A slew of injuries struck the Titans during the first two weeks of training camp, but the loss of rookie linebacker Rashaan Evans stands out above the others. The longer he’s out, the more impactful his absences become.

Evans left practice on July 28 with what head coach Mike Vrabel identified at the time as hydration and cramping issues. The linebacker hasn’t practiced since.

The Titans traded up to the No. 22 pick in this year’s draft to select Evans out of Alabama. Moving up in the first round typically indicates a team foresees that player as an immediate starter and impact player.

There’s a chance Evans still becomes that this season for Tennessee. However, the last assessment Vrabel gave reporters was after the team’s mandatory minicamp. The head coach said at that time Evans wasn’t ready to start on the Titans’ defense. He was rotating in on the first team with veteran Will Compton when he got hurt.

Injuries are always troublesome, even minor ones in training camp. They’re even worse for rookies though. Training camp practices consist of valuable reps for rookies. First-year players missing out on playing time in camp van significantly impact their growth. For Evans, who needs those reps to take hold of the starting spot at inside linebacker, an injury is especially detrimental.

Evans is talented enough to step in and take hold of starting job once he is ready to go. On the other hand, the longer he’s out, the less time he has to establish himself at that starting spot. It’s not time to hit the panic button yet, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to imagine he’ll be ready to start Week 1.