NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Rookie receiver Dorial Green-Beckham has many qualities the Titans love.
He's big (6-5, 237) and strong, and in the eyes of interim coach Mike Mularkey, he's made great strides in his first NFL season despite his modest stats.
Through seven games, Green-Beckham has just seven catches for 104 yards, along with two touchdowns.
With receiver Kendall Wright hurting, Green-Beckham should be in line to do more this Sunday in New Orleans.
"He has come a long way. A year off of football I don't think helped him with his development,'' Mularkey said of Green-Beckham, who sat out last season at Oklahoma after playing at Missouri. "I think he has grown up a little bit. He is going to get more playing time. He's got to because of the injury for Kendall. This is going to be a big game for him to have a chance to show up. And we are going to need him, not just in the passing game but in run blocking."
What the Titans would like to see out of Green-Beckham: better blocking.
So far, it hasn't been up to snuff.
"The one thing about him we are stressing to him, is at that size he ought to block better than he does,'' Mularkey said of Green-Beckman. "He has to be more physical. He had a couple of opportunities (vs. the Texans) to make a difference in the run game, and I don't think he'd want to put that on tape again. We are on him about using that body and blowing up some people."
Green-Beckham, who played 36 snaps against the Texans, said the message has been delivered.
Against the Texans, he also missed a block on that let to Wright being hit, and injured, on a play in the third quarter of the team's 20-6 loss.
"We talked about using my size and getting in there and blocking, definitely getting in there and blocking a safety,'' Green-Beckham said. "Just making a statement, letting them know we're in here to fight, we're in here to compete. My job is to go out there and do my job."
Green-Beckham admits, however, it's a new game for him. He's still adjusting to the NFL – and blocking.
"I definitely could do it, but most of my college time was running routes and not a whole lot of blocking,'' he said. "It is definitely not a problem for me. Whenever I know what play it is I know I have to go out there and dig out the safety and block."
Green-Beckham said he's willing to do what he can to make a difference.
"I want to do whatever it takes to help my teammates. I want to do that,'' he said. "We are short on receivers right now, and more is going to be handed to us. It's more opportunities my way."
