Following a big week for the Titans’ AFC standing, they are set to have a key defender back in uniform soon. Tennessee designated Jayon Brown to return from IR on Wednesday.
This starts Brown’s 21-day clock to come off IR. The Titans parked the fifth-year linebacker on their injury list because of a hamstring injury. The team also designated outside linebacker Derick Roberson and center Aaron Brewer to come off IR.
The Titans retained Brown this offseason, re-signing him on a one-year deal worth $5.25MM. The veteran second-level starter faces a key stretch run, having spent time on IR in each of the past two seasons. Brown’s 2020 season ended after 10 games. This and the pandemic-altered salary cap affected Brown’s free agency, putting some pressure on him to make an impact ahead of a 2022 free agency bid.
Tennessee has shown some improvement on defense this season and is coming off one of its best defensive outings in recent memory, having held the Chiefs without a touchdown. A 34-game starter since the 2018 season, Brown made 105 tackles in 2019 and profiles as a key helper for the Titans’ chances of repeating as AFC South champions. Tennessee faces its lone threat to doing so Sunday, in matching up with the Colts for the second time this season.