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Tennessee Titans News & Rumors

Titans Inquired On Eagles’ James Bradberry; Philly To Place Albert Okwuegbunam, Ainias Smith On IR

August 27th, 2024 at 2:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Residing as a veteran uncertain to land on the Eagles’ 53-man roster, James Bradberry is moving toward being part of a third Philly squad. But the Eagles indeed discussed the veteran DB in trades.

Bradberry surfaced as a trade candidate recently, and the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane notes the Titans inquired about the converted cornerback. Transitioning to safety, Bradberry has a history with new Titans DC Dennard Wilson. The new Tennessee play-caller coached Bradberry with the 2022 Eagles.

Indeed, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini confirms Bradberry is on Philly’s 53-man roster. The Eagles are creating some space by using two early IR-return designations. They will place Albert Okwuegbunam and fourth-round rookie wide receiver Ainias Smith on IR. Smith sustained an ankle injury that is expected to keep him out up to six weeks, AllPHLY.com’s Zach Berman tweets. A core muscle surgery will sideline Okwuegbunam, McLane adds.

Both Smith and Okwuegbunam will count toward Philly’s IR-activation total, which will drop from eight to six following today’s roster decisions. This will open space for Bradberry, who has seen the Eagles move aggressively to upgrade their secondary this year. Bradberry’s transition to safety has not progressed swiftly, McLane adds, creating some uncertainty regarding his 2024 role in Philly.

The Eagles re-signed Bradberry to a three-year, $38MM deal in 2023. He was not able to match his 2022 form, as the Eagles’ pass rush regressed after a historic ’22 outing. The former Panthers and Giants starter would have cost the Eagles $15MM-plus to release (with no cap savings coming), helping explain why he will survive today’s cutdown.

Philly reunited with C.J. Gardner-Johnson and used first- and second-round picks (Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean) on DBs. The Eagles want DeJean at corner, crowding a position group that also includes stalwart Darius Slay, Avonte Maddox and 2023 additions Kelee Ringo and Isaiah Rodgers.

Titans To Waive CB Caleb Farley

August 27th, 2024 at 11:12am CST by Sam Robinson

Unable to stay healthy during his first three-plus seasons in the NFL, Caleb Farley has seen the Titans move on from both the coach and GM that drafted him. After another injury, the veteran cornerback will be moved off Tennessee’s roster.

The Titans are waiving Farley today, ESPN’s Adams Schefter tweets. The 2021 first-round pick has two ACL tears and significant back issues on his medical sheet, and he ran into hamstring trouble during training camp.

Jon Robinson identified Farley for Mike Vrabel’s defense, doing so despite the Virginia Tech product having suffered an ACL tear while in college. While Farley managed to land first-round money, he also entered the NFL after undergoing two back surgeries. Farley ended up needing a third while in Tennessee, with that issue ending his 2022 season early. The Titans had already benched Farley earlier that year.

The back injury that landed Farley on IR (and back onto the operating table) in 2022 prevented him from playing in 2023 as well. With Ran Carthon and new HC Brian Callahan having no ties to the fourth-year defender, it is not exactly surprising the team is moving on. Farley only played in 12 Titans games during his three-season run.

The Titans declined Farley’s fifth-year option in May, but his rookie contract was guaranteed. Tennessee will eat $4.29MM in dead money from this cut, providing an illustration of how little Farley was able to contribute on his rookie deal. New regimes are often less concerned with dead cap, however, and this one will cut its losses.

Titans To Trade QB Malik Willis To Packers

August 26th, 2024 at 10:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Malik Willis‘ Titans tenure will end after his third preseason with the team. Tennessee’s new regime will move on from the former Jon Robinson-era draftee.

The Titans are trading Willis to the Packers, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. Tennessee will pick up a 2025 seventh-rounder from Green Bay. Two years remain on the former third-rounder’s rookie contract. Willis heads to a Packers team with some uncertainty behind Jordan Love.

Rumored as a potential first-round pick, Willis endured one of the more memorable draft-weekend slides in recent NFL history. As part of a maligned 2022 quarterback class, the Liberty product slid to No. 86. Willis’ performances with the Titans did well to justify the league’s hesitancy, even as high-profile draft gurus viewed him as a player who was bound for a first- or second-round draft destination. The Packers will take what amounts to a flier, given the trade compensation.

