Tre’Shaun Harrison

NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/8/24

Many teams have started signing players to reserve/futures contracts, allowing organization to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players. Here are the latest reserve/futures contracts:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • OL Barry Wesley

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

  • LB Brandon Bouyer-Randle, WR Davion Davis, CB D’Angelo Mandell

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC South

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 ColtsJaguarsTexans 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:

Titans Trim Roster To 53; RB Hassan Haskins Placed On Commissioner’s Exempt List

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.

Titans Satisfied With WR Group?

In a recent interview, newly appointed Titans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly responded in the affirmative when asked if the team currently had enough to work with at the wide receiver position, according to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. Many have regarded the team’s wide receiving corps as a weakness, but while not a guarantee that the team will stand pat at the position, Kelly seems to be satisfied with what he currently has to work with.

After releasing last season’s leading receiver, Robert Woods, Tennessee returns last year’s first-round pick Treylon Burks (444 receiving yards in 2022), Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (397), Kyle Philips (78), Racey McMath (40), Mason Kinsey (3), and Reggie Roberson (0). The team also added former Ravens and Texans wideout Chris Moore in free agency back in April after a bit of a breakout season in Houston that saw him reach career highs in starts (7), catches (48), and receiving yards (548).

The team signed five rookie pass catchers, as well. The Titans drafted Tennessee-Martin wide receiver Colton Dowell in the seventh-round and added Oregon State’s Tre’Shaun Harrison, Georgia’s Kearis Jackson, Maryland’s Jacob Copeland, and Baylor’s Gavin Holmes in undrafted free agency after the draft. Dowell earned his draft slot after racking up over 1,000 receiving yards for the Skyhawks in 2022. