Harry Douglas

Titans Activate WR Harry Douglas, Waive WR Darius Jennings

Harry Douglas is set to make his season debut this weekend. Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com reports that the Titans have activated the wideout from the injured reserve. To make room on the roster, the team has waived wide receive Darius Jennings.

Harry Douglas (Vertical)After suffering a knee injury, the 33-year-old was placed on the injured reserve prior to the start of the season. The veteran should be a welcome addition to a Titans passing offense that has only hauled in nine touchdowns this season. In 25 games with Tennessee between 2015 and 2016, Douglas compiled 51 receptions for 621 yards and two touchdowns. His best season came in 2013 with the Falcons, when he caught 85 passes for 1,067 yards and two scores.

“He has done well, and obviously he has been in the book,” said coach Mike Mularkey. “He is a trusted vet, and knows how to do things the right way. He came out here and didn’t miss a beat. It doesn’t look like he’s been off for 11 weeks.”

Despite the Titans lack of production, it might be tough for Douglas to see a whole lot of playing time. Even with Jennings out of the picture, the team is still rostering Rishard Matthews, Corey Davis, Eric Decker, Taywan Taylor, and Eric Weems.

Jennings, a 2015 undrafted free agent out of Virginia, has also spent time with the Browns, Bears, and Jets. He didn’t see the field for the Titans this season, although he previously caught 14 passes with Cleveland in 2015.

Titans’ Harry Douglas Returns To Practice

Harry Douglas could be on the verge of returning to the field. On Monday, the wide receiver practiced with the Titans (Twitter link via Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com). "<strong

By putting Douglas on the practice field, the Titans have triggered a three-week window in which they can bring him off of injured reserve. If he is not activated within that timeframe, he will not be allowed to play for the remainder of the season. However, coach Mike Mularkey says that Douglas could rejoin the roster as early as this week.

Douglas, 33, spent the first six seasons of his career with the Falcons and eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving in 2013. He was less effective upon joining the Titans in 2015, finishing out with 36 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns. Last year, his usage dwindled with just 15 grabs for 210 yards in 11 games. He took a pay cut to stay with the team in the spring and he hasn’t had a chance to redeem himself thanks to a knee injury.

The Titans stayed competitive with the Steelers on Thursday night before Pittsburgh blew the doors open en route to a 40-17 win. Even after the tough loss, Tennessee is in the hunt for the AFC South crown with a 6-4 record. Douglas might not be able to reprise his 2013 performance, but he could be a useful weapon behind Rishard Matthews, Corey Davis, and Eric Decker.

Per the league’s IR-DTR rules, each team is permitted to bring two players back from IR each season. The Titans are still deliberating whether to also bring linebacker Aaron Wallace back into the fold.

AFC South Notes: Colts, Davis, Titans, Texans

Three teams discussed trading for former Colts cornerback Vontae Davis in advance of last week’s deadline, but it’s unclear if Indianapolis ever received a formal offer, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). Davis, of course, was released earlier today following reports that he’s likely to undergo season-ending groin surgery. Any team interested in acquiring Davis would have had to not only factor in Davis’ injury, but the fact that he’s played extremely poorly when on the field (No. 94 CB among 117 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus). Plus, a club that picked up Davis would have been responsible for his remaining $4.5MM in base salary, a hefty total for a player who is no longer a star.

Here’s more from the AFC South:

  • The release of Davis removed a potential distraction for the Colts for the rest of the season, as Mike Wells of ESPN.com writes. Indianapolis had no plans to re-sign Davis after the season, and given that he was entering the final year of his contract, Davis won’t affect the club’s cap space going forward. The Colts likely would have had to continue answering questions about Davis as the year progressed, but the team’s defensive back room is now a clean state.
  • The Titans will next week discuss whether to activate wide Harry Douglas and/or linebacker Aaron Wallace from injured reserve, tweets Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com. NFL clubs are now allowed to bring two players off IR, so Tennessee will be able to see both players return to the field in 2017 if it so chooses. Douglas would become the Titans’ fourth or fifth wideout if activated, but Wallace could potentially play a role down the stretch, as Tennessee currently ranks as a bottom-five team in adjusted sack rate.
  • Speaking of returning from injured reserve, Colts tight end Erik Swoope hopes to do just that in the near future, reports Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), who reports Swoope returned to practice on Wednesday. Swoope, a collegiate basketball player, has managed only 15 receptions since entering the NFL in 2014, but the Colts don’t have much at tight end behind starter Jack Doyle. Swoope could hypothetically carve out a role at the expense of backups Brandon Williams or Darrell Daniels.
  • Given that head coach Bill O’Brien has claimed that wins — and not off-field events — are the primary driver for the Texans, free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick makes “football sense” for the Texans, opines Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. While O’Brien noted that Kaepernick “hasn’t played football in awhile,” recent signee Josh Johnson has attempted a pass since 2011, which would seem to render O’Brien’s argument moot.

Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC South

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Texans, Colts, Jaguars, and Titans are noted below.

Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s AFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Tennessee Titans

AFC Notes: Broncos, Douglas, Osweiler

Broncos QB Paxton Lynch did not play particularly well in last night’s preseason contest against the 49ers. He completed 9-of-13 passes for just 39 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions, which culminated in a 72.3 quarterback rating. He also rushed three times for 27 yards. While he showed some promise, he also displayed difficulties reading and reacting to defenses, and he was thoroughly outplayed by Trevor Siemian, leading Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post to believe that Denver’s quarterback competition may be over and that Siemian may have won it for the second straight year. Head coach Vance Joseph said it would be ideal to name a winner prior to next week’s third preseason game, but he added, “The timeframe is not important. What’s important is we get it right, so it could be this week, it could be next week. But we’re going to go back and watch the tape and see where we are.” 

Now let’s take a look at a few more notes from the AFC:

  • Chiefs running back Charcandrick West is one of the most popular players in the Kansas City clubhouse, but thanks to the emergence of rookie Kareem Hunt and the revival of C.J. Spiller, his roster spot is in jeopardy, as Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes. The Chiefs could keep four running backs, but Paylor suggests that is somewhat unlikely unless the team is confident West or Spiller could also line up as a slot receiver if necessary.
  • Titans wideout Harry Douglas managed just 15 catches for 210 yards and no touchdowns last year, and he accepted a $2MM paycut this offseason, which, combined with Tennessee’s revitalization of its WR corps, suggests that Douglas’ days in Nashville could be numbered. But as Jason Wolf of the Tennessean writes, head coach Mike Mularkey considers Douglas “invaluable,” and the coaching staff prizes his vocal and veteran presence, consistent route-running, and capable blocking. As such, Wolf believes Douglas may actually be a lock to make the roster, though his playing time will again be limited.
  • Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer says the game still looks a little too fast for DeShone Kizer, so she believes Brock Osweiler has the inside track to open the season as the Browns‘ starting quarterback, which is consistent with reports we have been hearing over the past several weeks.
  • In a piece discussing Maxx Williams‘ promising performance during the Ravens‘ preseason victory over the Dolphins Thursday night, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun wrote that Williams is competing with Larry Donnell and Vince Mayle for Baltimore’s No. 3 TE job (behind Ben Watson and Nick Boyle). Williams, a 2015 second-round selection, underwent unique and serious knee surgery last year, but he easily has the most promise of any tight end on the roster. Even if he is technically competing for the No. 3 job at the moment, more performances like the one he had on Thursday could catapult him up the depth chart.
  • Former Ravens LB Zach Orr, who recently announced he was hanging up his cleats for good, could be rejoining Baltimore in another capacity. Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com says head coach John Harbaugh is interested in bringing Orr back as a scout or coach.

Titans’ Da’Norris Searcy, Harry Douglas Accept Paycuts

The Titans have agreed to contract restructures with defensive back Da’Norris Searcy and wide receiver Harry Douglas, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter links).Harry Douglas (Vertical)

Searcy, 28, has actually agreed to reduce his salary in each of the next two seasons. In 2017, Searcy’s pay will decrease from $5.625MM to $3.4MM, while in 2018, his salary will drop from $6.125MM to $2.8MM. He’ll now have $750K worth of incentives built into each season, per Yates. Searcy started 14 games for the Titans last year as part of safety rotation. Tennessee has since added free agent Jonathan Cyprien, but has lost Daimion Stafford and Rashad Johnson.

Douglas, meanwhile, will see his salary cut from $3.75MM to $1.75MM, reports Yates. The 32-year-old Douglas can make up nearly all of that total ($1.75MM) through incentives. Douglas played a far less critical role than Searcy for the Titans in 2016, as he managed only 15 receptions for 210 yards in his eighth NFL campaign. He’ll be on a wideout depth chart that also includes Rishard Matthews, Tajae Sharpe, Eric Weems, and Tre McBride.

AFC South Notes: Grigson, Mariota, Titans

Colts GM Ryan Grigson could be on the hot seat alongside coach Chuck Pagano, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). The criticism for Grigson, Cole says, has been primarily about player acquisitions, including the trade for Trent Richardson and the selection of first-round pick Bjoern Werner.

There have also been grumbling within the organization about Grigson’s meddling in the team’s day-to-day operations, according to Cole, who wonders whether Grigson could get pushed aside or pushed out altogether if Colts owner Jim Irsay goes after a high-end coach like a Nick Saban or a Sean Payton.

