Titans second-round pick Kevin Dodd undergoes foot surgery

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee Titans second-round pick Kevin Dodd will be out until the start of training camp after undergoing surgery on his right foot Thursday morning.

Dodd, the 33rd overall pick in this year's draft, had 12 1/2 sacks for Clemson last season and is expected to help bolster the Titans pass rush as a rookie.

Titans coach Mike Mularkey said Dodd had had some soreness in his foot dating back to the Titans rookie mini-camp. Mularkey said further tests on the foot indicated more damage could potentially be done to it if Dodd didn't undergo surgery.

''We were smart and did some more tests on it with the MRI, and it just showed that there could have been some issues down the road if we tried to push him with it, and why do it,'' Mularkey said. ''Why have an injury later on when we can take care of it and nip it in the bud right now?''

Dodd will miss the rest of Tennessee's organized team activities and the mandatory minicamp in June.

''It was more preventative than anything,'' Mularkey said. ''I thought it was smart on all sides to get it done now.''

Also missing for the Titans on Thursday were offensive tackle Byron Bell, linebacker Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil and defensive lineman Angelo Blackson. Bell dislocated his ankle Tuesday and will miss the entire season. Cudjoe-Virgil is still recovering from knee surgery. Blackson was excused for personal reasons.

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