By CRAIG PETERS, Titans Online

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Titans general manager Ruston Webster believes it is imperative to give every man a plan.

Executives, scouts and coaches have spent hours, weeks and months gathering information in preparation of the 2012 Draft, which starts at 7 p.m. (CT) today and concludes Saturday. In addition to examining each player’s attributes and body of work, the discussions have focused on developing individual plans for particular players and how execution of those plans will accomplish the team’s overall objectives.

Webster, who has been involved in some capacity in every NFL Draft since 1988, said he and second-year head coach Mike Munchak talked about the importance that everyone involved in a decision is on the same page and knows how a player will fit into a scheme.

“The worst thing you can do is draft a guy and not really have a plan for how you are going to use him or how they are going to play or fit with your group,” Webster said during a pre-draft press conference. “That’s really the big thing. We go through that with (defensive coordinator) Jerry Gray, (offensive coordinator) Chris Palmer, the position coaches, and we talk through that.”

Munchak, who has participated in previous drafts as an assistant coach, said it is “very productive” for the coaches to effectively communicate with scouts.

“They do a great job of telling the scouts upstairs exactly what we’re looking for, what the individual coaches, what the coordinators are looking for,” Munchak said. “Sometimes you can narrow it down a lot better. We already have a feel because that type of discussion has already happened. We feel confident that we’re going to get some very good football players and all feel very good about it.”

Draft positions fluctuate from year to year, depending on how well the previous season went and not including a trade. The overall number of selection in the first round, combined with immediate and longer-term needs of a team can affect the choices that teams make.

There are some consistencies that decision makers can apply each year, said Webster, who served as Titans vice president of player personnel during the 2010 and 2011 drafts. Webster was promoted to general manager in January.

Some of the tenets of Webster’s philosophy include trusting the information the staff has gathered and placing value on the grade assessment of abilities. Webster usually isn’t inclined to trade up in the drafting order because doing so can cost picks, but he may consider trading down in order to gain picks.

“I think you just have to be careful about what you’re reading and you have to trust your scouts and your coaches and what you’ve seen and work off that,” Webster said. “I think that’s been one of the strong points of the Titans through the years. I hope we continue that. We’ll rely on our own people and we’ll just make decisions off the grades that we’ve given to players throughout the year.”

Then, there is also the need to balance skills, attributes and potential of available players against team needs.

“It’s easy to sit here and say what you’d like to have, but the question is what’s going to be available when it comes to our turn to pick,” Munchak said. “Then, is it really an upgrade on what we already have in the building? I think it’s more just people that fit our system and what we’re doing. You’re looking for players like Ruston mentioned already, you’re watching a guy that may be a great football player that we talk about but doesn’t necessarily fit what we’re going to do.”

Munchak, who became head coach and began building his staff and implementing plans in February 2011, laid much of the foundation in the 2011 season when the Titans exceeded outsiders’ expectations and finished 9-7. He said the Titans will use the next three days try strengthen what they’ve already developed.

“I think we have guys in all positions that we want,” Munchak said. “It’s now just a matter of creating competition, maybe, or drafting somebody we feel can immediately play because when you draft a player with the 20^th pick in the draft or whatever, you want to draft a guy that you have a plan for, that can come in and actually have a chance to play right away and help.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Titans aren’t on the clock yet, but general manager Ruston Webster and head coach Mike Munchak said Tuesday that they are “ready to roll.”

The 2012 NFL Draft begins at 7 p.m. (CT) Thursday with the first round from Radio City Music Hall in New York. It continues at 6 p.m. Friday with the second and third rounds and concludes Saturday with rounds four through seven.

The event has blossomed into a major event that warrants prime time coverage and significant media attention, but is the product of hours of film study, tedious analysis and forthright discussions among Titans executives and scouts that occur with much less bravado.

