NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Michael Roos stood on the driving range at Nashville Golf and Athletic Club on Monday, a ball on the tee, a club in his hands, and cigar in his mouth.
Not a care in the world?
"I am enjoying things,'' Roos, who retired last February after 10 seasons with the Titans, said with a smile. "Life is good. I've been traveling a lot – I've been all over the country seeing friends. Taking an annual trip to Ireland, golfing. I was in Australia earlier this year, and I'm going to Iceland later this year, too." The 6-foot-7 Roos weighs roughly 275 pounds these days, about 40 pounds lighter than his playing weight. In some ways, he feels like weight of the world is off him.
"There's parts of it I'll always miss,'' said Roos, who took part in the NFL's Alumni Charity Golf Classic on Monday. "I miss the guys, hanging out with the o-line and all that stuff. Nothing can really replace that. But watching it, the game, I don't miss it. And it's nice to wake up feeling good in the morning."
Roos, who played with 148 career games and earned All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl invitation in 2008, has paid attention with what's been going on with the Titans, however.
And he's like what he's seen.
The Titans selected former Michigan State tackle Jack Conklin with the team's first-round pick in the NFL Draft. In free agency, the team signed former Texans center Ben Jones.
"(Conklin) seems like a really solid pick for them,'' Roos said. "I've seen some of the highlights, and from what I hear about him, it seems like they're getting '(Big) Country' again."
"Big Country" is David Stewart, of course. Stewart, a rugged player who played right tackle for the Titans opposite Roos, who switched from right tackle to left tackle after his rookie season in 2005. The two men came into the league during the same year. Stewart played from 2005-2013, while Roos played through the 2014 season.
Roos likes the sound of a tackle tandem for years to come with third-year player Taylor Lewan, and Conklin.
"They definitely have the capability of being really good together for a long time,'' Roos said of Lewan, and Conklin. "As long as they stay on the field, stay healthy, and play smart.
"In my mind it is crucial to have bookends like that. If something happens in the middle you can move things around, but if you have your anchors on the end, you can at least keep the edges clean and the quarterback has two things he doesn't have to worry about."
Roos believes Conklin will make the adjustment from playing primarily left tackle in college to right tackle in the NFL. Conklin worked at left tackle and right tackle during the team's rookie minicamp last weekend.
"As long as you can get practice at it, he should be OK, and be able to adapt,'' Roos said. "I started doing both in practice and you get your body used to both and it makes it a lot easier."
Roos said the Titans "are doing all of the right things to turn it around." He's chatted with coach Mike Mularkey several times this offseason, and said he still keeps in touch with friends around the team. He saw several of them on Monday.
After working on the range, Roos hopped on his cart and headed out for the golf course.
His cigar was almost down to a nub. No worries, he said.
"I have plenty more,'' he said. "I'll probably go through five more of these out here today."
