Marcus Mariota, Corey Davis may participate in OTAs

Marcus Mariota and Corey Davis met for the first time in the Titans’ practice bubble Friday morning, the first day of rookie minicamp, and the franchise quarterback was by all accounts surprised by the size of his new top wide receiver, selected with the fifth overall pick in the draft.

“It was smooth,” Davis recalled. “Just two guys talking. Just talking about his road to recovery and his ankle and how that’s doing a lot better. We just talked about the future and how we’re both excited.”

For now, both players remain sidelined after offseason surgeries. The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Davis, who had ankle tendons repaired in January, was a limited participant in individual drills and sat out the team portion of this weekend’s minicamp. Mariota is not yet running full-speed after fracturing his right fibula in a loss to the Jaguars on Christmas Eve.

But the Titans’ coaching staff is figuring out how to get them on the field together sooner than later. Perhaps much sooner than expected. Perhaps as early as next week. Organized team activities run from May 23 to June 8.

“We’re going to do some things that (Mariota is) going to be able to practice, do some things that aren’t going to subject him to (further injury),” Titans coach Mike Mularkey said. “We may do more 7-on-7s than we ever have done, just things like that to try to help him out.”

Mariota needs to develop an on-field rapport with several new targets, in addition to Davis, who set the FBS record for career receiving yards at Western Michigan.

The Titans also used third-round picks on former Western Kentucky wide receiver Taywan Taylor and former Florida International tight end Jonnu Smith.

Mariota was already throwing passes to his veteran receivers last month.

“We’ve been able to throw a couple of times,” running back DeMarco Murray said on the day the Titans reported for voluntary offseason workouts. “He looks good. … Obviously we’re not 11-on-11, but we’re just out there (running) routes on air and he looks good to me. He’s putting it where it should be.”

Mariota is not expected to be a full practice participant until training camp starts in late July, but taking part in 7-on-7 drills during OTAs is a natural progression and excellent way to begin growing accustomed to his rookie receivers.

“You’re talking about timing in the passing game,” Mularkey said, “that’s one way to be able to do it without a rush in his face and having to move. It’s one way. We’re working on other ways to get the work done.”

Davis, meanwhile, is spending extra time watching film and catching passes off the JUGS machine.

"He wants to play. I know he does," Mularkey said. "It’s hard for me to hold him back, but that’s the way it is."

Davis said it’s difficult watching the other rookies take part in team drills, without participating himself, but he trusts the coaches.

“I feel like I can go right now, but they’re just taking it slow…” Davis said. “The offense is not that complicated to pick up. It’s just a matter of repetition and doing it and getting comfortable with that. The more comfortable you are with the playbook, the better you are on the field. You just go out there and play ball.”

Reach Jason Wolf at jwolf@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter at @JasonWolf and on Instagram and Snapchat at TitansBeat.