NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Promising young Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tajae Sharpe took a shot on an early catch that left him being evaluated for a concussion Saturday night. To the team’s relief, Sharpe is not in the concussion protocol and will be on the field Monday night when the team returns to practice, coach Mike Mularkey said Sunday.
“He is doing well, he should practice tomorrow,” Mularkey said. "We did a full evaluation of him and he had no symptoms today and should practice tomorrow night."
The 31-yard catch by Sharpe came on the Titans' second play from scrimmage in a 27-10 preseason-opening win over San Diego. Marcus Mariota threw to him with two defensive backs in close range and fit the ball in nicely but left Sharpe in position to take a blow. Cornerback Jason Verrett delivered a big hit that snapped Sharpe’s head back as he went to the ground near the left sideline.
“The coverage kind of really forced Marcus to be a little bit late on the throw,” Mularkey said. “Originally, where the safety was in the coverage -- it was very deceiving, the coverage. But for him to find [Sharpe] again, where he was, was I thought an outstanding thing the way it unfolded.”
Missed time for Sharpe would have been a setback for an offense that is still jelling. The fifth-round pick out of UMass has been starting opposite Rishard Matthews since about halfway through the team’s spring organized team activities.
In other injury news, second-year offensive tackle Josue Matias is heading for IR as he’s scheduled to have surgery to repair a patella tear in his knee. He had been backing up Taylor Lewan but was out against the Chargers, when starting left guard Quinton Spain played second-team left tackle.
The Titans are inexperienced as tackle and could well use their No. 1 slot on the waiver wire to grab a guy who comes free and could spell Lewan or right tackle Jack Conklin without a lot of practice time.
Outside linebacker Kevin Dodd has been out since early in the offseason because of surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot. Mularkey said Dodd is close to being activated off of the physically unable to perform list.
