Charlie Whitehurst, left, is getting more playing time than he bargained for in place of the often-injured Jake Locker, right. Locker has missed 16 or 38 games since becoming the starter in 2012.

-- Ap Photo/Mark Zaleski

Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt says Jake Locker is still his starting quarterback.

That, of course, is predicated on when Locker will be able to recover from his bruised right thumb and is well enough to grip and throw a football.

The Locker watch has been on all season in Tennessee, as fans and media alike wonder what the future holds for both the franchise and its first-round quarterback from 2011.

Unfortunately for Locker, the early returns haven’t been what he would prefer. It’s not that Locker has played that poorly, though he probably wishes he had a do-over in the Dallas and Cincinnati games.

But in the season-opener against Kansas City, and before his exit in the eventual meltdown against Cleveland, Locker showed the type of promise that gets fans excited and the coaches and front office perhaps thinking that things could really work out for him in Tennessee.

And then it happens. Another injury. Not overly serious – a swollen right thumb – but serious enough to keep Locker out of the lineup and tilt the needle back toward “Locker’s time in Tennessee could be running out.”

There are certain qualities Locker possesses that make him an ideal guy to be the face of the franchise. He has character, is a leader and a hard worker and, at times, a playmaker.

But the factor that will likely determine Locker’s future goes far beyond the good qualities and far beyond even the occasional bouts with passing accuracy.

Sunday’s win against Jacksonville marked the 16th game Locker has missed in 38 opportunities since being named the starter in 2012. That simply is too much.

It’s not that Locker doesn’t want to be out there. There’s no doubt he does. But whether it is that he isn’t built to take the consistent pounding an NFL quarterback has to endure, or whether it is just plain bad luck, he has missed games with five different injuries in less than three years.

Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt will have a big say in Locker’s future, as will GM Ruston Webster, who has been a huge supporter of Locker and had a hand in drafting him.

“I can’t judge Jake on what happened before I got here, only what I’ve seen, and I know he’s worked hard to get back ready to play,” Whisenhunt says. It’s just unfortunate. He banged his thumb on a helmet in the pocket.”

But, Whisenhunt remains uncertain as to whether Locker will be under center this week when the Titans face the Redskins.

“When you ask Jake, he says it’s getting better. It’s really gonna come down to when he can grip the ball good enough and throw it and not have issues that way,” Whisenhunt says.

In the meantime, Locker’s fate might actually lie in hands of backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst.

Because the Titans are teetering on the edge between getting back in the race and facing a complete rebuild, depending on how the next couple of games go, it could be Whitehurst who helps determine how long a leash Locker is on.

A couple more wins as a fill-in, if need be, would certainly buy Locker as much as the rest of the season to show he can stay healthy and win games.

But a couple of losses in the next two weeks might cause the Titans to turn the page and take a look at rookie Zach Mettenberger in order to better assess the quarterback situation for 2015.

At any rate, the quicker Locker can get healthy and back in the lineup, the better chance he has to control his own destiny.

Terry McCormick covers the Titans for TitanInsider.com and is a blogger for 247 Sports NFL Insider.