Colts agree to terms with QB Collins while Manning rehabs

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Colts are bringing one veteran quarterback out of retirement.

No, not Brett Favre.

The team agreed to terms Wednesday with Kerry Collins, making him the likely starter in case Peyton Manning hasn't completely recovered from offseason neck surgery when the season opens Sept. 11.

Collins said he has been given no indication that Manning won't play at Houston.

Wyche: Collins more than insurance

"Hopefully, Peyton will be back, but if he's not, maybe I can be one of the guys that can help this ballclub," Collins said in a conference call with reporters Wednesday night. "The biggest draw for me coming here was just being with a team that I have a lot of respect for and a lot of history with, and really to be with a great team and play with one of greatest quarterbacks of all time."

Collins agreed to a one-year contract and acknowledged he could be talked into staying longer than 2011.

But not everyone in the Colts' locker room was enamored with the move.

"We don't even know him, we ain't vanilla, man, we ain't no simple offense," wide receiver Reggie Wayne said. "So for him to come in here and be the starter, I don't see it. I think that's a step back."

Collins acknowledged that learning the Colts' offense in such a short time is his biggest challenge in joining the team.

"It's going to be like a foreign language," Collins said. "The concepts may be the same, but they call it something completely different. So that's going to be a challenge, and that's why I need bust my tail, get in the classroom and hopefully I can get to the point where I can get out there and operate the offense efficiently."

Colts coach Jim Caldwell wasn't available to talk with reporters about Collins, but he struck a calm tone in a statement released by the team.

"He is a veteran quarterback who has started many games and he brings dimension and depth to the quarterback position, which will be helpful," Caldwell said. "He is familiar with our division and will make a great addition to our roster."

Yet the move is another indication that Manning's streak of 227 consecutive starts, including playoff games, is in serious jeopardy.

Manning had surgery May 23 to repair a nerve in his neck, and the recovery has gone slower than expected partially, Manning said, because he couldn't work out with team trainers during the 4½-month lockout.

Colts owner Jim Irsay wrote Saturday morning on Twitter that the Colts had to be prepared to play without Manning in the opener against the AFC South rival Texans. Later that day, Manning acknowledged he didn't expect to play in the final two preseason games and that he would need the next two weeks just to get healthy.

Caldwell hasn't said when he expects Manning to return to the field after the quarterback signed a five-year, $90 million contract to stay in Indianapolis last month.

"I think he laid out pretty well where he is, and that he is working extremely hard to try and get back as quickly as he possibly can," Caldwell said Monday. "He's going to work hard at trying to get back and get ready, and he's doing everything he can to do so."

And if he's not ready? Well, there's Collins, who has played in 195 career games with the Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders and Carolina Panthers before retiring in July.

Collins has a career 55.8 completion percentage and has thrown for 40,441 yards, 206 touchdowns and 195 interceptions. As the starter, Collins has led his team to the playoffs four times, including a Super Bowl appearance with the Giants in the 2000 season.

Wayne, a five-time Pro Bowl pick and one of Manning's favorite targets, has supported backup Curtis Painter. And while he called Collins "a great guy," he said he was worried about the Colts improving.

"Who says Kerry's going to be the starter?" Wayne said. "Just because we bring him in doesn't mean he's the starter. He's got to learn too, right? Unless they gave him a playbook months ago, he's got to learn, too.

"I don't care who you are, I mean I'm not going to let anyone just come in here and just push someone (like Painter) aside like you're that dog now, you know what I mean?" Wayne added.

Painter has started both preseason games this year, completing 8 of 16 passes for 95 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. In Friday night's 16-3 loss to the Washington Redskins, Painter managed only one first down and couldn't get the offense past its 29-yard line despite playing the entire first half.

Painter hasn't played in a regular-season game since 2009. Another backup, Dan Orlovsky, has played in 13 games in six NFL seasons, and the other quarterback on the roster is undrafted rookie Mike Hartline.

Michael Conroy / Associated PressKerry Collins started slow in his previous two stops.Collins' first three starts with last two teams

For his part, Painter doesn't expect it to take Collins long to get up to speed.

"He's a veteran guy, been around a while. I'm sure the terminology across the league isn't too different," Painter said. "I expect he'll come in and pick it up quite well."

The good news is that Collins already has some familiarity with the Colts' brain trust.

Colts vice chairman Bill Polian took Collins in the first round of the 1995 draft, No. 5 overall, when he was in charge of the Panthers. And Caldwell was Penn State's passing game coordinator from 1988 to 1992, during part of Collins' college career.

Still, two huge questions remain.

How quickly can the 16-year veteran get up to speed in the offense, which has traditionally relied on calls at the line of scrimmage? And did Collins rediscover his passion for the game in the past seven weeks?

"I have decided that while my desire to compete on Sundays is still and always will be there, my willingness to commit to the preparation necessary to play another season has waned to a level that I feel is no longer adequate to meet the demands of the position," Collins said in announcing his retirement July 7.

