When the Titans lost Eugene Amano to a season-ending injury last season, they turned the center job over to Fernando Velasco.
The move worked out well for the Titans as Velasco provided better performance than Amato in the middle of a line that needed all the help it could get. Velasco’s work made a strong enough impression on the Titans that they have decided to issue a second-round tender on the pending restricted free agent, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
If another team offers Velasco a long-term deal that the Titans choose not to match, they’ll have to fork over a second-round draft pick. If not, the Titans will either pay Velasco $2.023 million for the 2013 season or work out a longer deal that keeps Velasco in Nashville for several more years.
Velasco has started 19 games over four years with the team since joining them as an undrafted free agent. Velasco can also play guard and could wind up there if free agent Leroy Harris doesn’t return and/or the team decides to move on from veteran Steve Hutchinson.