ATLANTA – Titans rookie Dorial Green-Beckham has missed a lot of things over the past 20 months.
It's been that long since his last football game.
"(I've missed) contact, being physical,'' Green-Beckham said. "And scoring touchdowns."
He'll get a chance in the preseason opener tonight against the Falcons.
A second round draft pick by the Titans, Green-Beckham hasn't played in a football game since the final game of the 2013 season while at Missouri, a bowl game against Oklahoma State in January, 2014. His next-to-last game was against Auburn in the SEC Championship Game, when he had six catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
That game was played in the Georgia Dome, the site of the Titans' preseason opener. Green-Beckham was dismissed by Missouri in 2014, and didn't play last season while attending Oklahoma.
After two weeks of training camp – and a long layoff – he can hardly wait to take the field for a game.
"I wouldn't say I'm nervous, just excited,'' he said. "I know if I do end up messing up it will be because I'm excited, not because I'm nervous. I just have to be comfortable and do what I can to help my teammates.
"There's a lot of memories in (the Georgia Dome), and I had a good game the last time I played there, so I'm hoping to have another one going back. I just have to go out there and play, go out there and give it my all, and to get better."
Green-Beckham has had moments both good and bad in training camp. After battling drops early in camp, he settled down in recent practices and has been more consistent of late.
The Titans hope the big and talented receiver will settle in. He'll get his first big test tonight.
"Well let's be honest and say it's going to be a process for Dorial,'' coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "It's almost two years since he's played a game. I asked him if he was nervous and sure, of course he is. You go from not playing for a while to going into an NFL game, that's a big adjustment. But we understand that. He's making progress, he'll continue to make progress, and it's really good for him to get that experience."
