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Updated: December 1, 2005, 1:12 PM ET

Titans' leading rookie WR Jones to have ACL surgery

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By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
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Wide receiver Brandon Jones, the most productive of the Tennessee Titans' three rookie draft choices at the position, will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, and there is some concern he might not be fully rehabilitated for the start of training camp next summer.

Brandon Jones

Wide Receiver Tennessee Titans Profile

2005 SEASON STATISTICS Rec Yds TD Avg Long YAC 23 299 2 13.0 38 76

A third-round choice, Jones partially tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee Sunday in a victory over San Francisco. He will undergo reconstructive surgery when the swelling subsides in the next week or two. Earlier in the season, Jones suffered a less serious injury to the medial collateral ligament in the same knee and missed a game while recovering.

Jones likely faces a rehabilitation stint of nine months for the ACL tear provided there are no complications. Jones was injured on a sharp cut and fell to the ground while the ball was in the air. The pass intended for him was intercepted by 49ers cornerback Shawntae Spencer and returned 61 yards for a touchdown.

"It just [buckled] real bad," Jones said of the injury.

The former Oklahoma star finished his rookie season with 23 catches for 299 yards and two touchdowns. He had five receptions of 20 yards or more, and 18 of his catches were for first downs. Jones ranked fourth on the team in receptions and had the second-most catches among the Titans' very young side receiver corps.

Said coach Jeff Fisher: "He was really coming on. He was positioning himself to finish up very strong in the offense."

The second of three wide receivers selected by Tennessee in the 2005 draft, Jones had the most immediate impact of the group, starting eight games. Fellow rookies Roydell Williams and Courtney Roby also have flashed playmaking skills, and the young wideouts have been a bright spot for Tennessee, which is suffering through a 3-8 season.

Their problems aside, the Titans rank 10th in the league in passing offense, and all three of the rookie wide receivers appear to have promising futures. Williams and Roby have combined for 33 catches, 462 yards and three touchdowns.

As the Titans move forward under offensive coordinator Norm Chow, the wide receiver group, with Drew Bennett as the lone player who has more than three years of experience in the league, should be a big factor. One key will be the rehabilitation process for Jones, who almost certainly will miss the early stages of the team's offseason program.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. To check out Len's chat archive, click here .