Willis competed with free agency addition Mason Rudolph for the Titans’ backup job this summer. Rudolph, who joined the team on a one-year deal worth $2.87MM, was believed to be in the lead. This will leave the Titans with a question regarding their third-string QB, as only Rudolph and Will Levis are now on the roster. But this cuts the cord on Robinson’s QB options — during an offseason in which Ran Carthon has made sweeping changes on offense.

With Levis also developing, Willis did not make too much sense on Tennessee’s roster any longer. Rudolph is in place as a veteran backup, and after Brian Callahan said the team would let the process play out through the preseason, the Titans figure to be in the QB3 market once the waiver wire presents options.

The Titans’ offense ground to a halt when Willis replaced Ryan Tannehill in 2022. The then-rookie completed just 50.8% of his passes, as Mike Vrabel turned to run-heavy game scripts when the former Auburn recruit was taking snaps. Willis went 1-2 as a Tannehill relief option that year and finished with 10- and 16-pass starts. After a 14-for-23 outing in a loss to the then-lowly Texans, Vrabel demoted him for Josh Dobbs, whom the Titans signed off the Lions’ practice squad late that season. Willis threw just five more regular-season passes as a Titan.

Willis, 25, came to Tennessee after two dominant seasons at Liberty. He finished with a 47-18 TD-INT ratio from 2020-21 at the mid-major program, after not beating out Jarrett Stidham at Auburn. Willis also posted 944- and 878-yard rushing seasons with his second program, totaling 27 rushing TDs. He will attempt to restart his development under Matt LaFleur.

LaFleur has not seen strong returns from Love backups Sean Clifford and seventh-round rookie Michael Pratt. Both struggled against the Broncos during the preseason’s second week, with LaFleur expressing disappointment (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman) about that effort in a 27-2 loss. Willis will likely back up Love, Schefter adds, though it would stand to be challenging for that setup to commence immediately due to Clifford’s knowledge of LaFleur’s system. But the incumbent is undoubtedly on notice. The Packers used a 2023 fifth-round pick on Clifford and are now guaranteed to cut either he or Pratt — and that is only if the team keeps three passers.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/26/24

August 26th, 2024 at 10:08pm CST by Ely Allen

There have been plenty of posts today about a number of teams releasing and waiving players ahead of roster cuts. Here are the best of the rest of the minor moves for Monday:

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Waived: DE Justin Blazek

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

  • Waived: DE Levi Bell
  • Released: C Mike Panasiuk

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Waived: CB Willie Roberts

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Nelson was an effective swing tackle for the Lions in the past three years. While he wasn’t able to stick with the Giants, he’s likely to draw interest elsewhere in the NFL.

The Eagles like Sam a lot at safety, but with a number of veterans atop the depth chart, there wasn’t room for him on the roster. The team plans to retain him on the practice squad should he clear waivers, per Andrew DiCecco of 975 The Fanatic. The Buccaneers have similar plans with Isaac, Taula, and Wisdom.

Titans LB Chance Campbell Suffers Torn ACL

August 26th, 2024 at 12:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

Chance Campbell had his preseason end prematurely on Sunday, and he will now be sidelined for the campaign as well. The third-year linebacker suffered an ACL tear, head coach Brian Callahan said on Monday.

Campbell was drafted in the sixth round in 2022, but his first regular season action came last season. He made four appearances in 2023, playing only five defensive snaps. Most of his usage came on special teams, and his injury will deal a blow to Tennessee’s third phase units.

The 24-year-old was in the mix for a roster spot with the Titans, a team which lost Azeez Al-Shaair in free agency. That departure was followed by the signing of Kenneth Murray, who will be counted on to occupy a starting role with his new team. Tennessee also has Luke Gifford, Jack Gibbens, JoJo Domann along with rookies Cedric Gray and James Williams in the fold at the LB spot.

Campbell has one year remaining on his rookie contract, and his limited usage to date would make it no surprise if he were to find himself as a free agent either after being released in the near future or being let go next offseason. His market value would not be high in any case, but for the time being his attention will turn to rehab. With nearly $23MM in cap space, the Titans certainly have the room needed to make a linebacker addition if one is deemed necessary.

Titans P Ryan Stonehouse Expects To Be Ready For Week 1

August 25th, 2024 at 12:34pm CST by Rory Parks

Titans punter Ryan Stonehouse, one of the league’s more under-the-radar weapons, is on track to suit up for the regular season opener, as Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com writes. That is in keeping with the goal that Stonehouse set for himself back in June.

