Titans becoming less happy with Jones by the day
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The battle over a contract for cornerback
Adam "Pacman" Jones, the sixth player selected overall in the draft and one of eight first-rounders yet to reach agreement, moved on Monday from the board room to the
Tennessee Titans' locker room.
For the most part, Tennessee veterans have all but ignored Jones' continuing absence, and downplayed the fact that the rebuilding Titans remain without a youngster expected to play a significant role in 2005. But following the Monday morning practice, several players, most notably defensive tackle
Albert Haynesworth, noted that Jones' potential impact as a rookie is being reduced every day he isn't here in camp.
And the fourth-year veteran Haynesworth opined that, when Jones arrives, he may not be greeted warmly.
"He's not going to have any favorites in this locker room if he comes in here [with the attitude] the way he left [after minicamp]," Haynesworth said. "He's got a lot of work to do. He's going to have to be covering receivers like
Marvin Harrison (of Indianapolis) and
Andre Johnson (of Houston), and right now I'm not sure he can cover a free agent."
A few players offered similar assessments, although few for attribution.
"No matter when he gets here, he's going to have to do a lot of catching up, and let's leave it at that," said linebacker
Keith Bulluck.
Said general manager Floyd Reese: "He has no idea [of the difficulty]. He thinks he is going to come in here and get an interception or two and everything is going to be quiet. But that's not the way it works. It is going to be brutal and it is going to be long."
Haynesworth missed the opening of camp in his rookie season, he acknowledged, but pointed out that part of his contract struggles were a result of not being "slotted," since the players above him and below him in the first round were not signed either. As the No. 6 pick in this year's draft, Jones is sandwiched between two players who already have contract accords, Tampa Bay tailback
Carnell "Cadillac" Williams (No. 5) and Vikings wide receiver
Troy Williamson (No. 7).
Compounding the difficult negotiations is the fact that Jones had some off-field incidents this spring that will force the Titans to contractually protect themselves, and which could dramatically reduce his signing bonus. In the latest incident, the former West Virginia star faces two counts of misdemeanor assault and a count of felony vandalism stemming from a July incident at a nightclub here.
A hearing on the case, at which it will likely be determined if charges will be dropped or another court date will be set, is set for Thursday.
"Right now," Haynesworth said, "[Jones] has been more in prison than he's been on the practice field."
Jones' agent, Michael Huyghue, told The Tennessean newspaper on Sunday night that he will arrive in Nashville this week for face-to-face bargaining with general manager Floyd Reese. Huyghue said he also wanted to meet with the local media to blunt some of the negative publicity his client has received. Because of Jones' alleged off-field issues, the contract language in any deal could be almost as crucial as the money.
In the two Monday practices, the first-unit cornerbacks were
Andre Woolfolk and
Tony Beckham, who have seven career starts between them. Counting the Monday sessions, Jones has now missed 15 practices.
Our only hope is that he understands that his actions are the reason for his troubles. If he can man up to his own faults and stop getting into trouble, he'll be a great addition to the secondary.