Two weeks later, Collins said he had even considered retiring at the end of last season.

Irsay had tweeted to ask for suggestions about signing a veteran free agent and on Sunday said he was in Hattiesburg, Miss., stirring speculation that he might be trying to lure Favre out of retirement (again). Instead, it was Collins.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Titans face QB quandary after Collins ends 16-year career

Quarterback Kerry Collins announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday, ending his 16-year career and possibly speeding up the Jake Locker era for the Tennessee Titans.

Collins, the Titans' off-and-on starter since 2006, released a statement in which he said after several months of "introspection," he decided that "my willingness to commit to the preparation necessary to play another season has waned to a level that I feel is no longer adequate to meet the demands of the position."

Kerry Collins' retirement will force the Titans to quickly explore their QB options, and Bucky Brooks believes the team's backup plans should begin and end with a prominent veteran. More ...

That sounded much different than comments Collins made to The Tennessean in June, when he said: "I know I still have good football left in me, and I want to see where (the Titans are) at, too. If it makes sense on both sides to do it, I'd be good for coming back."

But Collins isn't coming back, so the Titans are left with first-round draft pick Locker and second-year pro Rusty Smith at quarterback. The team said earlier this year that it would trade or release Vince Young, its 2006 first-round pick, after a tumultuous time together.

"I want to wish Mike Munchak and the Tennessee Titans the best of luck in the future," Collins said Thursday in his statement. "I have had a fantastic five years here, and my family and I look forward to remaining part of the Middle Tennessee community that has been extremely gracious towards us and an honor to play for."

Collins, 38, enjoyed his best season with the Titans in 2008, when he took over for an injured Young and started 15 games, going 12-3 as the team won the AFC South. Collins then signed a two-year, $15 million contract that expired after the 2010 season.

Collins shared the stage with Young last season despite suffering injuries to his middle finger and thumb. Collins took over for good after Young suffered a season-ending injury to his right thumb Nov. 21, though the Titans only won one of their final six games in finishing 6-10.

"Kerry had a great NFL career, and we have been very fortunate to have had him with our organization for the last five years," Titans coach Mike Munchak said in a statement released by the team. "I really enjoyed working with him. He was a true pro who loved the game. His work ethic and commitment were a great example to his teammates of what it took to be successful in this league."

Said Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt in a statement: "Kerry accomplished a great deal in his career both personally and as the leader of some great teams. He was a talented passer and became a true professional. We were fortunate to have him as a member of our team over the last five years, and we wish him and his family the best."

Collins threw for 40,441 yards -- good for 11th on the NFL's all-time list -- with 206 touchdowns and 195 interceptions in 195 career games. He was the fifth overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 1995 NFL Draft and also played for the New Orleans Saints (1998), New York Giants (1999-2003) and Oakland Raiders (2004-05) before joining the Titans.

As a starter, Collins lead his teams to the playoffs four times, including an NFL Championship Game appearance during the 1996 season with the Panthers and a Super Bowl appearance with the Giants in the 2000 season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Collins open to return with Titans, mentoring rookie Locker

After 16 NFL campaigns, veteran signal-caller Kerry Collins isn't planning to walk away just yet and would love to return to the Titans -- if the situation is right.

"I know I still have good football left in me, and I want to see where (the Titans are) at, too," Collins told the Tennessean in a story for Saturday's editions. "If it makes sense on both sides to do it, I’d be good for coming back."

The 38-year-old Collins told the newspaper that he's been working out and feels healthy and ready to return if the Titans choose to sign him. He was fit enough to throw 14 touchdowns and more than 1,800 yards in 10 appearances for the Titans last season, but another run in Tennessee likely hinges on Collins' willingness to mentor rookie passer Jake Locker, selected No. 8 by the Titans in April's draft. 

Locker -- not Collins -- is viewed as the future hope for a position that's seen its share of chaos during the Vince Young era.

"I went through it with Vince (Young)," Collins said. "I would be open to it, but it would have to be the right thing. I would like to get to know Jake a little bit to make sure he’d be the type guy I’d want to help out. That won’t be the sole issue either. It is not about what kind of guy Jake is. I just have to weigh a lot of things."

Titans players told NFL.com's Steve Wyche that Locker has shown some command of the attack in offseason player-only workouts. He's set players in the correct spots at the line of scrimmage and expressed a command of the huddle that caught teammates' attention. Cornerback Cortland Finnegan already coined him the "Face of The Franchise."

The Tennessean speculates that if the lockout drags on, it could help Collins' chances of being retained by the Titans, which makes sense to the veteran.

"I think it is legitimate speculation to think the longer this thing goes, the more attractive I would be to them because of my familiarity with everything," Collins said. "I know we have new coordinator (Chris Palmer), but I am sure a lot of terminology is going to be the same. On paper it makes sense to at least talk to me about coming back. The longer this thing goes, the better it could work out for me."