Stonehouse, 25, suffered a torn ACL and MCL, along with a broken bone, in his plant (non-kicking) leg during a Week 13 loss to the Colts in December. That put his availability for the start of the 2024 season in doubt, but updates from McCormick and Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com in July suggested the talented specialist had a real chance to make a Week 1 return.

Indeed, Stonehouse is expected to get a punt or two in today’s preseason finale against the Saints, which will presumably serve as the last box to check in his quest to begin the season on the active roster. As McCormick observes, Stonehouse booted a 60-yard kick in practice last week, demonstrating that his trademark power was back.

A 2022 UDFA out of Colorado State, Stonehouse broke Sammy Baugh‘s single-season punting average mark in his rookie season, moving the NFL’s standard from 51.4 yards per boot (set in 1940) to 53.1. Stonehouse matched that average in 2023, though his season ended a few games early. He also placed over half of his kicks inside the opponent’s 20 last year.

“Obviously, I’m going to continue my rehab throughout the year, but getting these game reps is really exiting,” Stonehouse said of his planned appearance in today’s game. … “I just think for me personally, it’ll help me get back in that groove and allow me to figure out if I don’t feel comfortable with something in the game, the next two weeks I can kind of tackle whatever that feeling is.”

Assuming all goes according to plan, the Titans will likely waive Ty Zentner, though they could stash him on the practice squad if he clears waivers. Zentner, who originally signed with the Eagles as a 2023 UDFA, appeared in four games for the Texans and an additional five for the Titans in the wake of the Stonehouse injury.

A July report indicated that Zentner, who posted a 46.5 yards-per-punt average with Tennessee as a rookie, showed improvement during offseason work.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/20/24

August 20th, 2024 at 6:47pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

  • Reverted to IR: LB Zeke Vandenburgh

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Free Agent

Strong was a surprising release by the Cardinals during the regular season last year. At the time, Strong was coming off of his strongest NFL campaign, but head coach Jonathan Gannon claimed that the release was what was “best for the team.” While we still don’t know the nature of the suspension, or whether or not it’s even related to his January release, we are aware that he will miss three games.

Dillon Radunz, Nicholas Petit-Frere In Line To Start For Titans

August 19th, 2024 at 5:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Saahdiq Charles‘ retirement caught the Titans off-guard, but the team had been pitting the free agency addition in an even competition with Dillon Radunz. As a result, the former second-round pick has zeroed in on Tennessee’s starting right guard spot. More continuity is likely here, even as GM Ran Carthon has largely reshaped the offense.

Carthon’s purge of Jon Robinson-era players is not set to include the right side of the Titans’ offensive line. Those position battles are not finished yet, but HC Brian Callahan said Radunz and Nicholas Petit-Frere are moving toward being the team’s starters.

[RELATED: Assessing Titans’ 2024 Offseason]

During a decade in which the Titans have been unable to find right tackle stability — since they let Jack Conklin walk as a 2020 free agent — it is interesting that two players who battled for the gig not long ago are likely to start alongside one another. The Titans’ disastrous Isaiah Wilson investment gave way to a second-round Radunz pick in 2021, but the North Dakota State product was unable to win the job. David Quessenberry started primarily in 2021, and a 2022 competition — after Quessenberry’s free agency exit — produced Petit-Frere as the starter. The 2022 third-round pick, however, encountered a gambling suspension last year and soon sustained a season-ending shoulder injury.

Radunz played four positions last season but primarily worked at right tackle. Pro Football Focus slotted him 41st at the position, a positive step during another injury-plagued Titans season up front. Radunz logged 504 snaps at right tackle and 166 at left guard, coming back after a December 2022 ACL tear. He played 19 snaps at right guard in 2023 and may have entered camp behind Charles, but the ex-Washington starter’s retirement changed the equation for the Titans.

Should Callahan’s current expectation come to fruition, this will also mark the second time in three years Daniel Brunskill will have been demoted. The 49ers used him as their starting right guard throughout the 2020 and ’21 seasons but demoted him to a platoon role with Spencer Burford in 2022. Brunskill, who followed Carthon to Tennessee last year, started all 14 games he played with the Titans in 2023.

This would be a nice opportunity for Radunz, who is in a contract year. Two seasons remain on Petit-Frere’s rookie deal. If an upset occurs and the job goes to another right tackle candidate, the Titans would go into a season with a sixth Week 1 RT in six years.

