Jake Locker has sprained hip

Updated: October 2, 2013, 12:48 PM ET
By Paul Kuharsky | ESPN.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans got a diagnosis on Jake Locker's right hip injury Tuesday and said the starting quarterback avoided major damage and has a sprain that shouldn't keep him out too long.

[+] EnlargeJake Locker
Frederick Breedon/Getty ImagesJake Locker was carted off on Sunday but the Titans said Tuesday that an MRI performed on his hip showed he has no major damage.

Locker suffered the sprained hip and a sprained MCL in his right knee on a third-quarter combination hit from the New York Jets' Muhammad Wilkerson and Quinton Coples.

"We received reassuring reports from the second MRI today and they confirmed that there was no major damage to Jake Locker's hip joint -- it is classified as a sprained hip," the Titans said in a statement.

"The area will need time to heal and strengthen, but he won't require surgery and he has already begun a rehab routine for both his hip and knee. We certainly would expect him to miss a few weeks, but we are encouraged by the news today."

It had been feared that Locker would miss four to eight weeks or even more if his hip had been more seriously damaged, but a league source told ESPN's Ed Werder that the quarterback's time frame for being out is now four to six weeks.

The 3-1 Titans play the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. They are at Seattle on Oct. 13 and host San Francisco on Oct. 20. The Titans have a bye the following week. Perhaps Locker will return when they resume play on Nov. 3 at St. Louis.

Ryan Fitzpatrick will start while Locker is out. The Titans haven't yet made a decision on Fitzpatrick's backup. They could promote Rusty Smith from the practice squad. They were slated to work out David Carr on Tuesday.

John Skelton was also scheduled to work out Tuesday, but he signed with the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday.

Paul Kuharsky | email

ESPN Tennessee Titans reporter
  • Covered AFC South for five years for ESPN.com
  • Covered Oilers/Titans for The Tennessean
  • New Jersey native and Columbia graduate lives in Nashville with his wife and son

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