NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Titans officials and the agent for All Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth are talking, and coach Jeff Fisher says he's hopeful that their franchise player will sign his one-year tender in time to be on the field for the start of training camp.
The Titans reported voluntarily Thursday but the first mandatory meeting isn't until Friday morning. The first practice of training camp is Friday afternoon.
The team and Haynesworth failed to reach agreement on a long-term contract before the deadline July 15. Now his only option is signing the one-year tender paying him $7.25 million, but Haynesworth's agent has said they hope the Titans will agree to not slap the tackle with the franchise tag again in 2009.
Fisher said general manager Mike Reinfeldt was talking with Haynesworth's agent as the coach spoke to reporters at a news conference Thursday afternoon.
"We have every intention and hope that we'll be able to get him in here tomorrow. Right now as it stands, he will be here eventually," Fisher said. "We're hoping sooner rather than later, but things, I think, are progressing as such we'll be able to have him in, and he'll be on the field as early as tomorrow."
Haynesworth's agent, Chad Speck, did not immediately respond to a message from the Associated Press.
The Titans had described the one-year tender as a deal that would make Haynesworth the NFL's highest-paid defensive tackle. Speck disagreed, pointing to deals with guaranteed money for linemen like Tommy Kelly ($13.62 million from Oakland), Tommie Harris ($10.6 million from Chicago) and Kris Jenkins ($9.5 million from the Jets).
Haynesworth and first-round draft pick Chris Johnson are the only players unsigned. Only a handful of first-round picks had signed as of Thursday, making negotiations difficult. But Johnson's agent, Joel Segal, said he was hopeful.
"We've had negotiations and are making efforts to expedite the process so Chris can be on time, and hopefully he will be," Segal said.
Fisher agreed, saying the deal might not be reached until late. He is expecting Johnson on the field Friday.
"Now, the dotting of the I's and crossing of the proverbial T's may reach into practice tomorrow, but it's not something that's going to be a long, drawn-out holdout. We're very confident where things are, and Vinny's done a great job for us," Fisher said of Vinny Marino, their salary cap specialist. "We're very lucky to have him aboard."
But Haynesworth is the player the Titans used the franchise tag on in February, the first time the team had used the designation on someone since 1997. Haynesworth was a key reason the defense went from giving up more yards than any other in the NFL in 2006 to the fifth-stingiest unit in 2007, having a career year with six sacks and 23 quarterback pressures.
Haynesworth sat out the offseason program. He has said he was busy working out on his own, reshaping his body and finding muscles he didn't realize he had.
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