Injury ends season for former Titan Chris Spencer

Chris Spencer isn't ready to call it a career just yet.

But the veteran offensive lineman concedes he won't get a chance to play in 2015 — for the Titans or anyone else — after suffering a freak injury recently while working out.

Spencer, who played in 32 games over the past two seasons with the Titans, tore his left Achilles the day before the NFL draft. He had surgery, is in a cast and faces a four- to six-month recovery.

The likeable Spencer looked on the bright side — he still can drive and his plans of spending time on the lake this summer aren't completely ruined. His hopes of playing this fall are shattered, however. He also knows there's no guarantee he'll play again.

"I spent the whole offseason training, getting ready," said Spencer, 33. "I'd been working out hard 4-5 days a week. The older you get, you can't sit around and do nothing. My body was feeling great and hitting numbers I hadn't hit in awhile. I was feeling great, and this happened.

"I put my foot in the ground and it just popped on me. As soon as it popped, I knew exactly what happened. It's just bad luck."

The Titans had some interest in re-signing Spencer, who is a free agent, but the team first planned to look at some of its younger players in the offseason. Brian Schwenke begins the offseason as the projected starter at center, and the team recently drafted Andy Gallik in the sixth round out of Boston College. Gabe Ikard, signed as an undrafted free agent last offseason, also returns.

Spencer started five games at center for the Titans in 2014, and he's played in 137 career games with the Seahawks (2005-10), Bears (2011-12) and Titans (2013-14). A first-round draft pick by the Seahawks out of Mississippi, Spencer has started 95 career games.

Spencer said he's talked to former Titans safety Bernard Pollard and former Titans offensive lineman Fernando Velasco about the process of recovering from an Achilles injury.

He's not sure whether he'll return for his 11th NFL season in 2016.

"Before this happened, I was thinking I might sign back with the Titans at some point. But right now, football is on the back burner until I get through this and see where it stands," Spencer said. "In this world, in this business, you have to roll with the punches, man. You can gripe about it, but it's not going to change much. You take the good with the bad and focus on getting it right.

"I have been blessed to play 10 years, and a lot of guys can't say that. Whichever way it goes, I am pretty happy looking back at my career and making it as long as I have."

Reach Jim Wyatt at 615-259-8015 and on Twitter @jwyattsports.