Tennessee Titans LB Gerald McRath will undergo surgery on his left knee later this week, coach Mike Munchak said. McRath, a four-year veteran from Southern Mississippi, will miss the season.

“It's very tough to swallow,” McRath said.

McRath (6-3, 231) was out the final three games of last season with knee and ankle problems also missed time during OTAs with a small tear in his knee.

McRath said he thinks he aggravated the injury making a tackle on a second-quarter kickoff on Aug. 11 at Seattle. The knee swelled to the point where McRath was unable to bend it.

McRath has had 112 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 40 career games. He's in the last year of a four-year, $2.176 million contract.

McRath has overcome adversity in the past. He suffered a broken bone in his leg in 2005, but returned the following season to earn first-team Freshman All-American honors. McRath said the recovery of some of his teammates, such as CB Ryan Mouton from serious injuries provides him with optimism.

“Mouton is coming back from a torn Achilles and is looking better than ever,” McRath said. “It's reassuring but you know it's going to be a long road.”

Munchak to name starter for Cards on Monday: Munchak said he will meet with his staff later on Sunday night to discuss the starting quarterback situation for Thursday's game vs. Arizona. It's likely the Titans will decide between Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker after Monday's practice.

Munchak didn't discount the possibility that he could also name the starter for the regular-season opener by Monday.

“The bottom line is they both are competitive and they both can play,” Munchak said. “We feel we can win with both guys, it is just the matter of which one is best.”

Babineaux: Shoulder injury isn't serious: S Jordan Babineaux remains day-to-day with what is being described as soreness in his right shoulder. Coach Mike Munchak hasn't ruled Babineaux out for Thursday's game.

Babineaux can't pinpoint a particular play that caused the injury. Babineaux played through a similar injury in 2005-2006 with the Seahawks. The nine-year veteran appeared in all 16 regular-season games with Seattle that season and started in an NFC Divisional Playoff game vs. Washington.

“There's nothing major, there's no real structural damage,” Babineaux said. “It's not season-ending.”

Jasper hopes to continue to shed weight: OG Michael Jasper weighed as much as 460 pounds at Bethel University (Tenn.) but said Sunday that he weighed about 390 when he signed with the Titans last week.

“It was mainly changes in diet,” Jasper said. “A lot of people don't realize just as important as it is to work out, it's important to eat right.”

Jasper impressed the coaching staff and team scouts with his mobility at a workout last week.

“I felt a lot lighter on my feet, the change of direction was so much easier,” said Jasper on the benefits of losing weight. “I'm going to continue to work with the staff to drop weight.”

Jasper was released by the Bills on Aug. 13. Bills coach Chan Gailey criticized him for his lack of aggressiveness and inability to grasp the playbook.

“Coach Gailey has his opinions and I have mine,” Jasper said. “I worked my butt off and learned the playbook. I went out and showed every practice that I knew what I was doing.”

For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Tennessee Titans, follow Matt Rybaltowski @CBSSportsNFLTEN.