NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Although summer's official start is a couple weeks away, Titans receiver Kenny Britt has already put more than a toe in the water.
Britt is trying to return from a torn ACL and MCL before the start of his fourth season, and part of his recovery has involved running in the pool. He said the aquatic training has helped him because of the buoyancy the water provides.
"Running in the pool, you relieve all the pressure of your body weight," Britt said. "When you're on the field, it's all your body weight and all your pressure. The water helps you relieve all that pain and all that weight, so it felt good. I'm going to test it out on the field (today)."
Britt has shown explosive play-making abilities in his first three years. He led the AFC in receiving yards (271) and had three touchdowns after the first two games last season, but suffered the season-ending knee injury against Denver in Week 3.
Running in the water provides resistance that slows Britt down, but he considers it a way to get back to full-speed.
"It really does," Britt said. "It's exhausting, too, at the same time. It's one of the best things that you can do to condition yourself, so hopefully my pool will help me out this summer."
Britt has a pool at his residence and said he's been spending his free time there with his wife and daughter.
Coincidentally, the receiver recently posed in swim trunks and with a beach ball for the Summer Guide issue of the Nashville Scene.
Titans receivers Nate Washington and Damian Williams ribbed Britt about the photos after Wednesday's organized team activity practice. Washington joked that modeling is Britt's "second career" and Williams held the photo up for television news cameras.
"It's fun. It's what we do in the locker room," Britt said. "I was hoping they'd spray paint some abs on me."
Britt underwent surgery after he was placed on injured reserve and began rehabilitation work. The process moved along, but he underwent a minor arthroscopic surgery on May 16.
The secondary procedure has become quite common for players returning from ACL and MCL injuries. Titans defensive end Derrick Morgan took a similar path last season with his recovery from a torn ACL against Denver in Week 4 of his rookie season in 2010.
"(Morgan) comes to check up on me and makes sure I've got all my extension and my flexibility in my knee, and I thank him for that," Britt said. "He said don't worry about it. Things happen."
There is no official timetable for Britt's full return, but he did say he hopes to get in some work at the end of training camp before the Titans open the season against New England on Sept. 9 at LP Field.
"I'm praying for it and I hope everybody else is praying for me," Britt said.
In the meantime, Britt will continue to do rehab exercises and work with Titans doctors and trainers and study an offensive playbook that is increasing in complexity from last year when offensive coordinator Chris Palmer did not have the benefit of a full offseason to install his scheme in his first year at the post.
"It's going to be a real exciting season, especially for the Tennessee Titans' fans," Britt said. "We've got a couple of playmakers out there at the wide receiver position and I'm scared for other teams."
Update: Britt did some straight-line running and other drills with the Titans' training staff on the practice fields Thursday.
"I feel awesome right now," Britt said after his workout. "I'm so excited and happy with what I did today. I'm excited to see what I can do next week and see if I can throw on my brakes and see about cutting and cone drills."
Titans coach Mike Munchak said the Titans are pleased with Britt's physical progress and added the team will be cautious in working Britt back into the mix through drills that are unlikely to result in contact in training camp.
"It's up to him eventually with the last part of building your confidence and your health," Munchak said. "He's kind of back to where he was almost before he had the scope. It will be a matter of how his knee responds to cutting over the next month. There's nothing to say it wouldn't go well, so obviously we're assuming the positive."