Petit-Frere started 16 games for the 2022 Titans but played in just three games last season. The team acquired ex-Bill Callahan Cleveland charge Leroy Watson via trade this year and signed veteran Geron Christian; those two joined 2023 sixth-round pick Jaelyn Duncan (five starts last season) in vying for roster spots.

Tennessee has locked-in starters at left tackle (JC Latham), left guard (Peter Skoronski) and center (Lloyd Cushenberry). If DeAndre Hopkins recovers in time for Week 1, the Titans are on track to have eight Carthon acquisitions as offensive starters. Two Robinson-era blockers, however, are poised to remain in the equation for another year.

Latest On Titans’ Backup QB Competition

August 19th, 2024 at 12:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

With two preseason games in the books, the Titans have been able to evaluate players at a number of positions which feature ongoing roster competitions. In the case of the backup quarterback gig, though, more time will be needed before a final call is made.

Will Levis sits atop the depth chart, and his ability to develop under rookie head coach Brian Callahan will be a key storyline for Tennessee this season. Mason Rudolph and Malik Willis continue to vie for the QB2 role, and through the first preseason contest the former had impressed to the point the latter struggled to get reps with the second-team offense. Even though they both played against the Seahawks, no firm decision will be made over the comings days.

“We’ll let this thing play out another week,” Callahan said (via the team’s website). “This time next week we’ll be able to make a decision and determination on who the 2 will be, and what happens with the third spot, if we keep three or practice squad three, or we just go with two.”

Even if Rudolph cements his status as the preferred option to Willis, a decision will need to be made on keeping the Liberty product on the 53-man roster or exposing him to waivers later this month. Indications in June pointed to Tennessee being willing to carry three signal-callers on the roster, but Callahan and Co. could opt for a different route when a final decision is made.

Rudolph signed a one-year deal in free agency; all but $100K of his $2.8MM in compensation is guaranteed. The former Steeler has 13 regular season starts to his name, along with last year’s wild-card contest. The 29-year-old took over from an injured Kenny Pickett and remained atop the depth chart once he was healthy, but Pittsburgh cleaned house under center this offseason.

Willis, 25, was a member of the underwhelming 2022 QB class, and he has not developed as a passer to date. The former third-rounder made three starts as a rookie but he was limited to just five pass attempts last season while spending time behind both Levis and Ryan Tannehill on the depth chart. Waiving Willis would create $466K in dead money charges, making that move more financially feasible than a Rudolph release.

Callahan added the Titans’ starters will get limited reps during their preseason finale, but both Rudolph and Willis will also see action in that game. Only after that contest will a final call be made regarding which passer earns the backup role and whether or not both will be retained on the 53-man roster.

Arden Key’s PED Suspension Overturned

August 17th, 2024 at 1:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

A year after signing a four-year Titans extension, Jeffery Simmons has added a piece of reporting to his resume. The sixth-year Titans defensive lineman alerted X followers that Arden Key‘s suspension will not come to pass.

In late July, reports came down that the Tennessee edge rusher received a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy. In a rare development, the ban has been overturned on appeal. ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport confirms Simmons’ offering, and the Titans will be eligible to use Key for the season’s first six games.

[RELATED: Assessing Titans’ 2024 Offseason]

This will both keep a Titans starter in the mix and protect Key’s guarantees. While appeal processes can lead to reduced suspensions, PED bans are not commonly reversed. This represents a win for the Titans, who have Key on a three-year deal worth $21MM. The free agent pickup started nine games last season and is on track to be Tennessee’s top Harold Landry edge sidekick this year.

Signing early during the 2023 free agency period after playing for three teams from 2020-22, Key notched six sacks and 12 quarterback hits in his Titans debut. The former Raiders third-rounder and Jaguars and 49ers supplementary rusher has a 6.5-sack season — with the 2021 49ers — on his resume as well. Key, 28, struggled to find a role with the Raiders but has offered belated production elsewhere. The Titans need more of it soon.

The Titans have run into steady trouble finding edge help opposite Landry. From Jadeveon Clowney to Cameron Wake to Vic Beasley to Bud Dupree, Tennessee has been unable to staff this position since acquiring Landry in the 2018 second round. The team also lost versatile pass rusher Denico Autry in free agency, seeing him join off-ball linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair with the Texans. Tennessee needs Key, who was part of GM Ran Carthon‘s first FA crop, to provide stability.

Rashad Weaver (5.5 sacks in 2022, none last year) loomed as Key’s replacement. The former fourth-round pick can slide back into a rotational role on the heels of this news.

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