According to Pro Football Focus, just 31 percent of TE Taylor Thompson's snaps last season came on a play where he went out for a pass.

A converted defensive end, Thompson rarely saw the field as a rookie and didn't play more than 25 offensive snaps in a single game until Week 16. The Titans moved on from Jared Cook this offseason, so Thompson is a candidate for an expanded role as a red-zone target. Delanie Walker will enter training camp as the favorite for the starting tight end job.

The Titans expect TE Taylor Thompson to be more of a factor in 2013.

Titans rookie TE Taylor Thompson caught two passes for 19 yards in the team's Week 17 win over Jacksonville.

A converted defensive end from SMU, Thompson was a fifth-round pick in April's draft. He finished his first NFL season with six receptions for just 46 yards and no scores. Blessed with big-time physical ability, Thompson will be a player to monitor during the offseason with Jared Cook ticketed for unrestricted free agency. There is some belief that Thompson could be a Rob Gronkowski-type player once he learns how to play the tight end position.

Titans rookie TE Taylor Thompson has struggled in his first training camp, transitioning from college defensive end to NFL tight end.

The fifth-round pick's struggles are obviously forgivable, but also confirm he won't be making a first-year fantasy impact. Thompson has had too many fumbles and drops and is still learning to be a pass receiver. He has stood out on special teams, though, which should keep Thomas on the game-day roster initially.

Titans OC Chris Palmer said he "could not be more excited about a young player and his development" than he is with fifth-round TE Taylor Thompson.

"I think Thompson is rare," Palmer added. "This guy ... it's just a question of how good he can be. How good does he want to be? How fast will he grow?" Palmer concedes the converted defensive will struggle while making the transition to tight end, however. Look for the payoff to come down the line for the Titans.

The Nashville Tennessean confirms fifth-round TE Taylor Thompson's "rapid development" led to the release of veteran Daniel Graham last month.

Coach Mike Munchak acknowledges the hyper-athletic converted defensive end is a "work in progress," but "so far, he's done a nice job." Added position coach John Zernhelt, "It's one thing to know who to block; it's another thing to know how to block. He's just at the start of the process." For fantasy purposes, Thompson is merely a deep-league Dynasty stash.

Sources tell the Sporting News' Russ Lande that Titans fifth-rounder Taylor Thompson showed "elite athleticism similar to New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski" in offseason practices.

The converted defensive end has comparable measurables at 6'6" and 260 pounds with a sub-4.60 forty and a 37-inch vertical. Although Thompson's hands have been softer than expected, he's obviously not in Gronk's class as a pass-catcher and playmaker. The total package is worth a stash in deep Dynasty leagues, as Thompson is an intriguing project for the Titans.

Titans GM Ruston Webster says fifth-round TE Taylor Thompson has been a "nice surprise" so far at OTAs.

"He's a very natural catcher," Webster observed. "From his defensive line days and all the weightlifting he's done, he's strong. So I think his blocking's gonna be good. It's exciting to watch him out here. ... He's a big man, and he's got really good hands." Thompson is expected to be a "redshirt" project as a rookie, but he could develop into an impact player down the line.

Titans agreed to terms with fifth-round TE Taylor Thompson on a four-year contract.

Fifth-round TE Taylor Thompson's athleticism stood out at the Titans' rookie minicamp.

Both beat writer Jim Wyatt and second-round LB Zach Brown took notice. "...That big boy can run and he is long," Brown said. A 6-foot-6, 259 pound converted defensive end, Thompson lit up the Combine. He'll likely spend at least one season developing behind Jared Cook before the Titans look to involve him as a pass catcher, however.