Brandon Allen - Pro Football Rumors

Titans RB Tyjae Spears Lands On IR As Team Gets To 53

August 26th, 2025 at 8:14pm CST by Ely Allen

Year 2 under Brian Callahan and Year 1 under Mike Borgonzi can now get underway as the Titans made the following transactions to get their initial roster down to 53 players:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR (designated for return):

RB Tyjae Spears

As expected, the team’s RB2 will open the year on injured reserve. Spears suffered a high ankle sprain two weeks ago, and the injury will now keep him from playing in the first four weeks of the season.

The absence hurts a run offense that would’ve featured Tony Pollard with a good dose of Spears, as well. Rookie quarterbacks often benefit from strong rushing attacks, so Pollard will have a bit more pressure on his shoulders to help the offense succeed. There was some thought that the team may hold on to an extra running back if Spears went on IR, but both Jefferson and Mims head to waivers with hopes of coming back to the practice squad.

With Siemian getting cut, Brandon Allen, once again, is the last man standing as the primary backup to Cam Ward. With only two passers making it on the active roster, Siemien stands a strong chance at landing on the p-squad, per beat writer Paul Kuharsky.

Siemien joins six other vested veterans in becoming free agents. Jaimes, Oruwariye, Proche, and Watkins all signed veteran minimum deals in an effort to make the team but will now head back to free agency. Proche, in particular, was a close cut to make the team. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Tennessee could try to bring him back on the practice squad, but he’s just as likely to get a contract offer to play elsewhere.

Lastly, Ward’s favorite target last year in Coral Gables, Restrepo, didn’t join him on the initial 53-man roster. Like those mentioned above, Restrepo is another candidate to be retained on the practice squad, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Titans Unlikely To Add Another Quarterback

July 24th, 2025 at 5:28pm CST by Ben Levine

The Titans are down a quarterback following Will Levis‘ sudden season-ending shoulder surgery. While the injury opens up even more camp reps for first-overall pick Cam Ward, there was some speculation that the organization could look to add another player at the position.

It sounds like that won’t be the case. Titans GM Mike Borgonzi told reporters that he feels good about his current grouping of quarterbacks and doesn’t anticipate adding another player to the mix (via Jim Wyatt of the team’s website). Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com passed along a similar sentiment yesterday, stating that the Titans are unlikely to add a fourth QB to the depth chart.

To the Titans’ credit, the team did add a pair of veteran QBs to their roster this offseason, bringing in both Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle. Allen brings 10 games of starting experience to Tennessee, one of which came last season with the 49ers. In that contest, the veteran completed 17 of his 29 pass attempts for 199 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a San Francisco loss. Boyle is winless in his five career starts, including a two-game starting gig with the Jets during the 2023 campaign.

Those two options are uninspiring, and there’s a chance the team only carries one backup heading into the regular season. Allen would appear to have the upper hand in the QB2 competition, as the player previously worked with head coach Brian Callahan when the two were in Cincinnati.

“He’s got a great feel for the system, how to operate,” Callahan said of Allen (via John Glennon of the Nashville Post). “He understands the role of the backup quarterback. He’s got a lot of experience he can share with Cam as well, from all the places he’s been, and things he’s done and seen … He can help manage the offense, operate it when he steps in there.”

Despite being in the NFL for only two seasons, Levis brings more starting experience than his two potential replacements, as the former second-round pick got an extended look as QB1 between 2023 and 2024. The team’s addition of Ward put Levis in a somewhat awkward spot, and the incumbent was a popular name in trade rumors this offseason. With Levis now out for the season, he’ll be sticking in Tennessee at least through the 2025 campaign.

Latest On Titans’ QB Situation

July 7th, 2025 at 5:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

Cam Ward has not officially won the Titans’ starting quarterback gig yet, but it remains the expectation that will be the case this summer. Beyond this year’s No. 1 pick, Tennessee has a number of interesting decisions to make.

