Tennessee Titans: Jake Locker Has Great Chance to Be Week 1 Starter

Not many NFL teams are in a bigger dilemma at quarterback than the Tennessee Titans currently are, and this lockout isn't helping things the slightest bit.

Perhaps that's why the Titans drafted a quarterback with a hard-working reputation like Jake Locker, because it's going to take boat loads of hard work for Locker to learn this offense without the luxury of going through organized workouts with the team.

Locker has already been said to be planning to get together with his new teammates in the near future to start developing chemistry.

It's vital that Locker develops as much as he can during the lockout thanks to the probability of the lockout extending well into the summer. Some have even predicted it extending into the scheduled preseason, which is in August.

The fact is, the Titans have an aging Kerry Collins, who is questionable to return, a second-year player in Rusty Smith, who has shown nothing on the field, and Chris Simms, who also brings very little to the table as a starter.

That leaves a future battle for the starting quarterback job between Locker and a veteran from the outside, and who knows when that deal could be done.

This lockout is tough on all 32 NFL teams, but it's especially hard on teams that need to develop team chemistry fast. Throw the Titans in that category.

However, who knows what could happen if Locker shows up after the lockout and looks sharp as a tack with his Titans teammates. He was drafted to be the future of this franchise and clean up the mess that Vince Young and Jeff Fisher left behind.

You'd better believe that if Locker impresses the coaching staff, they'll be ready to give him the keys to the car right out of the gate.

There were previously talks that the Titans would make a run at the likes of a Kevin Kolb or a Carson Palmer, but these guys have every intention of being long-term starters and not caretakers.

One thing that Locker has going for him is that he's got a great offensive coordinator in Chris Palmer waiting to start grooming him into a future NFL star.

Palmer has the credentials of working with such quarterbacks as Drew Bledsoe, Tony Romo and Eli Manning. All three saw significant improvements in their passer ratings while playing under Palmer's direction.

The lockout is leaving everyone a little anxious at what to expect at quarterback, but at least the Titans know they have a hard worker ready to go instead of a guy that has concerns in character and work ethic.

In regards to the lockout, the Titans probably took the perfect guy for the unfortunate situation they find themselves in.