Jack Conklin: It’s time to prove who I am and what I can do

[T-Rac]

Getty Images

Jack Conklin was the best right tackle in football as a rookie, voted to the All-Pro team as such. Not much has gone right for the Titans offensive lineman since, mainly because of injuries.

Until left tackle Taylor Lewan announced his suspension, a legitimate question was whether Conklin could beat out Dennis Kelly to retain his starting job.

“Definitely, but I try not to think about it,” Conklin said of the talk motivating him, via Terry McCormick of titaninsider.com. “I try to think about getting strong and healthy and getting back to my old self. I know I can be an All-Pro right tackle, and it’s time to prove again to everybody who I am and what I can do.”

Conklin tore an anterior cruciate ligament in a playoff loss to the Patriots in January 2018.

He missed the first three games of last season while rehabbing, missed another game with a concussion and then landed on injured reserve with another knee injury near the end of the season. Conklin missed seven games total.

During the offseason, the Titans declined the fifth-year option on his contract for 2020.

But Conklin is healthy again and motivated to return to his All-Pro form in a contract year.

“It feels better than it’s felt since before the surgery,” Conklin said. “I’m feeling way more confident in it. I feel I can sit down and take on a bull rush. I feel strong. My legs are stronger than they were before I tore it. I’m feeling good. I couldn’t be feeling better than I could right now.”