Returnee Will Levis saw some time with the first-team offense during spring practices, and he is thus a candidate to win the starting gig at training camp. More realistically, though, the former second-rounder is in line to begin the campaign as Tennessee’s backup. Trade rumors have swirled in Levis’ case, but new general manager Mike Borgonzi has insisted no efforts were made before or during the draft to move him.

Team reporter Jim Wyatt notes Levis can be penciled into the QB2 spot (pending a summer push on the part of an interested team to work out a trade). That would leave Ward in place to operate as Tennessee’s starter, with his development playing a central role in the team’s 2025 success. The Titans have two other passers in place entering training camp in the form of Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle.

Allen has familiarity with head coach Brian Callahan given their time spent together in Cincinnati. The 32-year-old has only made 18 appearances (and 10 starts) during his career, so he profiles as a No. 3 option at best. Wyatt notes Allen received more reps during the spring than Boyle, pointing to him having an advantage for the third-string gig. Presuming Boyle finishes the summer fourth on the depth chart, he will be a prime candidate to find himself amongst the team’s roster cuts.

Plenty of time remains for the pecking order at the quarterback spot to change, of course. How the four signal-callers fare during padded practices will make for one of the Titans’ top summer storylines. As things stand now, though, few surprises (if any) with respect to the depth chart should be expected.

Titans Sign QB Tim Boyle

March 26th, 2025 at 5:47pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Titans continue to move closer to selecting a quarterback with the first-overall pick, the team has added some veteran help at the position. The Titans announced today that they’ve signed quarterback Tim Boyle.

A 2018 UDFA, Boyle has settled into a clear backup role at this point of his career. The veteran has appeared in 23 career games, spending time with the Packers, Lions, Bears, Jets, Texans, Dolphins, and Giants. He’s gone winless in his five career starts, tossing four touchdowns vs. nine interceptions in those outings.

The 30-year-old bounced around the league a bit in 2024. He was cut by the Texans at the end of the preseason before landing on Miami’s practice squad. He got into two games with the Dolphins but was ultimately cut in October. He landed with the Giants, where he’d finish the season. In total, Boyle got into three games last year, completing 27 of his 50 pass attempts for 276 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

The Titans already brought in another veteran QB this offseason in Brandon Allen, and the two acquisitions join holdover Will Levis on the depth chart. A 2023 second-round pick, Levis wasn’t drafted by the current Titans regime, and the addition of a second clear backup could signal that Levis will inevitably be shuttled off the roster. There’s also a chance the Titans skip the QB position or trade out of the No. 1 pick, although that’s seeming increasingly unlikely as the team prepares for a second meeting with Cam Ward.

AFC South Rumors: Autry, Titans, Jags, Colts

March 26th, 2025 at 12:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Denico Autry‘s first Texans season did not go according to plan, with the AFC South nomad incurring a six-game PED suspension. Several months later, Autry looks to have taken a bit of a pay cut. Having signed a two-year, $20MM deal in 2024, Autry is now tied to a one-year contract worth $7.5MM, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. This is down from $9MM in 2025 base value. Autry will see his base salary reduced from $8.5MM to $3.5MM, and while $3MM of that has gone into a signing bonus for restructure purposes, the rest shifts to incentives. Overall, Autry’s 2025 cap hit will drop from $10.3MM to $6.6MM. Autry, who will turn 35 this summer, totaled three sacks in a mostly rotational role last season. He is one of four 30-somethings on the Texans’ D-line, joining Danielle Hunter, Sheldon Rankins and Mario Edwards.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

