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Tennessee Titans News & Rumors

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/1/23

September 1st, 2023 at 7:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

Teams continue to tinker with their taxi squads in the aftermath of roster cutdowns. Here are Friday’s updates:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

  • Signed: WR T.J. Luther
  • Released: WR Thyrick Pitts

New York Giants

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/31/23

August 31st, 2023 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a busy roster deadline day on Tuesday, teams continue to reshuffle their rosters. Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

  • Placed on IR: TE Stephen Sullivan

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

The Ravens brought back a trio of veterans to their 53-man roster. Brent Urban is probably destined for the biggest role, with the veteran lineman serving as the top backup to Broderick Washington at defensive end. Urban got into 16 games for Baltimore last season, collecting 21 tackles and one sack. Veteran QB Josh Johnson will slide behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley on the depth chart, and Kevon Seymour will continue his role as a key special teamer.

The Cardinals are temporarily losing some production with offensive lineman Dennis Daley and linebacker Myjai Sanders being placed on IR. Daley joined the Cardinals on a two-year deal this offseason after starting 15 of his 17 appearances for the Titans in 2022. Sanders had a productive rookie campaign, with the third-round pick collecting 23 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble.

Julian Okwara has turned into a productive pass-rushing option in Detroit. The former third-round pick has collected seven sacks over the past two seasons, but he’ll now be sidelined for the start of the season while recovering from a knee injury suffered during in the preseason finale.

Five Teams Placed Claims On WR Elijah Higgins

August 31st, 2023 at 5:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Elijah Higgins was a popular name on the waiver wire yesterday before he ultimately landed with the Cardinals. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter), the Colts, Titans, Commanders, and Packers also tried to claim the receiver.

It’s not a surprise that there’s plenty of intrigue in the Stanford product. Higgins had productive 2021 and 2022 campaigns, hauling in 104 receptions for 1,204 yards and six touchdowns. Thanks to that performance, the former four-star recruit found himself on the NFL radar, and the Dolphins ended up using a sixth-round pick on him during this past year’s draft.

However, Higgins found himself joining a deep receivers room in Miami. The rookie still had a shot at making the roster, but Miami ended up rolling with the likes of Braxton Berrios, Cedrick Wilson, Erik Ezukanma, and River Cracraft to round out the WRs room behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

Higgins could have a chance to contribute in Arizona, though it’d likely require an injury for him to see a significant role on offense. Behind Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore, the Cardinals are rostering Zach Pascal, rookie Michael Wilson, and Greg Dortch.

Per Fields, Higgins was one of only two players to earn more than two waivers claims. The other was new Texans lineman Nick Broeker, who also drew interest from the Cardinals, Titans, and Giants.

Titans To Sign OLB Trevis Gipson

August 31st, 2023 at 8:39am CST by Sam Robinson

Before the Bears decided to waive Trevis Gipson, the young pass rusher came up in trade discussions. But he went unclaimed on waivers. After passing through to free agency, Gipson will have a new home.

The Titans are signing the fourth-year edge defender, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Gipson spent three seasons with the Bears, joining the team as a fifth-round pick back in 2020.

Tennessee, which lost pass rusher DeMarcus Walker to Chicago in free agency, has Harold Landry coming back from a full-season absence stemming from a late-summer ACL tear. After releasing Bud Dupree, the Titans have Arden Key in place as their top complementary outside linebacker. Rashad Weaver is going into his third NFL season, and rookie UDFA Caleb Murphy rounded out Tennessee’s OLB group when the team set its initial 53-man roster. Gipson, 26, will join this quartet.

Making 19 starts over the past two seasons, Gipson produced 10 sacks in that span. Khalil Mack‘s foot injury in 2021 opened the door for Gipson to be the Bears’ top Robert Quinn complementary piece. As Quinn broke Richard Dent’s single-season franchise sack record that season, Gipson tallied seven sacks and forced five fumbles. This helped Sean Desai‘s defense rank sixth in yards allowed. In Year 1 as a defensive end in Matt Eberflus‘ scheme, Gipson’s numbers dipped. The Bears, who traded Mack in March 2022 and then dealt Quinn before the deadline, received just three sacks from Gipson in his age-25 season.

But Gipson totaled a career-best 11 QB hits in 2022. In Tennessee, the 6-foot-4 defender will return to a 3-4 scheme — under DC Shane Bowen — and will be given a chance to carve out a role as a backup in the again-Landry-led OLB corps. The Titans’ roster now sits at 53 players.

Titans Release Michael Badgley; K Joins Lions’ Practice Squad

August 30th, 2023 at 6:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 30: Badgley’s whirlwind offseason will wind up taking him back to where it began. He is part of the Lions’ initial practice squad, as the team announced on Wednesday. That could give him the opportunity to reclaim his role as Detroit’s kicker if Riley Patterson falters or suffers an injury. Failing that, another chance could arise during the campaign which entices him to once again depart the Motor City.

AUGUST 27: After moving on from their other two kickers, the Titans paved the way for Michael Badgley to win their kicking job. That has not taken place, however; the team announced on Sunday that he is among their preliminary roster cuts.

Badgley enjoyed a strong finish to the season in Detroit last season, and that earned him a new deal with the Lions. He quickly found himself being released, however, which led him to Washington in a bid to beat out Joey Slye for the Commanders’ kicking gig. That did not take place, and the Titans became Badgley’s third team this offseason.

Tennessee waived Caleb Shudak and Trey Wolff in the wake of signing Badgley. That seemed to give the latter a clear opportunity to find a home to at least begin the 2023 season, but he struggled upon arrival in camp practices. The 28-year-old then converted three of four field goal attempts in the Titans’ preseason finale. Those performances were not sufficient to earn him the job, and the Titans again find themselves in the market for an addition at the position in the build-up to the season.

