NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans had hoped that quarterback Steve McNair could take part in a passing drill by Thursday. He beat those expectations by doing that and more.

McNair took half the snaps in a passing drill, tossed passes to receivers and then handled some handoffs in a team period. It was the fourth straight day in which he threw passes with no pain in a his injured shoulder.

"That's been a big relief to me because I haven't had that pain-free sensation in a while," McNair said. "I'm glad to get it back."

McNair spent the last half of a 90-minute practice tossing passes to receivers Kevin Dyson and Derrick Mason and running on a side field. Coach Jeff Fisher liked what he saw.

"The arm strength is coming back. The velocity is there, and he's been pain-free, so that's a good thing for us right now. He needs to rest up, like we all do, the next couple days."

But while the Titans now have the next three days off for their bye, McNair will be coming back to the team's practice facility for more rehabilitation and treatment for his throwing shoulder.

"It's an every year thing, but it's something you've got to do if I want to be able to go out there next week and practice. I've got to stay here and have treatment," he said.

McNair acknowledged earlier this week that he has bone spurs in his right shoulder that eventually will need surgery to open up the area around his rotator cuff. Until then, any hit that results in swelling in the joint could shut his shoulder down.

He was knocked out of the season opener and went two weeks without even picking up a ball. He didn't dress for last weekend's loss at Jacksonville.

If the Titans had a game this weekend, McNair said he is feeling good enough that he would have been in uniform.