The Titans would appear to have some work to do at wide receiver. Although they added auxiliary pass catcher Van Jefferson as a roster hopeful, the team is bringing in Terrace Marshall for a Wednesday visit, Wilson tweets. Marshall played three seasons with the Panthers and one with the Raiders, moving from Carolina trade candidate to a player eventually cut. The former second-round pick has not lived up to expectations but, after auditioning for the Steelers, has drawn the Titans’ attention. As for Jefferson, Wilson adds his contract is worth just $1.79MM and carries $1.17MM guaranteed.
Mike McCoy will change AFC South addresses in 2025. The former Chargers HC will shift from a Jacksonville assistant to a Tennessee staffer. The Titans hired McCoy as a senior offensive assistant, veteran reporter Paul Kuharsky noted earlier this month. McCoy, 52, spent the past three seasons as the Jaguars’ QBs coach under Doug Pederson. McCoy was in place as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator when Brian Callahan broke into the NFL; the two overlapped in Denver from 2009-12.
Tank Dell went through a key step during his latest rehab process, undergoing surgery to repair a December ACL tear, per Wilson. The Texans receiver was set to undergo multiple surgeries after suffering immense damage while scoring a touchdown against the Chiefs in Week 16. He had already undergone a previous operation to address his latest significant injury. Dell tore an ACL, MCL, LCL and meniscus on the play, requiring ambulance transportation from Arrowhead Stadium. The 2023 third-round pick, who sustained a broken leg as a rookie, faces an uphill battle to play at any point in 2025. Dell is under contract through the 2026 season.
Circling back to some Titans contract matters, the team has one of the most decorated special-teamers in the fold for nearly the veteran minimum. Johnny Hekker, a four-time first-team All-Pro punter, signed a one-year deal worth just $1.42MM ($1.19MM guaranteed), Wilson tweets. A 13-year veteran, Hekker played out a three-year, $7.62MM Panthers pact. Tennessee’s Sebastian Joseph-Day contract checks in at $6.5MM in base value, per Wilson, who adds the Titans’ Brandon Allen accord is worth $1.42MM. This is slightly down from Allen’s 2024 49ers pay ($2MM).
The Jaguars‘ Chuma Edoga contract is worth $7MM over two years, Wilson adds. The veteran swingman will see $3.2MM guaranteed at signing. Nothing is guaranteed beyond Year 1 for the former Jets, Falcons and Cowboys blocker, who will take his place behind Walker Little and Anton Harrison on Jacksonville’s depth chart. Additionally, the Jags’ two-year, $5MM Hunter Long deal will come with $3MM guaranteed at signing, Wilson adds. That includes a $1MM guarantee in 2026.
Wrapping up this contract roundup, Ashton Dulin secured similar Colts terms from his 2023 deal. After playing out a two-year contract worth $7.2MM, the backup wideout recommitted to Indianapolis on a two-year, $6.5MM deal, Wilson tweets. Dulin, who bounced back from a 2023 ACL tear last year, will see $2.94MM guaranteed at signing.

Titans, QB Brandon Allen Agree To Deal

March 13th, 2025 at 1:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans saw quarterback Mason Rudolph agree to return to Pittsburgh earlier today, but they have not waited long to find his replacement. Brandon Allen has a one-year deal in place with Tennessee, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

This pact will allow for a reunion between Allen and Titans head coach Brian Callahan. The pair worked together in Cincinnati when Callahan served as the team’s offensive coordinator. Allen backed up Joe Burrow for three seasons with the Bengals before spending the past two years in San Francisco.

Allen did not see any playing time in 2023 while serving as the 49ers’ third-string option. Sam Darnold‘s departure created a QB2 vacancy, though, and Allen competed for it with Josh Dobbs during the offseason. Dobbs held a lead at one point, but Allen would up earning the gig.

As a result, the 32-year-old made a total of three appearances and one start last year. Allen has logged only 10 starts over the course of his career, but he represents an experienced backup option (especially given his ties to Callahan). He could find himself serving as the Titans’ QB2 in 2025, but that will of course depend on how the team approaches the starting position this offseason.

Will Levis has two more years on his rookie contract, but he found himself being benched late last season with his development not going according to plan. The Titans could add a replacement by using the No. 1 pick in April’s draft on a quarterback (likely Cam Ward), but as expected calls have come in regarding a trade. Several suitors could look to move up to board and acquire Ward in the process, something which would lead to the Titans selecting Shedeur Sanders or one of the other passers in the 2025 class.

Regardless of how things shake out atop the depth chart, Allen will be in place as a backup option. Teams still in need of a quarterback addition during free agency now have one fewer option to choose from.

