Tennessee Titans Morning Links: Titans and CJ2K Thawing The Ice Edition

Best news of the day: several reports are coming out saying that the Titans and Chris Johnson are getting along much better than they had been lately. Mike Lombardi thinks the Titans are warming up to the idea of a long-term contract extension for CJ2K, which probably means CJ2K and his agent have been discussing more realistic salary numbers with the franchise.

David Boclair takes a look back at the McNair murder and asks: Did anyone learn anything from it? The answer is no, because a senseless murder by a mentally unstable woman-child doesn't give you much to grow on. if you're the type of fella to step out on your wife, then the 1 in 3,000,000,000 chance that it'll cost you your life probably isn't enough to dissuade you.

The battle for the second cornerback spot has essentially narrowed down to four players: Tye Hill, Alterraun Verner, Ryan Mouton and Jason McCourty. It sounds like the competition remains wide open, and it'll be decided in training camp. You'd have to expect that Mouton and McCourty have the advantage since they had a full year in the system. It's also a touchy spot because the winner will be a starter, while the next in line will plummet down the depth chart to the 4th CB spot since Vinny Fuller is solid at the nickel spot.

Fisher is playing it close to the vest when it comes to Gerald McRath: will he run with the starters in training camp, or will he have to give way for whomever is tabbed to replace him while he's suspended for cheating? In all honesty, the answer will greatly depend on who fills that spot: If it's an experienced Titan like Tully or Thornton, then they can probably do well by splitting the first-team reps. If the guy turns out to be someone more like Allred or Winborn, then McRath may be practicing with the back-ups until his 4 game suspension is satisfied.

The coaching staff seem to be actually working on letting Cortland Finnegan play both sides of the field, so that he will lock-up on the opposition's best WR. Cort had been stuck on the left side exclusively because it's the way our defensive system has worked (which is a style that's worked out pretty well for Nnamdi Asomugha), but hopefully Cort will pick-up some pointers while he's spending July working out with the Jets' Darrelle Revis.

ESPN's Elizabeth Merrill profiles the young woman who murdered Steve McNair before killing herself by bringing up nothing that you don't already know if you've followed the aftermath of this tragedy. Of course there's a mention of the idiocy of Vincent Hill and the inane belief that ninjas must have been the real culprits.
/dismissive wanking motion.

Mark Wheeler (?) of the City Paper gives us a great quote from Bo Scaife regarding why he ended his hold-out:

"I missed four or five OTAs, and I got tired of VY calling me and telling me about practice. I just wanted to come back and get a little taste."

More proof Lane Kiffin is a delusional jackass: he's been trying to get our new RB coach Kennedy Pola to leave the Titans and got to USC, where he'd hold the exact same position for (most likely) less money on a team that just got donkey punched by the NCAA. Of course, who wouldn't want to voluntary take a demotion...

Former-Titan RB, and current Seahawks player, Quinton Ganther got popped with a DUI over the Holiday weekend.

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