“First of all, I want to start by saying how happy I am with the way the process has worked,” Webster said during Tuesday’s pre-draft press conference at Baptist Sports Park. “For about the last week-and-a-half, we’ve been in with our scouts and coaches and just solidifying the draft board. We’re in pretty good shape there now. We went through every position with every coach and every scout. Our coaches did an outstanding job of doing their work, and our scouts are very prepared. I think at this point in time, we’re ready to roll.”

The Titans have a total of seven selections, including the 20^th overall pick on Thursday. Webster, who was promoted in January from his position as vice president of player personnel, said the Titans usually project 21 to 25 players as first-round selections.

The amount of time teams have to make a selection after “going on the clock” is different for different rounds, but Webster said the Titans have a system that allows for conditions that change when a preceding team selects a player that the Tennessee scouts had in mind.

“We’ll have a group of six players kind of lined up there the way we would take them,” Webster said. “When one of them gets taken, someone else will come on that list and we’ll just keep moving up that way. That way, there’s no panic in the room and probably not even too much discussion.”

Webster participated in his first NFL Draft in 1988 as a regional scout with Tampa Bay and has been involved in each since, including 2010 and 2011 with Tennessee. He said he has found six players to be a good working number to allow some flexibility, but maintain efficient decision making.

“Experience tells you one of those guys will be there,” Webster said. “I guess the point for us is to have a pool of players and when somebody drops off that list to have somebody else to come on it. We’ll just keep working the list.”

Munchak, a longtime assistant coach, said he has been looking forward to his second draft as head coach. He said this year has been different because he was able to spend more time at the pre-draft combine in Indianapolis in February. In 2011, Munchak was still building his coaching staff at the time of the combine.

“Last year, I was hired during that time and was hiring coaches, so I wasn’t involved at all in the first run-through of seeing possible college draft picks,” Munchak said. “This year was nice because I was able to spend a week to 10 days with the scouts, start getting a feel for the strengths of the draft and getting to know some of these guys.”

Munchak said he also gained additional evaluative experience in the past year to help consider players at other positions than just offensive line, which was his specialty as an assistant.

Thursday will mark the second time in Titans/Oilers franchise history to select from the 20^th overall spot. In 1987, when the franchise was still the Houston Oilers, the team selected wide receiver Haywood Jeffires from N.C. State. Jeffires made 515 catches in his career, which is second best in franchise history.

The Titans drafted quarterback Jake Locker out of Washington in the first round last year with the eighth overall pick. Tennessee then drafted defensive players with four of their next five selections, including second-rounder Akeem Ayers who started all 16 games in 2011 and produced results at linebacker. The Titans were happily surprised that Ayers was still available at the 39^th overall slot.

Webster said the Titans will focus more on their plans than the actions of other teams, but will be prepared for all scenarios.

“You try never to fall in love with one guy,” Webster said. “Jake was somebody we targeted last year, but even in that case, you have to be ready just in case that player is not there. We had a pool of players at that point in time as well. We’ll do the same thing (this year).”

NASHVILLE, Tenn.-- The Tennessee Titans return to the primetime football lineup with games against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football and their long-time rival the Pittsburgh Steelers on NFL Network. The Titans will open the 2012 season against the reigning AFC Champion New England Patriots at LP Field on September 9th.

• 2012 Schedule (PDF)

“It is obviously exciting to open the season at home against a quality opponent in New England,” said head coach Mike Munchak. “They have been one of the best teams in the league for a number of years and the game will be a great test for us.

“What stands out to me is the two home primetime games. We didn’t have any last year and those are fun for our fans and an opportunity to showcase our team.

“The bye falls really late, but hopefully the Thursday night game in October will give us a long weekend and extra days to get players some rest. The final six games feature four division games and five AFC games, so it gives us a chance to control our own destiny down the stretch.”

The Titans schedule features home games against New England, New York Jets, Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Houston, Indianapolis and Jacksonville. Tennessee will travel to Buffalo, Miami, Green Bay, Minnesota, San Diego, Houston, Indianapolis and Jacksonville.