Given today’s move, the team does not currently have a kicker on the roster. After two seasons of Randy Bullock handling kicking duties, it thus remains unclear who will have those responsibilities when the 2023 campaign begins. Bullock – like a number of veteran kickers – remains unsigned at the moment, but interest will pick up in the near future as teams sort out their rosters.

In addition to moving on from Badgley, the Titans announced that defensive back L.J. Davis, receiver Gavin Holmes, offensive linemen Zack Johnson and James Murray, as well as tight end Justin Rigg have been waived. Many more moves will be needed in the coming days to finalize the team’s 53-man roster.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC South

August 30th, 2023 at 2:30pm 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 Colts, Jaguars, Texans and Titans moves are noted below.

Houston Texans

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Indianapolis Colts

Placed on IR:

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad: 

Jacksonville Jaguars

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Tennessee Titans

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Released:

Released from IR via injury settlement:

K Cade York To Land On Titans’ P-Squad

August 30th, 2023 at 12:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans have shaken up their kicker situation this week. Following a trade for veteran Nick Folk, Tennessee will take a flier on a former top kicker prospect.

Cade York is joining the Titans’ practice squad, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Browns waived York after preseason struggles. No one claimed the LSU alum, leading him to a P-squad destination.

Recent seasons have brought some injury trouble for the Titans, but they released their primary option — Randy Bullock — in a February salary purge. The Titans then cut Caleb Shudak, Trey Wolff and Michael Badgley during the preseason. York is now in place as an emergency option behind Folk, who is going into his age-39 season.

The first kicker chosen in 2022, York did not impress in Cleveland. He did make a 58-yard game-winner to lift the Browns past the Panthers in his first NFL outing, but the decorated college kicker ended his rookie year just 24 of 32. During the preseason, York missed three field goals — one in each Browns game — and the AFC North team decided to bring in more experience by trading for Dustin Hopkins.

The 2020 season, when Stephen Gostkowski‘s injury led to the Titans using several kickers, showed the value an emergency in-house option can provide. As Folk begins his 17th NFL season, Tennessee will attempt to rebuild York’s stock.

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.

Patriots To Trade K Nick Folk To Titans

August 29th, 2023 at 12:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

Not long after it was learned Nick Folk could be on the move, the veteran kicker is indeed on his way out of New England. The Patriots are trading him to the Titans, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Colleague Tom Pelissero adds that Tennessee will send back a 2025 seventh-round pick.

Earlier today, Folk was reported to be on the trade block with the Patriots needing to make a decision at the kicker position. It has now been made, and fourth-round rookie Chad Ryland will serve as Folk’s successor. For the Titans, meanwhile, this move will presumably bring their 2023 kicking carousel to a halt.

Tennessee relied on Randy Bullock for each of the past two seasons, and the veteran delivered performances in line with his career averages during that time. He was one part of the team’s notable cap purge in the offseason, however, which left an opening for younger, less expensive option in the kicking game. The team’s attempts to find a replacement had not fared well until today.

Caleb Shudak and Trey Wolff each had an opportunity to win the kicking gig during the offseason, but they were both waived once Michael Badgley had been brought in. The latter’s Titans deal continued a whirlwind offseason which saw him sign a deal with, then be released by, the Lions and Commanders. He struggled upon arrival in Tennessee, so the Titans followed the same path of quickly cutting bait with Badgley. As a result, they entered today without a kicker on the roster.

Folk, 38, spent the past four seasons in New England. His strong, consistent performances with the team led to multiple contracts, but they were not enough to stop the Patriots from investing a fourth-round pick in Ryland this April. The latter will face the task of carrying on Folk’s track record of success while providing a long-term answer at the position.

This trade will incur a dead cap charge of just $585K for the Patriots while creating $2.2MM in cap space. For the Titans, meanwhile, Folk’s $1.69MM base salary will prove to be money well spent if he can deliver a 2023 performance similar to the ones he had in New England.

Titans CB Caleb Farley To Begin Season On PUP List

August 29th, 2023 at 9:26am CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans will be without Caleb Farley to begin the season. The 24-year-old corner is headed to the reserve/PUP list, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Farley is dealing with a back injury, along with the recent death of his father. His attention will thus be focused outside of football for the time being. By beginning the campaign on the PUP list, he will be sidelined for at least four weeks. The move will leave Tennessee shorthanded at corner in a year where they will rely heavily on their young options at the position.

A 2021 first-rounder, Farley has battled injuries at both the college and NFL levels. His Titans tenure has been limited to just 12 contests so far, and his record of missed time will now continue into 2023. The Virginia Tech product has a pair of interceptions to his name, but his struggles in coverage have led to poor PFF evaluations in both of his Nashville campaigns.

Tennessee signed Sean Murphy-Bunting in free agency to a one-year, $3.5MM deal. That contract could prove to be a bargain if the former Buccaneer can deliver a productive season. Murphy-Bunting will be pegged for a starting role on the outside, as will 2020 second-rounder Kristian Fulton. The Titans also have Roger McCreary and Elijah Molden, another pair of recent Day 2 selections, in place to log a signficant defensive workload.

Upon his return, Farley will aim to carve out a more signficant role than the one he has received to date in his NFL career. He has logged 163 snaps on defense, and saw only a moderate workload on special teams last year. With a decision on his fifth-year option needing to be made at the end of the 2023 season, plenty is at stake for him this year. His debut this will be delayed, though, adding to the urgency he will have when he receives a clean bill of health.

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