49ers Rule Out Brock Purdy, Nick Bosa For Week 12

November 22nd, 2024 at 4:30pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Kyle Shanahan announced that the 49ers ruled out All-Pro defensive end Nick Bosa and starting quarterback Brock Purdy for their Week 12 matchup with the Packers.

Shanahan also announced that Brandon Allen will make his first start since 2019 in Purdy’s absence. Allen has played just one snap this season: a kneel-down to close out a 32-19 victory over the Jets in Week 1.

Purdy has been dealing with a shoulder injury since the 49ers’ Week 11 loss to the Seahawks, limiting him in practice on Wednesday and Thursday before holding him out entirely on Friday. Shanahan said that an MRI of Purdy’s shoulder did not reveal a long-term issue, but his status for Week 13 against the Bills is “up in the air,” per the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman.

Allen spent 2023 in San Francisco as the team’s third-string quarterback behind Purdy and Sam Darnold. He re-signed with the 49ers during the offseason and beat out Joshua Dobbs for backup quarterback job this year.

Purdy is still traveling with the team, but he will not be joined by Bosa, who is remaining in San Francisco for treatment on his oblique and hip, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. Bosa has racked up 4.0 sacks in his last four games despite dealing with the injury for almost a month.

Yetur Gross-Matos is likely to start in Bosa’s place after being activated from injured reserve and recording his first sack as a 49er last week.

49ers’ Brock Purdy, Trent Williams, Nick Bosa In Doubt For Week 12

November 22nd, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers have run into steady injury trouble this season, and arguably their three most important players are in doubt for a Week 12 game against the Packers. Most notably, Brock Purdy has now gone through an MRI on his injured throwing shoulder.

Limited in practice over the past two days, Purdy is iffy for San Francisco’s Green Bay trip. John Lynch said during a KNBR interview (h/t Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News) the situation is “tenuous” and noted Brandon Allen would take the snaps in front of Joshua Dobbs if Purdy were unable to go.

Purdy has not missed a start due to injury since suffering a UCL tear in the 2022 NFC championship game, establishing himself as the 49ers’ full-time starter in that span. Meanwhile, the 49ers have seen neither Nick Bosa nor Trent Williams practice this week. Bosa is dealing with the oblique injury suffered against the Seahawks in Week 11, while Williams has played through an ankle issue.

Sounding alarm bells about the All-Pro left tackle’s situation, Kyle Shanahan said (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch) the painkilling injection Williams received last week has not helped. Considering how the 49ers fared without Williams last season, this becomes a central concern for a team that has fallen to 5-5 and has a Packers-Bills road stretch upcoming.

Williams took the pregame injection and played every offensive snap for the 49ers in Week 12, but the aftermath threatens to keep him out. Williams, 36, has not missed any time this season; his absences last year point to trouble if the 49ers do not have the future Hall of Famer available Sunday. The 49ers lost to the Bengals and Vikings without Williams, starting their second-half push when he and Deebo Samuel returned to action. Williams has been the NFL’s first-team All-Pro left tackle for the past three seasons, riding those accolades to secure a lucrative rework in August.

Bosa sustained hip and oblique damage during San Francisco’s loss to Seattle, significantly hindering the team’s pass rush. The 49ers have relied on the dominant edge defender throughout his career, with the team’s Shanahan-era surge not beginning until it drafted Bosa second overall in 2019. The 49ers’ lone non-playoff season in that span (2020) came when Bosa suffered a torn ACL in Week 2, and the team has played only one game without Bosa since he recovered from knee surgery. While the team added Leonard Floyd in free agency and has activated Yetur Gross-Matos from IR, its pass rush will be compromised if Bosa cannot go.

The 49ers named Allen their backup QB to open the season, despite Dobbs momentum forming earlier in the offseason. It goes without saying a Purdy-to-Allen downgrade would be noticeable, even though the 49ers’ last two QB injuries (those to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo) did not lead to steps back. Allen, 32, signed with the 49ers shortly after the 2023 draft and became their third-stringer once the team traded Lance to the Cowboys. Allen re-signed this year. Unlike 2023 backup Sam Darnold, Allen may well need to start at least one game of consequence.