Again this year, the NFL will feature “flexible scheduling” for the Sunday night game in Weeks 11-17. Teams will be given two weeks notice if a game is moving from an afternoon game to a night contest.

The Titans 2012 schedule contains several interesting stories:

• The schedule features six games against 2011 playoff teams: Houston (twice), New England, Pittsburgh, Green Bay and Detroit. The Titans will face three of these six opponents in the first four games of the schedule.

• Former Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will return to Nashville for the first time as the head coach of the Detroit Lions.

• The Titans will make their first regular season trips to Green Bay and Minnesota since 2004.

• This is the first year without a three-game home stand or three-game road trip since 2008.

• This will mark the 7th Monday Night Football game played at LP Field and first since 2008 (Indianapolis).

• Since byes were introduced into the NFL in 1990, this is the latest bye in franchise history.

• This will be the first time the Titans have finished the regular season at home since 2006.

Titans QB Jake Locker's youth football camp will take place June 16-17 at Battle Ground Academy from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Locker will be on site to direct camp activities and provide instruction during the two-day event. He will be joined by a selection of the top prep and collegiate coaches from the Nashville area.

The camp is open to boys and girls ages 7 to 14 and focuses on team concepts and fundamentals of football. Groups will be small to ensure that each camper gets personalized instruction. Locker will also give daily talks highlighting the finer points of the game of football and beyond.

Each camper will receive an autographed camp team photo with Locker, a camp T-shirt, goodie bag and the opportunity to win additional prizes.

Cost of the camp is $149.

Additional information and registration is available by visiting www.JakeLockerProCamp.com or calling 888-389-CAMP (2267).

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. --The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms with defensive end Kamerion Wimbley on a multi-year contract.

“He is an excellent athlete, who has natural pass rusher traits – ability to bend, get low and has a nice feel for using his hands,” said Titans general manager Ruston Webster. “I liked him coming out of Florida State as 4-3 defensive end and he will return to that role with us.  In addition to that, his time as a 3-4 rusher gives him added versatility.”

“Kamerion has been a very productive player in this league and is a good pro,” added Titans head coach Mike Munchak. “On passing downs over the last few years, he has played with his hand down in Oakland and he will playing full-time at defensive end for us. I feel like he is coming into the best years of his career and his skills will help us pressure the passer.”

A six-year NFL veteran, Wimbley (6-4, 255) has totaled 42.5 career sacks in 94 regular season starts. He played the last two seasons with the Oakland Raiders, after starting his career with the Cleveland Browns (2006-09). In his two seasons with the Raiders, he registered 32 starts and 16 sacks, including seven last year with one interception.

As a rookie in Cleveland, he totaled 11 sacks, which was a Browns rookie record and the second highest that season by an NFL rookie. Wimbley racked up 26.5 sacks in his four seasons with the Browns.

Wimbley was originally a first-round pick (13th overall) by the Cleveland Browns in the 2006 NFL Draft from Florida State.

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The Tennessee Titans promoted Mike Reinfeldt to Senior Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer after serving as the team’s General Manager for the past five seasons, and Ruston Webster was elevated to Executive Vice President/General Manager after serving two seasons as the Titans Vice President of Player Personnel. Additionally, Lake Dawson has been promoted to Vice President of Player Personnel.

Reinfeldt will oversee all aspects of the organization - both football and non-football - in Nashville and will report to Titans owner K.S. “Bud” Adams, Jr.. Webster will assume control of all football operations for the team.

“Mike has done a nice job for us as our general manager, but I believe we need someone in place who oversees the entire franchise there in Nashville,” said Adams. “Mike is uniquely qualified for that position with his previous experience. Our VP’s have done an outstanding job over the past couple of years managing their departments, but this will streamline things to have someone on site to direct the entire organization and who will execute things the way I want them done.

“With this shuffle, we really have the best of both worlds – as you might remember our final two candidates when we were filling the general manager position five years ago were Mike (Reinfeldt) and Ruston Webster. We now have both of them working for us and Ruston will take over the General Manager role.”

