The Titans have placed one of their starters on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons landed on the list, joining at least eight of his teammates.
While players do not have to test positive for the coronavirus to be moved to the COVID list, the Titans — as of Saturday morning — have seen nine players test positive thus far amid the NFL’s first outbreak. Simmons could well be the unnamed ninth player, or the 2019 first-round pick could be a 10th.
One of the Titans’ top defenders, Simmons has played well thus far this season. The Titans landed him at No. 19 overall in 2019 because of the ACL tear he suffered prior to the draft. After trading Jurrell Casey to the Broncos, the Titans have Simmons entrenched as their top D-line disruptor.
Simmons is the highest-profile Titans player to be part of the organization’s COVID spread. The Titans now have first-round tackle Isaiah Wilson, second-round rookie corner Kristian Fulton, wideout Adam Humphries, long snapper Beau Brinkley, defensive lineman DaQuan Jones, linebacker Kamalei Correa and practice squad cogs Greg Mabin, Cameron Batson and Tommy Hudson on their reserve/COVID list.
Tennessee’s game against Pittsburgh has been moved to Week 7, with the Steelers’ first 2020 Ravens matchup being switched to Week 8. While the NFL expanded practice squads from 12 to 16 players because of the coronavirus pandemic, it is safe to say the Titans’ Week 5 game against the Bills is in doubt.