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Quick Hits

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Saturday's Quick Hits: Titans TE Delanie Walker Ready, Dennis Kelly Steps In Again, and a Solid Week for New Kicker

Delanietoday

CLEVELAND – The Titans held a walkthrough on Saturday at Saint Thomas Sports Park before boarding a flight to Cleveland for Sunday's season opener against the Browns.

The team has landed in Ohio, and kickoff for the regular season opener is now less than 24 hours away.

Here's a look at three quick hits from Saturday:

Walker Week One Ready

Delanie Walker made it back for OTAs, training camp and the preseason.

Now, the Titans tight end Delanie Walker is ready to let all his work pay off when he takes the field for the season opener on Sunday.

"Whenever I step on the field, I envision me doing something, making plays," Walker said. "I am going to sit in my locker right before the game and I am going to envision me catching passes, because that's what I do. And I really don't feel like anyone can stop me. I am going to go out there and play football."

It was a long road back for Walker, who suffered a season ending ankle injury in Week One at Miami last year.

A three-time Pro Bowler, Walker was placed on Injured Reserve after the season opener last September. In his career, he's caught 483 passes for 5,673 yards and 34 touchdowns.

He's ready to pick up where he left off.

"It is always great to do it in the regular season," Walker said with a smile. "The preseason don't count – I am ready to get those stats up. But of course I am ready to do it in a regular season game. It has been a while since I played in a regular season game, and I am excited."

Stepping Up -- Again

Taylor Lewan didn't give Dennis Kelly any famous last words.

He did leave a big spot for him on the left side of the offensive line as a result of his four-game suspension, and now it's Kelly's job to step in and play.

"It wasn't one final sendoff, but we talked all camp," Kelly said of Lewan. "And we gave each other tips back and forth on what he saw me doing, what I saw him doing, how we can work off of that. It wasn't one final farewell, goodbye speech, it was a constant message over the last six weeks as we helped each other.

"I feel like I have gotten better every week while (adjusting) to the left side."

Kelly has played in 73 games during his career, including 27 starts. He's started games at right guard, right tackle, left guard and tight end during his career.

But he'll be making his first start at left tackle against the Browns.

He knows the challenge.

"They have multiple guys that are some pretty big-name guys," Kelly said of the Browns. "Obviously they have Myles (Garrett), but they also have (Olivier) Vernon and (Sheldon) Richardson and Larry (Ogunjobi). They play hard, they play fast, and they have some fire behind him. You can tell they're excited to play."

Kicker Confidence

The Titans pulled a roster switcheroo at kicker earlier in the week when the team signed Cairo Santos and placed Ryan Succop on Injured Reserve.

Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Santos had a good week.

"Really good," Vrabel said. "All our hurry-up kicks, all the hurricane kicks, the operation. I'm very confident."

In 62 games, Santos is 104-of-125 (83.2 percent) in his career on field goals. Overall, Santos has an 87.2% field goal percentage inside of 50 yards, while also converting seven field goals from 50-plus yards.

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