Head coach Mike Munchak called Webster a "great talent evaluator."

“This is a great decision by Mr. Adams to keep a group of good people together," Munchak said. "Ruston is a ready for this job. He did a great job last year with the draft – organizing things, involving all of the parties, evaluating the talent, communicating through the draft process. His greatest access is his ability to evaluate talent and I expect that to continue and look forward to working with him. Ruston also will benefit from having Mike as a resource and a sounding board.”

“I want to thank Mr. Adams for naming me to this position,” added Reinfeldt. “I look forward to further integrating all of our departments and believe a lot of good will stem from this move. I am really happy for Ruston, because he is ready to be a general manager and I expect he will excel in that role.”

Webster has six years of experience in the Player Personnel role split between three teams – two years with the Titans, four with the Seattle Seahawks and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also served as the interim General Manager for the Seahawks for the conclusion of the 2009 season, after Tim Ruskell’s departure from the team. In addition to working in Pro Personnel, Webster has a vast depth of experience as a college scout, serving as the Director of College Scouting for Tampa Bay for four seasons (2001-04) and 10 seasons as a regional scout for the Bucs.

Dawson has spent five seasons with the Titans – his first four as Director of Pro Scouting and last season as VP/Football Operations. He originally joined the Titans in 2007 as the Director of Pro Scouting.

Reinfeldt’s background:
Tennessee Titans (2007-2011), General Manager; Seattle Seahawks (1999-03, 2005-06), Sr. VP (1999-03), VP-Football Operations (2005-06); Green Bay Packers (1991-98), CFO (1991-93), VP-Administration (1994-98); University of Southern California (1988-90), Associate Athletic Director; Los Angeles Raiders (1985-87), CFO; Houston Oilers (1976-83), Safety; Oakland Raiders (1975-76), Safety.

Webster’s background:
Tennessee Titans (2010-11), VP-Player Personnel; Seattle Seahawks (2006-09) VP-Player Personnel; Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1988 – 2005), Dir. of Player Personnel (2005), Dir. of College Scouting (2001-04), Dir. of Pro Personnel (1989-91), Regional Scout (1988, 1992-2000); College Coach, Tulsa (1987), Alabama (1986), Southwestern Louisiana (1985).

The opponents for all 2012 regular-season games have been determined and a complete list of each team’s home and away matchups was issued  by the NFL.

The Tennessee Titans, after a 9-7 finish this season, will face four playoffs teams outside their division next year  with the Patriots, Steelers and Lions at home and the Packers on the road. The Titans play the Jets and Bears at home and travel to the Bills, Dolphins, Chargers and Vkings.       

Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions

Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

The scheduling formula implemented in 2002 with realignment guarantees that all teams play each other on a regular, rotating basis. After the 2008 season, a decision was made to continue with the same rotation in 2010 and beyond.

Under the formula, every team plays 16 games as follows:

• Home and away against its three division opponents (6 games).

• The four teams from another division within its conference on a rotating three-year cycle (4 games).

• The four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (4 games).

• Two intraconference games based on the prior year’s standings (2 games). These games match a first-place team against the first-place teams in the two same-conference divisions the team is not scheduled to play that season. The second-place, third-place, and fourth-place teams in a conference are matched in the same way each year.

Beginning in 2010, a change was made to how teams are paired in the schedule rotation to ensure that teams playing the AFC and NFC West divisions would not be required to make two west coast trips (e.g. at San Francisco and at Seattle), while other teams in their division had none (e.g. at St. Louis and at Arizona). The pairings of teams are listed in the digital version of the 2011 NFL Record and Fact Book (attached).

The official 2012 schedule, with playing dates and times, will be announced in the spring.

NFL Kickoff 2012 Weekend will begin on Thursday night, September 6, and the regular season will conclude on December 30.

Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana will be played on Sunday, February 3.

