The Titans will be battling the Colts this weekend for a playoff spot, but they’ll be without the services of a key defensive lineman. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the team is placing defensive end Jurrell Casey on the injured reserve.
Casey exited yesterday’s win over the Redskins with a knee injury, and Schefter notes that veteran suffered a sprained MCL. The defensive lineman had also suffered a knee injury during the Titans previous game against the Giants, but it’s uncertain if Casey aggravated that ailment or suffered a brand-new injury. Either way, the lineman’s season has come to an end.
Losing Casey will certainly hurt, as the Titans had been relying on the 29-year-old all season. In 15 games, the eight-year veteran had compiled 62 tackles, seven sacks, and two forced fumbles, a performance that helped earn him his fifth-straight Pro Bowl nod. Pro Football Focus was bullish of his performance in 2018, ranking him 13th among 118 eligible interior defenders.
Casey would have been particularly useful against Marlon Mack and the Colts rushing game this weekend, as the lineman had graded out as one of the top run-stoppers in the league. Now, the team will have to rely on their depth to make up for Casey’s absence, although that’s easier said than done. With Casey now out of the picture, the team is only rostering a pair of healthy defensive ends in DaQuan Jones and Matt Dickerson.