Here’s more from around the AFC South:

  • The Titans announced today that Marcus Mariota is making some progress, but isn’t ready to start on Sunday, meaning Zach Mettenberger will get the call against Atlanta (all Twitter links via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com). As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com observes (via Twitter), a strong showing in Mariota’s absence could give Mettenberger a better chance to play for another team in 2016, since it would boost his trade value.
  • Free agent defensive lineman Christo Bilukidi has a workout lined up with the Titans next Tuesday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Bilukidi, who worked out for the Vikings earlier this week, was drafted by the Raiders in 2012 and has seen action for Oakland, Cincinnati, and Baltimore since then.
  • One more Titans note: Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link) expects wide receiver Rico Richardson to be promoted from the team’s practice squad, with Harry Douglas out this week. Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com agrees, tweeting that tight end Chase Coffman and running back Terrance West are candidates to be cut.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Titans Sign Harry Douglas

WEDNESDAY, 12:44pm: The Titans have officially announced their deal with Douglas, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.

TUESDAY, 12:04pm: The Titans have reached an agreement with wide receiver Harry Douglas on a three-year contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). We heard late last night that Tennessee looked to have a good chance to secure the former Falcon, who was cut by Atlanta last month.

Douglas, 30, enjoyed his best season in 2013, when injuries to Julio Jones and Roddy White increased his role in the Falcons’ offense, allowing him to set new career highs in catches (85) and receiving yards (1,067). Jones and White returned to health for the 2014 season, and Douglas returned to his role as Matt Ryan‘s No. 3 target, but he still managed to rack up 51 receptions in just 12 games.

In Tennessee, Douglas will have a chance to reprise his role as a No. 3 receiver, with Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter expected to see the majority of the targets at the wideout position. Douglas will also reunite with Mike Mularkey, who is now Tennessee’s assistant head coach — Mularkey was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator from 2008 to 2011, overlapping with Douglas’ stint in Atlanta.

Titans Rumors: Williams, Fasano, Douglas

The latest from Tennessee, with all links going to the Twitter account of the Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt:

  • Cary Williams‘ choice came down to the Seahawks and the Titans, and the chance to play for a Super Bowl contender is ultimately what swayed the free agent cornerback.
  • The Titans will meet with tight end Anthony Fasano on Tuesday. The 30-year-old Fasano was released by the Chiefs last month.
  • Tennessee is still in on receiver Harry Douglas, and it sounds like the Titans have a good chance at signing him. Douglas was cut by the Falcons last month.

AFC FA Rumors: Hartline, Douglas, Vereen

Facing unrestricted free agency for the first time, Jaguars wide receiver Cecil Shorts admitted to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports that all the losing he has experienced in Jacksonville in recent years has left him feeling frustrated. Asked about what he’ll be seeking in free agency, Shorts suggested he would prefer to join a contending team.

“I just care about winning, man,” Shorts said. “When it comes down to it, I’m kind of fed up with this losing stuff. I’d do anything I can to help this team win. But you’re going to get a reliable guy. I’m not going to be any trouble during the season or the offseason. Just a reliable guy that’s going to be there and show up on Sunday.”

Shorts is one of a handful of free agents – along with Derrick Morgan, Andrew Gachkar, and a few others – who Garafolo thinks could see their careers take off with new teams. Here’s more on free agency, from around the AFC:

  • After visiting the Browns, wide receiver Brian Hartline is on to Houston to meet with the Texans, a league source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link). According to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), a deal with the Texans is a “real possibility” for Hartline, particularly with the club ready to move on from Andre Johnson.
  • Another free agent receiver is paying a visit to an AFC South team today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who tweets that ex-Falcon Harry Douglas is meeting with the Titans. As Schefter notes, Mike Mularkey, who is now Tennessee’s assistant head coach, was the Falcons’ offensive coordinator from 2008 to 2011, overlapping with Douglas’ stint in Atlanta.
  • Having reported last month that Shane Vereen may aim for $5MM per year in free agency, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter links) now says that the running back is eyeing a $3.5MM annual salary. According to Howe, the Patriots haven’t shown a willingness to meet that price, but other teams will likely have interest at that rate.
  • While Vince Wilfork‘s statement this morning announcing his departure from the Patriots had a sense of finality to it, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says (via Twitter) that if the defensive lineman wants to return to New England on a reduced deal, the team will leave the door open for him.
  • The Jets, who have been linked to free agent defensive linemen like Kendall Langford and Chris Canty, would like to re-sign Kenrick Ellis, but Ellis is interested in testing his value on the open market, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.