The Tennessee Titans informed secondary coach Marcus Robertson and assistant secondary coach Curtis Fuller that they will not be retained for next year.

STATEMENT FROM MIKE MUNCHAK

“I want to thank Marcus and Curtis for their time here. After meeting with the coordinators over the last couple of days, we decided to make this move today. Letting Marcus go was not an easy thing. He spent so many great years with this organization as a player, front office employee and a coach. I respect both men, but I wanted to move in a different direction for both of these spots. The interview process might take some time, but we will find the right fits for the secondary room moving forward.”

By CRAIG PETERS, Titans Online

Nate Washington fought through the pain, tracked the fluttering ball and somehow maintained control of it as he hit the end zone with a thud.

The incredibly difficult catch — a 23-yard touchdown pass from Matt Hasselbeck — broke a tie in the fourth quarter, and Tennessee withstood a dramatic rally from the Texans for a 23-22 win in Houston.

A different tiebreaker, however, ended Tennessee’s season Sunday. Despite the win, Tennessee’s playoff fate rested in the hands of four other AFC games. Cincinnati had to lose to Baltimore, and another AFC team needed to finish in a three-way tie with a 9-7 record for the Titans to have a shot at making a return trip to Houston this Saturday.

Both of those occurred, but the New York Jets lost at Miami and finished 8-8, creating a scenario in which the Titans needed Oakland to beat San Diego and Denver to beat Kansas City. The Raiders and Broncos lost home games and both finished 8-8 with Denver winning the AFC West through a tiebreaker.

Cincinnati held the head-to-head tiebreaker with Tennessee because of the Bengals’ come-from-behind 24-17 defeat of the Titans on Nov. 6. It was the only victory the Bengals had against a team that finished the season with a winning record.

The Titans are the only team in the NFL with a winning record that will not be in the playoffs, leading coaches and players to think about how close they were.

“Definitely not the season that we wanted, you know,” Washington said. “We had a couple of games that slipped away from us, but to have a winning season after coming off a couple seasons that didn’t go so well for us, it’s really paid off. We’ve been working very hard with the new coaching staff, and I think this is a true testament that we can only get better.”

Washington finished his seventh pro season with career highs of 74 catches for 1,023 yards and seven touchdown catches. He became the first Titans receiver with more than 1,000 receiving yards since Derrick Mason in 2004.

“This wasn’t only for me,” Washington said. “The coaching staff, the players in this locker room, to really believe in me the way they have, this is kind of a pat on the back for everybody. I’ve been working very hard this season, have been through a lot in my career, so it’s has been a long time coming. I’m proud to finally be here at 1,000 (yards), and I’m looking forward to getting even better.”

Washington has played through pain since hurting his ankle at Buffalo on Dec. 4. He’s been slow to get up after some receptions but has kept coming back for more each week.

“He has been a warrior for us all year and he did the same thing again today,” Titans coach Mike Munchak said.

Although Washington and Hasselbeck missed reps and some game snaps in December, the duo continued to produce. Washington had four catches for 92 yards Sunday, including a 55-yarder that set up the third field goal by Rob Bironas.

“He’s a guy, like many guys, that has been playing through some injures,” Hasselbeck said. “He’s trying to tough it out. He came up big on the two big plays, for sure the touchdown that put us up and then the deep ball down the sideline. He wasn’t wide open—it was just a great catch, and he might have gotten banged up on that play also. It was a good year for him. I think he finished over a thousand yards, I believe for the first time, so I’m happy for him.”

Hasselbeck said players and coaches will reflect on some missed opportunities in games this season, but they can build on the way they responded after a disappointing loss three weeks ago at Indianapolis.

“All in all, at the point when we were 7-7 and in the tank about playing poorly against (the Colts), it was important for us to regroup,” Hasselbeck said. “I think Coach Munchak did a nice job of splashing some water on our face and basically saying to stop feeling sorry for ourselves. We can be proud about finishing 9-7 and controlling what we can control.”

