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Titans reach deal with first-round pick Warmack
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have agreed to terms with offensive guard Chance Warmack, who had been the last remaining unsigned first-round draft pick.
The Titans announced Monday that Warmack had agreed to a deal, but did not release any details of the contract. Warmack sent out a tweet saying, “Time to get to work! #Blessed.”
The Tennessean reported the former Alabama All-American has agreed to a four-year contract that features a fifth-year team option and has a total value of $12.17 million with a $7.2 million signing bonus.
Warmack, the 10th overall pick in the draft, was a three-year starter at Alabama who was part of three national championship teams during his college career.
Tennessee is counting on Warmack to contribute right away, but the rookie had missed the Titans’ first four training-camp practices. The Titans didn’t practice Monday.
The Titans thought highly enough of Warmack to use a first-round draft pick on an offensive lineman for the first time since they took Illinois’ Brad Hopkins with the 13th overall pick in 1993.Warmack is expected to play a key role in the reconstruction of the Titans’ interior of their offensive line.
The Titans needed to beef up their line after struggling to open up running room for Chris Johnson and ranking last in the NFL in time of possession in 2012.
During the offseason, the Titans lured free-agent guard Andy Levitre away from Buffalo with a six-year, $46.8 million contract. After picking up Warmack in the first round of the draft, they also used a fourth-round selection on California guard/center Brian Schwenke.
After the Titans drafted Warmack, Tennessee coach Mike Munchak said he could foresee a line that had Levitre at left guard with Warmack at right guard. Warmack had practiced with the first-team offense during the Titans’ offseason program.
The Titans had been rotating Fernando Velasco and Rob Turner at right guard during their first four training-camp practices while Warmack was unsigned
