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Hassan Haskins

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC West

August 28th, 2024 at 2:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs and Raiders moves are noted below.

Denver Broncos

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Kansas City Chiefs

Signed:

Claimed:

  • CB Eric Scott Jr.

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Las Vegas Raiders

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR: 

Signed to practice squad:

Los Angeles Chargers

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Titans Release T Geron Christian, Reduce Roster To 53

August 27th, 2024 at 8:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here is how the Titans trimmed their offseason roster to the regular-season limit:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on IR:

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

The Titans cut a player they acquired in an offseason trade. Watson played for new O-line coach Bill Callahan in Cleveland, but Tennessee could not find room for the former seventh-round pick. Watson must pass through waivers before a practice squad invite can be extended. Christian will head straight to free agency as a vested veteran. The former Washington and Houston starter did not make Tennessee’s roster as a swing option. Christian (25 career starts) finished last season as the Browns’ left tackle under Callahan, as injuries ravaged Cleveland’s O-line. With Christian also playing for Callahan in Washington, he could be a player to monitor for a veteran practice squad slot.

Once a Titans slot receiver hopeful, Philips is off the roster with an injury designation. Philips saw shoulder and hamstring trouble derail his route to Tennessee’s starting lineup as a rookie, and he returned for nine games in 2023. Tennessee made some key additions to its receiving corps this offseason, signing Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd to join DeAndre Hopkins and former first-rounder Treylon Burks. Another hamstring issue limited Philips ahead of this season.

Campbell suffered a torn ACL, while McLendon also did not receive a return designation. That will put the second-year player out of the mix for the 2024 Titans.

Latest On Titans’ RBs Room

July 10th, 2024 at 9:21pm CST by Ely Allen

The King has left the building in Tennessee, and now, for the first time since Derrick Henry was drafted in 2016, the Titans will need to form a running backs group that doesn’t include the big man from Yulee. One of the benefits of rostering Henry was that the need for depth was never that pressing as he led the league in carries in four of the last five years, only failing to do so in 2021 due to injury. In 2024, Tennessee will need to take a bit of a closer look at their depth chart.

The top of the room is clear: last year’s third-round pick Tyjae Spears will be joined by free agent signing Tony Pollard as a 1A-1B duo in the backfield. In his rookie season, Spears spelled Henry with 100 carries for 453 rushing yards and two touchdowns, adding 52 catches, 385 yards, and another score through the air. This was the biggest performance by an RB2 in Nashville since Dion Lewis joined Henry in 2018 as the two took over for DeMarco Murray.

Pollard joins the Titans after five years in Dallas, four of which saw him tied to the hip of Ezekiel Elliott. After leading the team with career highs of 1,007 yards to go along with nine rushing touchdowns and 371 receiving yards with three more scores, Pollard was finally given the opportunity to lead the running backs group in Dallas last year. While he nearly matched his prior year numbers with 1,005 rushing yards, six touchdowns, and 311 receiving yards, it was accomplished in a much less efficient manner as Pollard recorded career lows in yards per carry and yards per reception.

After appearing to struggle in the lead role last year, Pollard returns to a comfortable pairing, this time with Spears. It will be interesting to see how the two are utilized exactly, but Tennessee has two strong options as it prepares to form a rushing attack without Henry for the first time in eight years. Another interesting aspect of training camp will be how the team addresses the depth behind Spears and Pollard.

Right now, two third-year backs, Hassan Haskins and Julius Chestnut, are battling for the RB3 role. Haskins has 25 carries for 93 yards to his name in the NFL, while Chestnut has nine for 12. Through the air, Haskins has more receptions (10) and yards (57) than Chestnut (3-41), but Chestnut appears to be more dynamic receiving out of the backfield. Neither back recorded an offensive stat last year as Haskins dealt with legal and health issues and Chestnut played only on special team.

Haskins and Chestnut are joined in the offseason competition by two undrafted free agents in Dillon Johnson and Jabari Small. Both Johnson and Small bring strong college resumes with them, but a lack of experience will likely hold them out of the roster battle for now.

Both Haskins and Pollard are strong special teams contributors, and that may be what decides the RB3 job. If both players have a strong enough camp, there’s a chance the team holds on to four rushers on the 53-man roster, but likely they are competing for one spot behind Spears and Pollard.

Assault Charge Against Titans RB Hassan Haskins Dropped

November 12th, 2023 at 11:40am CST by Rory Parks

At the end of September, Terry McCormick of MainStreetMediaTN.com reported that the charge of aggravated assault by strangulation against Titans running back Hassan Haskins had been dropped. Haskins was charged in June following an argument with his girlfriend, Makiah Green (who was, at the time of McCormick’s report, still facing her own charges of aggravated assault by strangulation, vandalism over $2,500, and assault with a deadly weapon).

