4:00pm: The Titans have made more cuts this afternoon, including another big name. Running back/wide receiver Dexter McCluster has been let go. McCluster averaged 4.5 yards per carry last season in Tennessee and averaged 8.4 yards per reception, but the Titans saw a better use for his roster spot. McCluster already pocketed a $350k roster bonus earlier this year, but the Titans will save $2.275MM in cash by cutting him.
Here is the full, updated list of Titans cuts so far:
- WR Justin Hunter
- RB Bishop Sankey
- RB/WR Dexter McCluster
- G Jeremiah Poutasi
- FB Sam Bergen (via ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky on Twitter)
- LB J.R. Tavai (via Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com on Twitter)
- TE Alex Ellis
- TE Jerome Cunningham
- RB David Fluellen
- DT Antwaun Woods
- WR Ben Roberts
- CB B.W. Webb (Twitter link via McCormick)
- LB Curtis Grant (via Kuharsky on Twitter)
- OL Will Poehls (via Kuharsky on Twitter)
- CB Kalan Reed (via McCormick on Twitter)
- WR Ben Hunter (via Kuharsky on Twitter)
- DB Marqueston Huff (via Rand Getlin of NFL.com on Twitter)
- C Ronald Patrick
- T Tyler Marz (Twitter link via McCormick)
- WR Andrew Turzilli
- LB Justin Staples
- S Curtis Riley
- K Aldrick Rosas
11:07am: The Titans have jettisoned a pair of notable players from the old front office regime. Wide receiver Justin Hunter and running back Bishop Sankey have both been cut, as Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com reports (Twitter links).
Hunter, an exceptionally talented receiver, was drafted 34th overall in 2013. Since then, the Titans have been frustrated with Hunter and there have been rumblings that his work ethic was not up to par. Days ago, the Titans shipped out another talented wide receiver with perceived motivation problems when they traded Dorial Green-Beckham to the Eagles.
“It is still going to be hard (to make the team) because we have a lot of talented receivers in the group. We are fighting for spots, and you have to keep up and progress at the same time,” said the 25-year-old Hunter last month, acknowledging that his spot on the roster was not guaranteed.
Hunter has an uninspiring 68 receptions and eight touchdowns in 35 career games (13 starts). While Hunter has averaged an impressive 16.8 yards per catch, that number dropped to a career-worst 12.0 on 22 grabs last season. The 2015 campaign was a short one for Hunter, who only appeared in nine games as a result of a mid-November fractured ankle.
Sankey was once viewed as the Titans’ best running back and was expected to break out as a rookie in 2014. Sankey, 24 later this month, appeared in all 16 games for the Titans as a rookie but amassed only 569 yards off of 152 carries. Last season, Sankey’s role was reduced even further has he had only 47 rushing attempts for 193 yards in 13 games.
The surprising cuts didn’t stop there. The Titans are going to waive guard Jeremiah Poutasi, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Poutasi was an early third-round pick of the Titans last year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sankey will sign with SD to replace Brandon Oliver
And be reunited with Whisenhunt
McCluster to PIT to reunite with Todd Haley, with whom he had his best success. The Steelers have Bell, Williams, followed by trash at RB.