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Thumb surgery benches Bennett
Dislocation sidelines receiver indefinitely
By JIM WYATT
Staff Writer
Drew Bennett's mission heading into the season was to establish himself as a No. 1 receiver in the NFL.
The mission facing the Titans today is to go on without him.
Bennett underwent surgery yesterday to repair the dislocated left thumb he suffered in Sunday's 31-23 loss to the Bengals. He's out indefinitely, according to Titans Coach Jeff Fisher.
Doctors inserted a pin into the thumb to keep it in place. Bennett suffered the injury while trying to break up a Steve McNair pass that was intercepted by Bengals safety Kevin Kaesviharn in the fourth quarter.
"We're going to get very young now at the receiver position,'' Fisher said. "We've said a lot of good things about the young guys and we would expect them to now step up for the next couple of weeks in Drew's absence.''
Fisher said Bennett's condition will be re-evaluated in 10-14 days. After this Sunday's game against the Cardinals, the Titans play the Raiders on Oct. 30, the Browns on Nov. 6, then have a bye before facing the Jaguars on Nov. 20.
Dr. Terry Light, past president of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and currently a professor of orthopedic surgery at Loyola University Medical School in Chicago, has no knowledge of the specifics of Bennett's injury. But Light said similar injuries require a patient to have the pin in place for 3-6 weeks, during which time it needs to be protected with a cast.
After that the thumb will probably need some kind of protection for several more weeks, if not the rest of the season, Light said.
"It would be difficult for the so-called skill players, the people that need to handle the football,'' Light said. "It is really problematic.''
Titans tackle Brad Hopkins had two pins inserted in his left thumb during the 2001 season and missed two games.
"The difference with me was I played in a cast for two weeks, but no one was throwing me the ball. I was able to work with it a little more than a receiver would be,'' said Hopkins, who estimated it took him almost six weeks to fully recover.
"As far as receiving, I don't know how he would catch the ball, let alone hold on to it, especially in high traffic situations. It is going to be really difficult.''
Bennett, who is second on the team in receptions behind tight end Erron Kinney, was still adjusting to the No. 1 role he inherited when the Titans released Derrick Mason in February. Now the primary option at the position is someone even less suited for the No. 1 role.
Rookie Brandon Jones has worked at No. 2 wide receiver and will be counted on even more. The same goes for third-year pro Tyrone Calico as well as rookies Roydell Williams and Courtney Roby. Fisher said Andrae Thurman should also get more reps in practice.
"We're going to have to step up and make plays every week,'' Jones said. "That young mentality is something we just have to get behind us.''
Because he'll be counted on more as a receiver, Jones is expected to relinquish punt return duties back to Thurman, who has nine returns this season.
"We are going to go out there and continue to do the things we're doing,'' McNair said on Sunday. "We just have to get the young guys ready.'' •
Jim Wyatt covers the Titans for The Tennessean. Reach him at [email protected] or 259-8015.
Thumb surgery benches Bennett
Dislocation sidelines receiver indefinitely
By JIM WYATT
Staff Writer
Drew Bennett's mission heading into the season was to establish himself as a No. 1 receiver in the NFL.
The mission facing the Titans today is to go on without him.
Bennett underwent surgery yesterday to repair the dislocated left thumb he suffered in Sunday's 31-23 loss to the Bengals. He's out indefinitely, according to Titans Coach Jeff Fisher.
Doctors inserted a pin into the thumb to keep it in place. Bennett suffered the injury while trying to break up a Steve McNair pass that was intercepted by Bengals safety Kevin Kaesviharn in the fourth quarter.
"We're going to get very young now at the receiver position,'' Fisher said. "We've said a lot of good things about the young guys and we would expect them to now step up for the next couple of weeks in Drew's absence.''
Fisher said Bennett's condition will be re-evaluated in 10-14 days. After this Sunday's game against the Cardinals, the Titans play the Raiders on Oct. 30, the Browns on Nov. 6, then have a bye before facing the Jaguars on Nov. 20.
Dr. Terry Light, past president of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and currently a professor of orthopedic surgery at Loyola University Medical School in Chicago, has no knowledge of the specifics of Bennett's injury. But Light said similar injuries require a patient to have the pin in place for 3-6 weeks, during which time it needs to be protected with a cast.
After that the thumb will probably need some kind of protection for several more weeks, if not the rest of the season, Light said.
"It would be difficult for the so-called skill players, the people that need to handle the football,'' Light said. "It is really problematic.''
Titans tackle Brad Hopkins had two pins inserted in his left thumb during the 2001 season and missed two games.
"The difference with me was I played in a cast for two weeks, but no one was throwing me the ball. I was able to work with it a little more than a receiver would be,'' said Hopkins, who estimated it took him almost six weeks to fully recover.
"As far as receiving, I don't know how he would catch the ball, let alone hold on to it, especially in high traffic situations. It is going to be really difficult.''
Bennett, who is second on the team in receptions behind tight end Erron Kinney, was still adjusting to the No. 1 role he inherited when the Titans released Derrick Mason in February. Now the primary option at the position is someone even less suited for the No. 1 role.
Rookie Brandon Jones has worked at No. 2 wide receiver and will be counted on even more. The same goes for third-year pro Tyrone Calico as well as rookies Roydell Williams and Courtney Roby. Fisher said Andrae Thurman should also get more reps in practice.
"We're going to have to step up and make plays every week,'' Jones said. "That young mentality is something we just have to get behind us.''
Because he'll be counted on more as a receiver, Jones is expected to relinquish punt return duties back to Thurman, who has nine returns this season.
"We are going to go out there and continue to do the things we're doing,'' McNair said on Sunday. "We just have to get the young guys ready.'' •
Jim Wyatt covers the Titans for The Tennessean. Reach him at [email protected] or 259-8015.
