Instead of competing for a starting spot on the Titans’ offensive line in 2024, Saahdiq Charles will hang up his cleats. The veteran lineman was placed on the reserve/retired list Tuesday. 
Charles, 25, had missed the past several training camp practices for what head coach Brian Callahan termed personal reasons. He has since informed the team of his decision to step away from the game. That move will leave the Titans in need of a depth addition up front or the remaining in-house options stepping up in Charles’ absence.
The former fourth-rounder began his career with the Commanders. Charles logged 35 games and 18 starts during that span, including 10 contests as a first-teamer at left guard in 2023. A calf injury landed him on injured reserve, but in the offseason he did not need to wait long to land a deal. Charles inked a one-year, $1.5MM pact with Tennessee in mid-March; that contract included $250K in guarantees and $75K in per-game roster bonuses.
Charles had impressed during his time with the Titans this offseason, and the team’s first depth chart listed him as the starting right guard. That position belonged to Daniel Brunskill last season, one in which Tennessee’s O-line struggled. Brunskill was listed as the backup center behind big-ticket free agent addition Lloyd Cushenberry, but today’s news could put him back in contention at the RG spot.
Tennessee listed Dillon Radunz and LaChavious Simmons second and third, respectively, on the right guard depth chart behind Charles. Both of them will no doubt get an expanded look with the first-team offense through the rest of training camp and the preseason now that Charles is no longer in the fold. The latter collected roughly $4.3MM in earnings over the course of his brief NFL career.