ESPN Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky breaks down how Marcus Mariota intends to stay healthy for a full season and how Tennessee is becoming a run first offense. (1:53)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Less was more for the Tennessee Titans' Kendall Wright in the first days of camp.

The receiver made a couple of big plays, the likes of which the Titans have been seeking and have missed on with him too often.

Wright fell out of practice with a tweaked hamstring Tuesday, and we don't know if he'll be back when the team returns to action Thursday. Right now, when healthy, he's the slot receiver coming in to supplement outside guys Rishard Matthews and Tajae Sharpe.

Kendall Wright is working on regaining the form that helped him be a dangerous receiver early in his career. AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

At the team's first practice, against a Cover 2 defense, he found a soft spot in the middle. Quarterback Marcus Mariota appeared to overthrow Wright. But in between a triangle of defenders, Wright leaped and stopped the ball with his extended left hand. He collected it and returned to the ground on his feet, running to the end zone.

The next day on a similar play, he snatched a better pass and again stayed on his feet.

Since Dowell Loggains' term as the team's offensive coordinator ended after the 2013 season, Wright's game has gone largely in the wrong direction. He continued to fall too often. He retreated after the catch thinking he could loop back and wind up with more yards. As interim coach, Mike Mularkey said Wright was not doing the things that were asked of him.

Wright is now in a contract year, and he's seen the Titans add Matthews, Sharpe and Andre Johnson. He admitted it was big to get that first-day big play in his pocket to start building on.

"When it's in the air, you need to just go get it," Wright said. "That's what I want to do, make some of those tough catches that Coach has been looking for. Hopefully, Marcus will keep looking at me and coming to me. If he's in trouble or something like that, those are the plays that build confidence for your quarterback throwing it to you in certain situations."

Said Mariota of the two big plays: "Both times I think I threw it they were great catches, I try my best to fit it in there and Kendall went up and made a great play. To have a receiver being able to do that across the middle is going to be really helpful for us."

Since Loggains, the Titans have had trouble hitting Wright in a way that helps him be dangerous.

In his second season, Wright caught 94 passes for 1,079 yards and six touchdowns. He had 20 catches that converted third down that season, but that number dropped to 10 in 2014 and four in 2015.

Mularkey said he was happy to see Wright make the sort of catches he did from the start of camp.

"Those are plays we've had in here since we've been here and we haven't hit that play once down the middle," Mularkey said. "We hit it twice in the first two days of practice. We're off to a good start with some of that slot play. Those are plays we need in games, big explosive plays. But we have not hit that yet. Same concept, same read for him. Different read but same kind of play."

Yes, Mularkey meant all three years he's been with the Titans.