Haskins will nonetheless be unable to suit up for Tennessee this year, as he was placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury before roster cutdowns at the end of August. One day later, he was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List due to the pending criminal charge, though he was removed from the list shortly after his assault charge was dropped, which made him eligible to return to the team facility.

Even though he avoided criminal penalties and will apparently avoid any league discipline as well, Haskins’ future with the Titans remains unclear. He was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 draft by the club’s prior GM, Jon Robinson, and received just 25 carries in his rookie campaign (which did give him the second-most rushing attempts among Tennessee’s running backs, as bell cow Derrick Henry once again served as the team’s offensive fulcrum). The Titans’ new GM, Ran Carthon, added promising talent Tyjae Spears in the third round of this year’s draft, and in July, it was reported that Haskins had fallen behind Spears on the depth chart.

Obviously, missing the entirety of his second pro season will not help Haskins’ cause. On the other hand, Henry is eligible for free agency at the end of the season, and if the Titans decide against giving a new contract to the two-time rushing champion, Haskins may have a chance to earn a larger workload.

At present, Tennessee’s other running backs include the likes of Julius Chestnut (currently on IR) and Jonathan Ward.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/25/23

September 25th, 2023 at 6:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Cincinnati Bengals

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Rams

Philadelphia Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Sinnett joined the Bengals’ practice squad late last week. This move preceded A.J. McCarron‘s return by one day. Joe Burrow is in uniform tonight, but the Bengals will take advantage of the emergency third QB rule by bumping Sinnett up to the active roster. Jake Browning is in place as Burrow’s backup.

After the Jets and Steelers waived Mann this year, he secured another chance in Philly. The team brought Mann onto its practice squad last week, moving their punter of the past two seasons — Arryn Siposs — off their roster. Mann is in his fourth NFL season; the former sixth-round pick served as the Jets’ punter from 2020-22.

With Quez Watkins inactive, Allen received his first opportunity to suit up for an NFL game. The two-time Olympian 110-meter hurdler has been on the Eagles’ practice squad for the past two seasons. A former wideout at Oregon, Allen devoted much of his 20s to track, becoming one of the best 110 hurdlers in U.S. history. Since landing on the Eagles’ 90-man offseason roster in 2022, Allen has worked as a two-sport athlete.

Titans Trim Roster To 53; RB Hassan Haskins Placed On Commissioner’s Exempt List

August 29th, 2023 at 5:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans have made a number of moves which have allowed them to set their initial 53-man roster. Here is the full breakdown:

Waived:

Released:

Waived/injured:

Placed on Reserve/PUP list:

Placed on Commissioner’s Exempt List:

Haskins had been placed on IR yesterday, meaning he will be sidelined for the season. The 2022 fourth-rounder’s future with the team is now murkier, however, given today’s placement on the Exempt List. Haskins – who was arrested on an aggravated assault charge in June – will need to apply for reinstatement to be eligible to return when healthy.

McMath has logged 14 appearances in Tennessee across his two seasons with the team. The former sixth-rounder will lose out on a roster spot in the Titans revamped receiving corps, which will of course be led by free agent signing DeAndre Hopkins. McMath would represent a prime practice squad candidate if he goes unclaimed, something which, given his lack of offensive playing time and production, can be expected.

Letting go of Coley, Johnson and Peko (at least for now) will leave the Titans thin along the defensive interior. That trio has combined to play 147 games in the NFL, representing plenty of experience the team will be without to start the season. Plenty of Tennessee’s success will be determined by the play of Jeffery Simmons and his fellow D-line starters, but they will be leaned on heavily in the absence of veteran backups.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/28/23

August 28th, 2023 at 8:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

We are less than 24 hours from the deadline for NFL teams to trim their rosters to 53 players. Here are the latest moves teams have made as they pare their squads down toward the in-season limit:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

  • Released from IR via injury settlement: DB Tino Ellis

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Titans Eyeing Tyjae Spears As RB2

July 11th, 2023 at 8:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Most of the Titans’ efforts to install a quality back behind Derrick Henry have not proven successful. The only back to qualify as a reliable option throughout his tenure has since changed teams twice.

D’Onta Foreman, who belatedly became the team’s top option to replace an injured Henry in 2021, has signed with the Panthers and Bears in consecutive offseasons. The productive fill-in’s departure prompted the Titans to draft Hassan Haskins in the 2022 fourth round, but the Michigan product totaled just 25 carries as a rookie and was arrested on an assault charge last month.

Haskins is expected to vie for the Titans’ third-string job with Jonathan Ward and Julius Chestnut, per Jim Wyatt of the team’s website. This will leave third-round rookie Tyjae Spears as the primary backup to Henry. The Tulane product is on track to “one-two punch” with the accomplished veteran, Wyatt adds.