Brandon Allen Wins 49ers’ QB2 Job

September 8th, 2024 at 3:00pm CST by Rory Parks

Shortly after the close of minicamp in June, we heard that Josh Dobbs was leading Brandon Allen in the battle to become the 49ers’ backup quarterback. Allen eventually overtook Dobbs, however, with Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writing that Allen will open the season at the Niners’ QB2.

Allen, 32, did not play a single snap last year, spending the entire season as San Francisco’s third-stringer behind starter Brock Purdy and former backup Sam Darnold. Allen showed the coaching staff enough to earn another one-year deal with the organization and a chance at the backup gig, as Darnold was expected to land another job elsewhere (which he did, signing a one-year, $10MM deal with the Vikings).

After re-signing Allen, however, the 49ers added Dobbs to provide additional competition. Dobbs has more recent starting experience, appearing in 13 games (12 starts) between the Cardinals and Vikings last season. He flashed on occasion but finished the year with a 3-9 record and a 79.5 quarterback rating, completing 62.8% of his passes for 13 TDs against 10 interceptions. He did rush for 421 yards and another six scores.

Dobbs saw time in the preseason with San Francisco, and he felt his exhibition performances were sufficient to earn the nod. The 29-year-old indicated (in a separate Branch piece) he expected to be tapped as the backup based on his showing during the summer. Instead, he will open the campaign third on the depth chart as a veteran insurance policy in the event both Purdy and Allen run into injury problems.

“Brandon had the head start, just being here,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said (via Branch) when explaining the decision. “I thought he did some better things in practice. I thought Josh really closed the gap in the games… Brandon has a little more similarities to Brock, which I think made us lean that way. But it wasn’t anything against Josh. It was really a tough decision.”

Purdy will be counted on to guide a 49ers offense which still has all of its top skill-position players in place from 2023. Left tackle Trent Williams agreed to a reworked contract, thus ending his long-running holdout in time for Week 1. If Purdy misses any time during the year, though, it will be Allen tasked with taking over at the quarterback spot.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Josh Dobbs Ahead Of Brandon Allen For 49ers’ Backup QB Spot?

June 25th, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Adam La Rose

The top of the 49ers’ quarterback depth chart is set with Brock Purdy. San Francisco will not have Sam Darnold in place as his backup in 2024, however, creating a vacancy for the QB2 role.

Darnold spent last season with the 49ers, and his performance under Kyle Shanahan was sufficient to get him at least a short-term starting opportunity. The former No. 3 pick inked a one-year, $10MM deal with the Vikings in free agency and he will enter training camp ahead of first-round rookie J.J. McCarthy on the depth chart. San Francisco has two competitors to fill Darnold’s role.

One is Josh Dobbs, who joined the 49ers in March on a one-year contract. The journeyman will earn $2.25MM guaranteed and he has the potential to receive an additional $750K in roster bonuses. He is joined by Brandon Allen, who spent the 2023 campaign in San Francisco following a three-year run with the Bengals. Allen inked a one-year deal worth just over $2MM prior to the start of free agency.

While plenty is yet to be decided at this point in the offseason, Matt Barrows of The Athletic writes Dobbs is currently in the lead for the backup gig (subscription required). The 29-year-old found himself on the Browns last summer before he was dealt to the Cardinals. An eight-game run filling in for Kyler Murray as a starter was followed by a trade to the Vikings, a team which used him for four starts after Kirk Cousins‘ Achilles tear. Dobbs has 14 starts and 21 appearances to his name in the NFL.

Allen, 31, has logged nine starts (five of which came with the Bengals in 2020) and 15 total games during his tenure. As Barrows notes, he could have a greater chance of clearing waivers at the end of training camp than Dobbs, something of particular importance if San Francisco elects to carry two passers on the active roster. Teams will be allowed to make unlimited practice squad elevations for emergency third quarterbacks in 2024, so whichever passer is relegated to third-string duties will still likely dress on gamedays. As things stand, Allen is likelier than Dobbs to be in that position.