The Texans, who won their first AFC South title this season, locked up the No. 3 seed in the playoffs regardless of Sunday’s game but played down to the wire.

Tennessee took a 23-16 lead on the scoring pass from Hasselbeck to Washington with 4:31 remaining. The Titans forced the Texans to punt and were trying to run out the clock when Ahmard Hall took a severe hit from Tim Dobbins and Brandon Harris.

Hall was shaken up on the play and fumbled the football, which Jesse Nading recovered for Houston at the Tennessee 36-yard-line with 1:49 left in the game.

Reserve quarterback Jake Delhomme hit Bryant Johnson for a 5-yard touchdown with 14 seconds to go, and the Texans lined up for a two-point conversion to win the game and end the Titans’ season with a loss. Tight end Joel Dreessen committed a false start, and the ensuing shotgun snap sailed over Delhomme’s head.

Tennessee defensive lineman William Hayes tracked down the football and secured it. The Titans corralled the Texans’ onside kick attempt and took a knee to earn the 400^th win in Titans/Oilers franchise history in their former city.

HASSELBECK HITS MILESTONES: Hasselbeck finished 22-for-35 passing for 297 yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked three times, but remained poised despite an early rib injury to starting receiver Damian Williams.

Hasselbeck finished his first season with the Titans with 319 completions for 3,571 passing yards, the first time a Titans quarterback has had more than 300 completions in a season since Steve McNair in 2002. He also joined Warren Moon (1989-91) as the only quarterbacks in franchise history with more than 3,500 passing yards in a season.

AVERY SCORES ON FIRST CATCH: Receiver Donnie Avery’s first catch as a Titan occurred in the end zone. Avery, who was born in Houston and played collegiately at the University of Houston, scored on a quick throw from Hasselbeck against single coverage to give the Titans a 10-7 lead in the second quarter.

“All I was telling myself all month was stay patient and stay with a positive attitude and that’s what I did and it got me here and I’m trying to contribute,” Avery said. “It felt great. I’ve been patiently waiting, finally got out there and contributed.”

It was Avery’s first touchdown since November 2009 when he was in his second year in St. Louis. Avery missed the entire 2010 season with a torn ACL and started this year with the Rams, who cut him before the season started. He signed with the Titans in September after Kenny Britt tore his ACL and MCL.

Avery caught three passes for 45 yards, including a 21-yarder on the game-winning drive.

CJ JOINS CAMPBELL, GEORGE: Titans running back Chris Johnson rushed 15 times for 61 yards, finishing the regular season with 1,047 yards on the ground.

Johnson joined Earl Campbell (1978-81) and Eddie George (1996-2000) as the only men in Titans/Oilers history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in at least four straight seasons.

Johnson also caught four passes for 49 yards, the last of which secured an important first down on a third-down play by the nose of the football. The conversion happened three plays before Washington’s winning grab.

TITANS RECORD THREE SACKS, FORCE FUMBLE:  The Titans’ defense sacked Houston quarterback T.J. Yates on the Texans’ first snap of the game. Rookie Jurrell Casey and second-year pro Derrick Morgan converged on Yates for a 5-yard loss.

Yates left the game with a bruised shoulder and was replaced by Delhomme.

Dave Ball recovered a sack fumble of Delhomme that Titans safety Chris Hope recoved to set up Tennessee’s first touchdown, and Casey sacked Delhomme in the fourth quarter. Casey recorded two quarterback hurries as well in his 15^th start of the season.

“He’s been good all year,” Munchak said. “He’s been a rookie who’s really committed. Jurrell does a great job in there. You can’t move him. That natural leverage he has with a lack of height helps him and he’s hard to move. He’s been big for us and he made some big plays today.”

BIRONAS EXTENDS STREAK: Bironas kicked field goals of 21, 43 and 33 yards. He kicked a field goal of more than 40 yards for the 10^th straight game, extending his NFL-record streak.