Jones likely to test free agency

The Tennessee Titans still want to retain defensive lineman Jason Jones, but it is likely that he could test the free agent market, according to a source.

General manager Ruston Webster said at the NFL Combine on Thursday that there was the possibility that some Titans players could test the market but eventually wind up back in Tennessee.

The Titans met with Jones’ representatives at the Combine in Indianapolis, and the two sides are continuing to talk, but with time running out to strike a deal, meaning Jones could get to the open market, as free agency starts on March 13.

Jones, one of the Titans' in-house priorities this off-season, spent this past season primarily as a defensive end, but had his most productive seasons in Tennessee at defensive tackle, a spot he could move back to if he returns to the Titans in 2012.

One of the potential stumbling blocks to a deal is likely whether to compensate Jones as a tackle or an end, as the two positions often command different price tags.

Jones, a second-round pick in 2008, has 15.5 sacks in his career as a Titan.