per game last season.
Britt said he's frustrated at not being able to practice but happy to be with his teammates.
"People are watching me, and they're really hoping to see what I can do when I come on the field," Britt said. "But it puts no pressure on me because as the coaches said, I'm going to come in and ... whatever they ask me to do, I'm going to do."
Britt said he spent the break between the last organized activity in late June and training camp working with his old trainers at Rutgers. He believed he was feeling better. His worst hamstring injury in college lasted no more than a couple weeks.
"I really pulled it this time," Britt said.
Britt finished with reporters, then hopped over a railing to head back into the team's locker room.
Linebacker Keith Bulluck promised that Britt won't receive a free pass from his teammates, especially not from himself -- the team's last draft pick taken at No. 30 overall in 2000.
"I look at him as my own special rookie," Bulluck said.
The linebacker also pointed out how other receivers are taking advantage of Britt's absence, noting plays made Sunday by Lavelle Hawkins and Chris Davis and also rookie tight end Jared Cook.
"That would motivate me if I were him," Bulluck said. "I don't know how cool it is to be a first-round draft pick not practicing, walking around smiling."
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
