[vincesanity82]

Steve McNair knows firsthand about life as a rising star NFL quarterback without a lot of weapons to work with. Actually it was that way for many of his 11 seasons with the Titans.
So the Baltimore Ravens quarterback felt pangs of sympathy for his good friend Vince Young early in the offseason, when he saw the Titans lose their two most productive receivers — Drew Bennett and Bobby Wade — in free agency.

Still, McNair said, the key to Young's second year won't be as much his receivers as it will be the emergence of a reliable replacement for another departed veteran — running back Travis Henry.
"When you have that ability to change a game all by yourself, you don't need as much," McNair said of Young. "I would love to see them continue to have great receivers around him. I think the young guys will do well.
"But what I'm concerned about is the running game. I think what makes a guy like Vince go is the running game. Because you know he can pass the football and you know he can do things with his legs. That's what gets the passing game started, a good running game."
The Titans reached a contract impasse with Henry and released him on March 3 in order to avoid an $8.3 million bonus. He quickly signed a more lucrative deal with the Denver Broncos.
Titans Coach Jeff Fisher will now look to LenDale White (a second-round pick from 2006), Chris Brown ( who fell out of favor last season but was re-signed as insurance) and rookie Chris Henry (a second-round pick this year).
The trio will get chances to run behind an offensive line that's widely regarded as the team's strongest unit.
Although McNair lacked quality receivers for much of his career, he was paired in the starting backfield with running back Eddie George for sevens seasons starting in 1997. George went on to become the franchise's all-time leading rusher.
McNair said he hopes his old team will find a dependable feature back out of their current group so that Young can have the same confidence level in his running game.
"Whoever is back there, they've got to have a good running game," McNair said. "Because regardless of how good a quarterback you are, you've got to have that balance running the football as well as passing."
McNair and Young chatted by phone Tuesday morning, McNair said, after Young returned from a European vacation. But the offseason is a time for family focus, so McNair said the two had not spent very much time together lately.
He expects they will hang out some before the Titans start training camp July 27 and the Ravens gather at McDaniel College in Westminster, Md., two days later.
The two teams don't play each other this season, when the Titans will be regarded as continuing to rebuild and the Ravens will be expected to challenge the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC Central title.
A prominent national analyst recently labeled Young as the most exciting player in the NFL. McNair said he concurs.
"Oh by far I think he is," McNair said. "He showed a little bit of that last year. He can change a game within a split second with the things he does with his arm, his legs and his smartness. Also when you have the size he does, linebackers fear Vince because of that size and escapability."

The Leaf Chronicle - www.theleafchronicle.com - Clarksville, TN