The Titans’ fortunes this year, and the futures of many who work for them, hinge on the progress of quarterback Jake Locker.
And at least one of his wideouts sees enough progress from Locker to compare him to one of the league’s best.
Veteran wideout Nate Washington said he sees similarities between Locker and Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, whom he played with at a similar stage in his career.
“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. That’s the same thing with Jake,” Washington said, via Terry McCormick of TitanInsider. “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.
“There are a lot of things out there that you have to learn. You’re not just gonna go out there and run faster than everybody else or be the strongest man on the field and win. You’ve got to think with your head a lot, and especially at his position, he’s gonna touch the ball every single play. He has a lot to worry about and a lot on his shoulders, but he’s grown with his thoughts and he’s grown with his mentality toward the game and understanding a lot, and we just have to make sure we do what we can to help him out.”
They’ve tweaked the offense to suit him. They’ve spent heavily to give him weapons.
And now it’s on him to live up to the expectations, even if playing at a Roethlisberger level might be an unfair one.