Haynesworth is believed to be looking for a contract either from the Titans or in free agency that could make him the NFL's highest-paid defensive player in terms of guaranteed money. Currently, Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen is the league's highest-compensated defensive player with a deal worth approximately $32 million in guaranteed money.

Haynesworth played for $7.25 million under the franchise tag last year, but had incentives, which he easily reached, woven into the tender that allow him to become an unrestricted free agent on Feb. 27.

There is the belief that if the Titans do not secure a long-term contract for Haynesworth before free agency begins that, once he escapes to the open market, he is likely gone.

Chad Speck, Haynesworth's agent, has not commented on the talks, but Haynesworth told a Nashville radio station last week that talks were moving slowly.

Titans coach Jeff Fisher called Haynesworth's re-signing "a priority" this offseason during his season-ending press conference.

--Speaking of free agents, Titans QB Kerry Collins told a Nashville newspaper that little progress other than some dialogue has been made on his contract situation.

Collins, 36, is also scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent. He assumed the starting quarterback role after the season opener and led Tennessee to a league-best 13-3 regular-season record.

Like Haynesworth, Collins is at the Pro Bowl this week, and the Titans have said they want him to return as their starting quarterback next season.

Collins is likely looking for a two-year deal, and is in a similar situation to Arizona's Kurt Warner, who is also on the verge of free agency. Collins won't command as much as Warner, but if the Cardinals re-sign Warner first, it could give the Titans and Collins a good gauge to work with.

--Nancy Adams, wife of Titans owner Bud Adams, died Sunday evening following a private battle with illness for the past several months. She was 88.

Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday in Houston, and with her passing, many of the business matters that might have been taken care of this week have been delayed. Tops on that list is the naming of a new defensive coordinator.

It is expected that defensive backs coach Chuck Cecil will be promoted into the role, though linebackers coach Dave McGinnis is a possibility as well.

The Titans also will have to fill defensive quality control assistant Matt Burke's spot, as he joined the staff of former Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz in Detroit.

--Thanks to an arm injury to Brett Favre and Philip Rivers begging out as the first alternate, Titans QB Kerry Collins is bound for Hawaii and the Pro Bowl. It is the second time for Collins to be selected to the Pro Bowl in his 14-year NFL career.

Collins, who became the Titans' starting quarterback after Vince Young's injury/meltdown in and after the season opener against Jacksonville, completed 242 of 415 passes for 2,676 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Collins had a passer rating of 80.2 for the season.

--LB Keith Bulluck isn't a front-burner topic for the Titans right now, but the defensive leader who turns 32 in April is heading into the last year of his contract in 2009. In nine years in the NFL, the Titans are the only franchise he has ever known, but thus far there have been no talks of an extension.

"I still feel I'm playing at a high caliber, All-Pro, Pro Bowl level. I do have one year left on my deal," Bulluck said. "That's for my agent and the organization to talk about. I plan on being here. Why wouldn't I be?"

--Titans long-time punter Craig Hentrich might have reached the end of the line after 15 NFL seasons and 11 years in Tennessee. Hentrich has been plagued by back problems in recent years and had a second surgery before the 2008 season.

"It's a decision I'm going to have to talk to my family about and make," Hentrich said. "The last third of the season, I was really struggling physically and felt worn down. If I do decide to come back, I'll have to dedicate myself this offseason to getting in the best shape of my life and I've got a few months to decide if I want to do that."

Though he hasn't announced a final decision, it's quite probable a decision has already been made, as his entire locker had been cleaned out at the Titans training facility.

--Center Kevin Mawae's elbow injury was much more serious than the Titans let on during the season. Mawae will have surgery to repair a partially torn tendon in his elbow. He had a completely torn tendon before joining the Titans in 2006 that required surgery and rehab.

"If this had happened in Week 5, I would have gone on IR, but I was going to try to return for the Super Bowl," Mawae said of the injury suffered Dec. 21 against Pittsburgh. Mawae, 37, has never played in a Super Bowl, and if the Titans had advanced that far, coach Jeff Fisher was trying to keep from ending Mawae's season by allowing him to play at least one play in the game.

"Our hope with Kevin, had we been successful and continued winning, was to keep Kevin up and keep him on the active roster, and I committed to Kevin that if it was at all possible to keep him up, so he would have the opportunity to play at least one play in the Super Bowl," Fisher said.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "He is competitive, a tremendous communicator and motivator and in our opinion he has been ready for this next step for several years. I want to congratulate the Lions for hiring the right guy and he will be missed here in Tennessee." -- Titans coach Jeff Fisher on defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz being hired by the Detroit Lions as head coach.