Tennessee left tackle Taylor Lewan is skipping the Titans' mandatory minicamp while his agents negotiate a new contract for the two-time Pro Bowl lineman.

Titans general manager Jon Robinson said in a statement Tuesday just before the team started a three-day minicamp that Lewan's representatives told the team he would not be attending.

"We have had several constructive conversations over the last 5-6 weeks about his contract status Youth Luke Kuechly Jersey ," Robinson said in his statement. "He is currently under contract, and we are working to keep Taylor as part of this organization for a long time."

Lewan, who turns 27 in July, is younger than Nate Solder who became the league's highest-paid offensive lineman in March with a four-year, $62 million deal from the New York Giants . Lewan is under contract for 2018 after the Titans picked up his fifth-year option paying him $9.34 million this season.

The Titans drafted Lewan at No. 11 overall in 2014 out of Michigan, and he has started every game the past two seasons in being selected to consecutive Pro Bowls. He has started 53 of his 58 games played with the 6-foot-7, 309-pound Lewan a key piece in protecting quarterback Marcus Mariota.

First-year head coach Mike Vrabel, himself a former NFL player, said he is confident in Robinson and the front office to handle contracts.

"I understand that there sometimes becomes issues with those, so I think that they're best handled internally," Vrabel said.

Lewan had taken part in most of the team's offseason program, and he also helped the Titans unveil their redesigned uniforms in April. But he wasn't at a photo session Monday Youth JuJu Smith-Schuster Jersey , and the Titans announced Lewan wouldn't be at minicamp minutes before the first practice started Tuesday.

Kevin Pamphile, a free agent signee this March, replaced Lewan in the lineup at left tackle. Dennis Kelly has been at right tackle with Jack Conklin recovering after tearing his left ACL in the Titans' playoff loss at New England. Pamphile signed with the Titans in part for an opportunity and from getting to know Robinson while in Tampa Bay.

"You've got to take advantage of every rep you get whoever's across the line," Pamphile said. "Opportunity and competition that remains the key for our offensive line, want to make sure we're all competing and getting better each day."

Lewan, a Pro Bowl left tackle, told reporters May 30 that he was letting his agent handle negotiations for a new contract and that any talks with the Titans to that point were nothing worth talking about.

Lewan, who believes he's the NFL's best left tackle, certainly noticed Solder's "awesome" contract.

"There are a lot of things I do well and a lot of things I can improve upon as a football player," Lewan said on May 30.

"But for me, if I don't walk on the field and think I'm the best player in the NFL every time I step on the field, then I'm doing something wrong."

Four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Orakpo isn't worried about Lewan not being at this minicamp.

"I love Lewan Authentic Dak Prescott Jersey , I respect every decision he makes, and one thing about Lewan whether he's right here right now or whether I see him Week 1, he's going to be ready to go," Orakpo said.

"So hopefully they'll get that situated. That's out of my control. But knowing Lewan if it gets done Saturday before the game Week 1, he'll be ready to go."

Linebacker Kevin Dodd, the No. 33 pick overall in 2016, had stayed away from the offseason program until Tuesday when he faced a fine. He literally ran away from reporters trying to talk to him after practice. Vrabel said he didn't talk to Dodd, only asked him to do what the coaches have asked all the other players to do.
Marc-Andre Fleury and Braden Holtby have been two of the hottest goaltenders during the postseason.

Their duel between the pipes looked more like survival in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final as the Vegas Golden Knights outlasted the Washington Capitals, 6-4.

Fleury came into the series with a 1.68 goals-against average for Vegas with Holtby not far behind at 2.04. Giving up nine goals between them seemed unlikely but that’s exactly what happened Monday night as both goalies were screened relentlessly, caught out of position at times and left out to dry on occasion by defensemen trying to keep up with two swarming offenses.

For Washington, scoring against the Golden Knights was taking advantage of Vegas defenders failing to clog the slots and Fleury making his own mistakes.

Brett Connolly’s redirect that went through defenseman Colin Miller’s legs in the first period caught Fleury overcommitting on Michal Kempny’s shot from the point. Less than a minute later, Nicklas Backstrom backhanded a shot past Fleury Authentic Landon Collins Jersey , who couldn’t recover after sprawling to his right with T.J. Oshie coming around the back of the goal.

Fleury didn’t stand a chance against John Carlson, who scored an easy backhander after a beautiful feed from Oshie, who wrapped a pass around defenseman Shea Theodore across the slot. And while Tom Wilson got credit for Washington’s fourth goal, the puck slid into the net after Fleury kicked it in himself after getting caught under his skate.

”Obviously it’s not what was expected of both of us, or what I want,” said Fleury, who improved to 13-3 in the postseason. ”It’s not going to go perfect every night. Sometimes I put in the puck in my net by myself. It happens. It’ll happen again at some point in my career. You just have got to brush it off, forget about it and try to stop the next one.”

Fleury stopped 24 shots and has now allowed four goals in four games in a single postseason for the first time – and he has given up at least four goals five times in 15 postseason games against Washington.

Holtby made 28 saves, but Game 1 was the second time he had allowed five goals this postseason (Vegas got its sixth goal on an empty-netter by Tomas Nosek).

Miller caught Holtby leaning to his right, peeking over Carlson’s shoulder, and got caught with the one-timer that went beneath his glove on the Golden Knights’ first goal. William Karlsson was able to tie the game just before the end of the first period when he grabbed a rebound off the end boards and caught Holtby out of position, after he overcommitted on a Reilly Smith’s shot.

Smith also got a goal thanks to a fortunate rebound from the end boards Womens James Conner Jersey , after Holtby failed to scoop up Deryk Engelland’s wrist shot and the puck caromed off his pads. Jonathan Marchessault then one-timed it past the goal and off the boards, allowing Engelland to feed Smith in front of the net.

”For me, I thought my puck-handling was not great tonight,” Holtby said. ”I wasn’t recognizing the type of forecheck they were having, and I made the wrong decision on a few occasion. That’s just something that you go back, watch the video, see where there’s defaults at times to get the puck back in our team’s hands.”

Rebounds have continued to haunt Holtby, who fell to 12-7 in the playoffs.

Ryan Reaves scored his second goal of the postseason, in as many games, when he smacked a loose puck over the knob of Holtby’s stick, just 1:31 after the Capitals had taken a 4-3 lead in the third period.

Both goalies and their defenses don’t have much time to turn things around. Game 2 is Wednesday night.

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