Foreman and Haskins are just two of the players to be added since DeMarco Murray‘s 2018 exit (and subsequent retirement). Tennessee gave Dion Lewis a four-year, $19.8MM deal in 2018. While the ex-Patriots back operated as a nice Henry complement that season, he struggled to carve out much of a role in 2019. The Titans released Lewis in 2020. They drafted Darrynton Evans in the 2020 third round, but the Appalachian State product struggled with injuries and could not earn much playing time. Tennessee added Adrian Peterson following Henry’s November 2021 foot fracture and also tried Jeremy McNichols. Foreman, whom the team signed to its practice squad shortly after Henry’s injury, ended up playing the lead replacement role.

Spears will be the latest mid-round pick to receive an opportunity. A four-year Tulane contributor, the 201-pound back broke out with a 1,581-yard rushing season in 2022. He concluded his career with a 205-yard, four-touchdown performance in Tulane’s Cotton Bowl win over USC.

The Titans made Spears, the No. 81 overall pick, this year’s fifth running back selected. Spears ran a modest 4.54-second 40-yard dash at the Green Wave’s pro day, after not running at the Combine. An NFL.com report during draft weekend indicated Spears does not have an ACL in his one of his knees, after two tears, and had battled arthritis. He was not on every team’s draft board due to the medical concern, Daniel Jeremiah noted at the time. When asked about the report during Titans offseason workouts, Spears attempted to brush it off by indicating he was healthy.

The elusive rookie was a full participant in OTAs and minicamp. Considering the Titans’ run-oriented offense and lack of proven wide receivers, Spears may be called upon frequently. And he now represents the team’s top option if Henry, 29, goes down. Henry’s four-year, $50MM deal expires after this season.

Titans RB Hassan Haskins Arrested On Assault Charge

June 30th, 2023 at 5:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Titans running back Hassan Haskins was arrested on an assault charge Thursday, Caleb Wethington of WSMV reports. Metro Nashville Police booked the second-year back on an aggravated assault by strangulation charge.

Haskins was released on bond later Thursday, ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport adds. The Titans released a statement indicating they are aware of the arrest. Haskins, 23, is scheduled to appear in Davidson County Court July 10.

The Titans chose Haskins in the 2022 fourth round out of Michigan. The Eureka, Missouri, native shined in a breakout 2021 season with the Wolverines, rushing for 1,327 yards and totaling 20 touchdowns. He spent his rookie season as Derrick Henry‘s top backup. Haskins’ 25 carries were the second-most by a Tennessee running back last season.

In addition to potential legal punishment, this arrest puts Haskins on the radar for a suspension and a possible Titans exit. Haskins gained 93 yards on his 25 totes last season, adding 11 receptions. But the Titans have since changed general managers since selecting him 131st overall last year. Ran Carthon replaced Jon Robinson atop the team’s front office, and the team chose Tulane’s Tyjae Spears in this year’s third round. Spears is also a clear candidate to become Henry’s top backup.

Latest On Titans’ RB Competition

July 16th, 2022 at 2:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans’ offense has undergone a number of changes this offseason, but the unit’s catalyst will once again be in place for the start of the upcoming season. Derrick Henry is poised to handle a heavy workload as always, but there is much to be sorted out regarding the rest of the position’s depth chart. 

In a breakdown of the unit heading into training camp, Jim Wyatt of the team’s website details the many moves Tennessee has made in recent months, including re-signing veterans Jordan Wilkins and Dontrell Hilliard. The latter showed promise while filling in for Henry after his midseason injury last year. Hilliard registered the first five starts of his career late in 2021, and averaged an impressive 6.3 yards per carry. His success (albeit in a limited capacity) earned the former UDFA another deal with the Titans.

While Hilliard could be in line for the main backup role left open by the departure of D’Onta Foreman, he will be facing competition from several other backs for playing time. Outside of Wilkins and free agent addition Trenton Cannon, that could come most from Hassan Haskins. The fourth-rounder raised his draft stock with a stellar 2021 campaign at Michigan, in which he led the Big Ten in carries and total touchdowns, ranking second in the conference with 1,327 rushing yards. Given his status as a rookie, and the role he played in helping the Wolverines to the CFB playoffs, Haskins’ spot on the roster in some capacity is likely secure.

As a result, Wyatt notes, Hilliard, Wilkins and Cannon could find themselves competing over one spot on the 53-man roster. The presence of fullback Tory Carter and the fact that Henry, when healthy, will operate as a workhorse limits the path each has to a full-time spot. Given the question marks currently surrounding the Titans’ pass-catching corps, however, the way the RB depth chart shakes out in camp will be significant.

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