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Collins' throwaway results in concussion for Titans' Hayes

Tennessee Titans defensive end William Hayes, in the wrong place at the wrong time, suffered a concussion in Sunday's 34-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs when he was hit in the head by an errant pass from teammate Kerry Collins, according to The Tennessean.

The Titans quarterback floated a pass out of bounds, hitting Hayes along the sideline. The third-year defensive veteran Hayes did not return to the game.

"That’s kind of how the game went," coach Jeff Fisher said Sunday. "I’ve never had a player leave the game with a concussion after getting hit with the ball on the sideline. But we’ll see how he is this week."

Hayes' injury left the Titans thin along the defensive line with veteran Jovan Haye deactivated.

The 6-foot-3, 272-pound Hayes has 29 total tackles in 13 games this season. He was drafted by the Titans in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Winston-Salem State.

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NFL fines Packers' Collins $50K despite Williams' objections

Green Bay Packers safety Nick Collins was fined $50,000 Monday for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams, according to NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora.

In a statement, league officials said Collins "violently and unnecessarily struck a defenseless receiver" in the neck and head area with his helmet during Sunday night's game at Lambeau Field and called it a "flagrant violation of player safety rules."

The NFL is cracking down on illegal hits, and players who violate the rules are subject to increased fines or even suspensions.

Collins went helmet-to-helmet with Williams after an incompletion in the third quarter of the Packers' 45-7 victory over the Cowboys Sunday night. Collins was flagged for unnecessary roughness.

Williams said after the game that he didn't think NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell should punish Collins for the hit.

"Commissioner Goodell, don't fine the guy," Williams said. "It wasn't that bad of a deal, he shouldn't get fined. It was a football play, a football player making a football play. No injury, no harm."

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said he spoke to side judge Rick Patterson immediately after the play.

"It was a bang-bang play and I felt that really when I saw the replay on the Jumbotron, it looked like Nick hit Roy in the back and came up to the helmet," McCarthy said Monday. "I understand why Rick threw the flag and we actually talked about the mechanics of it. That's a tough call.

"I think the referees are doing a very good job with the awareness of player safety, but I was standing right there and I can see what Nick Collins saw, too. The ball was in the air and he was trying to run through the proper target line and I think he hit Roy in the top of the pads and went up into the helmet."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Titans QB Young still day to day; Collins able to practice

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Quarterback Vince Young paid close attention as backup Kerry Collins led the Tennessee Titans through practice Thursday in preparation for their game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

A decision on whether or not Young will watch Sunday's game from the sideline likely won't be made until just before kickoff.

Young didn't practice as the Titans (4-2) went through their first real workout since Monday night's 30-3 victory at Jacksonville. That's where Young had his left leg twisted underneath him after he recovered a fumbled snap.

Young said Thursday that his knee and ankle feel about the same. His leg is feeling better every day, thanks to constant treatment, but Young doesn't know yet if he will make his 17th consecutive start.

"It's basically day to day still and making that decision on Sunday," Young said. "So right now, I mean just continue to keep treating it and pretty much do some things tomorrow to see how it feels."

Titans coach Jeff Fisher said he will see how Young is Friday before deciding if he will practice then or not.

"Again, it's been a day-to-day thing," Fisher said. "We want him to play, he wants to play, but he is unable to practice right now because of his injuries. So we'll see how he is tomorrow. Tomorrow is Friday."

Young said he is thankful his injuries weren't as bad as they looked.

"To walk away from it with nothing torn, that's a real good thing. All respect to God on that," he said.

Collins banged the middle finger of his throwing hand, but he is able to practice.

Young is 30-15 overall as a starter and 12-2 against NFC teams as a starter, and he has three touchdown passes with a 100.8 rating in two games against NFC opponents this season. He has been accurate this season, completing 61.4 percent of his passes for seven TDs with two interceptions and a career-best 98.8 rating.

There's no need to fret about missing any games. You can watch every contest again with Game Rewind. Get more information here.

Young said he's paying close attention to what Collins sees in practice and the game plan. But Young said he still needs the physical practice as well. How much he can run will be a key Sunday when he tells Fisher how his leg feels, and the Titans decide whether he will start or Collins will go against the Eagles (4-2), who have a sack in 25 consecutive games.

"I've been delivering the ball in the pocket pretty good," Young said. "... Knowing the type of aggressiveness the Eagles have, sometimes you're going to have to take the ball and make some moves downfield in order to keep the chains moving."

Notes: Young was one of four Titans who didn't practice Thursday as they work to recover in a short week. DT Tony Brown (right knee) and Jason Jones (shoulder) and TE Bo Scaife (groin) also watched. Fisher said Brown, Jones and Scaife should be able to practice Friday.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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