Jake Locker is likely playing for his career this season. Rookie quarterbacks have made immediate impacts in the league and the Tennessee Titans are still waiting for Locker to emerge and perform at that level.
“I was there in Ben’s second year, and right away you kind of understood that — even in his second year — he was gonna be a good quarterback, a guy that could make plays,” Washington told Terry McCormick of TitanInsider. “That’s the same thing with Jake. He’s a guy who can make plays. I tell everybody all the time, this is football, and it’s a gladiator sport, but it’s not a dumb man’s sport.”
Other than arm strength and gun slinger mentality there isn’t much similar between Locker and a young Big Ben.
ESPN’s Ron Jaworski prodded Locker on Monday as having a “long way to go.”
But the Titans camp remains optimistic that new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains will help Locker succeed. He already had Locker remove the wristband in an effort to force him to fully know and understand the playbook. It could also serve a secondary purpose of helping him emerge as a leader in the huddle.
Loggains’ plan includes zone blocking, play action, rollouts and bootlegs.
“Everyone — everyone — wants to see him succeed,” third string quarterback Rusty Smith told NFL.com