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 Jaire Alexander 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, and the Titans announced Lewan wouldn't be at minicamp minutes before the first practice started Tuesday.

Kevin Pamphile Joe Carter Jersey , 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, 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 Jessie Bates III Bengals Jersey , 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.

Heading back to Philadelphia down 2-0 to the Boston Celtics, the suddenly cold 76ers have some quick thinking to do in order to right the ship.

After winning 16 straight to close the regular season and finishing off the Miami Heat in five games in the first round, the 76ers now head back to face Boston at the Wells Fargo Center for their 5 p.m. matchup on Saturday with their first two-game losing streak since late February.

Boston clipped the once-surging 76ers in Game 2 with a huge surge of their own, coming back from a 22-point deficit to win on Boston on Thursday, 108-103. 76ers head coach Brett Brown drew criticism for his handling of Boston’s big run. Down 48-26 early in the second quarter, Boston eventually cut the lead to five at the half and took control with a 28-19 third quarter, and Brown chose not to call timeouts with his team bleeding.

“We have the league’s No. 1-rated starting five, is a fact http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ito-smith-jersey ,” he said. “Those five guys have shown great maturity, they have shown they can sustain different types of runs and still hold the fort. There were a few times (when he thought about calling a timeout). I mentioned there was one with (Terry) Rozier with his Euro-step that as I watched in the light of day, that was a moment you could have done it.”

As much criticism as Brown is facing, rookie point guard Ben Simmons might be facing the steepest uphill battle heading into Saturday’s matchup.

Simmons had arguably his worst game as a pro, scoring one point on 0-for-4 shooting with five rebounds and seven assists. What’s worse: His negative-23 plus/minus ratio.

Rozier and backcourt mate Marcus Smart, meanwhile, combined for 39 points, 12 assists and 12 rebounds, and Boston got a big 13 points out of Jaylen Brown off the bench.

“I think the Celtics defensive intensity went to a higher level,” Brown said. “I think somewhere at the five-minute mark and we brought Joel (Embiid) and JJ (Redick) back into the game in the second period. We give them credit. They went on a little run and then they went on another run I think at two minutes left.”

Unlike the 76ers, who closed out the regular season with a bang, the Celtics were written off for much of the latter part of the schedule, after losing Kyrie Irving for the season and dropping four of six to close out the year. The Celtics’ seven-game series with Milwaukee in the first round did little to ease the chirping outside of Boston Youth Dante Pettis Jersey , especially with Philadelphia so hot.

But Brad Stevens’ strategy of resting his starters down the stretch might be paying dividends, as Al Horford and Rozier are averaging 35 or more minutes this series.

“Everyone feels good enough to play high minutes, which is why the last four games of the regular season were done the way we did,” said Stevens. “I think we had a plan of attack throughout the regular season based on each individual. Obviously we chose some times to rest guys, but not that many, but more so manage it throughout the games. We felt like we were a deep team.”

For both teams, Saturday’s matchup will be a study in short memories.

For the Celtics, they must erase in their minds the 22-point deficit they dug themselves into on Thursday.

For Philadelphia, the bad taste of a squandered double-digit lead must be forgotten. But not, Brown hopes, the lessons they learned.

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