The Facts: Mariota has shed the walking boot on his surgically repaired right leg and is back home in Hawaii, where the Titans' franchise quarterback is running on the beach as part of his rehab from a broken fibula suffered Dec. 24 in Jacksonville. He expects to be ready for training camp.
Diehards Line:
Mariota originally was given a four- to five-month timetable for his recovery. He expects to return to Nashville for the start of organized team activities in late May, and said his ability to take part in OTAs will be re-evaluated at that time. Remember: HC Mike Mularkey has said the team will be overly cautious with Mariota, who has yet to play a complete 16-game season, missing four games with knee injuries as a rookie and last year’s season finale. Still, Mariota, who has spent much of the offseason at Oregon, said that he has hit all of the Titans’ benchmarks in his recovery. “As long as I continue on this path, I’ll be ready to go once fall comes around,” he added.