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Delanie Walker

Titans tight end might start camp on PUP list

There’s a blurb on SI.com suggesting Delanie Walker might begin training camp on the PUP list. He’s going to be 35 next month, so that’s one to keep an eye on.

Walker suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 1 last year, but he sounds as if he isn’t in danger of being ready for the start of the season. “I’ll leave that up to the coaches,” he told Jenny Vrentas of Sports Illustarted. “They’re probably not going to let me hit the ground running like I want to, but I look forward to getting into my groove.”

If Walker is healthy and hasn’t lost too much, he could be the most underrated of the top tight ends. He’s not a dynamic athlete and he’s an older guy, but he’s long had a strong rapport with Marcus Mariota – a security blanket type of guy.

The Titans have strengthened their receiving corps. Entering his third year, Corey Davis could be ready to be a breakout kind of season. They’ve signed Adam Humphries and drafted A.J. Brown. Their receivers coach was talking up Taywan Taylor last week.

But Walker is the one guy who’s proven he can reliably produce with Mariota. Mariota doesn’t seem to be much of a downfield passer, but he’s been comfortable throwing short balls to Walker in the middle of the field.

Last year was a disaster, of course, but Walker put up top-5 PPR numbers in each of the three previous season. In the 2015-17 seasons, Walker finished with three of the top 18 seasons by tight ends.

TOP 30 TIGHT ENDS (last 4 years)
YearPlayerNoYardsTDPPRRk
2018Travis Kelce, K.C.1031,33610296.61
2018Zach Ertz, Phil.1161,1638280.32
2018George Kittle, S.F.881,3775258.73
2015Rob Gronkowski, N.E.721,17611255.61
2015Jordan Reed, Was.8795211248.22
2015Delanie Walker, Ten.941,0886244.43
2015Gary Barnidge, Clev.791,0439237.34
2017Travis Kelce, K.C.831,0388235.51
2015Greg Olsen, Car.771,1047229.45
2017Rob Gronkowski, N.E.691,0848227.42
2018Eric Ebron, Ind.6675014224.24
2016Travis Kelce, K.C.851,1254223.01
2016Kyle Rudolph, Min.838407209.02
2016Greg Olsen, Car.801,0733207.33
2017Zach Ertz, Phil.748248204.43
2018Jared Cook, Oak.688966193.65
2015Travis Kelce, K.C.728755193.56
2016Jimmy Graham, Sea.659236193.34
2015Benjamin Watson, N.O.748256192.57
2015Tyler Eifert, Cin.5261513191.58
2016Delanie Walker, Ten.658007188.15
2016Zach Ertz, Phil.788164183.66
2017Delanie Walker, Ten.748074178.54
2017Evan Engram, NYG647226173.65
2017Jack Doyle, Ind.806904173.06
2015Zach Ertz, Phil.758532172.39
2016Cameron Brate, T.B.576608171.07
2017Jimmy Graham, Sea.5752010171.07
2016Dennis Pitta, Balt.867292170.98
2016Jordan Reed, Was.666866170.69

—Ian Allan

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