Titans' Marcus Mariota: Progresses to walking boot

Mariota has exchanged a scooter for a walking boot as he recovers from a broken right fibula, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis:

Mariota's second season came to a close in Week 16, requiring surgery on Dec. 28 to repair the afflicted fibula. In the aftermath, he was expected to avoid putting any weight on his right leg for a period of eight weeks, hence the use of a scooter in the early stages of his rehab. Now in a walking boot, as of last week, he has hit that benchmark precisely on the head. On February 15, head coach Mike Mularkey mentioned that Mariota will be treated cautiously this offseason, stating that the quarterback is unlikely to participate in drills until training camp. If the preceding comes to pass, whoever the Titans ink as Mariota's backup in free agency will direct the offense in the coming months.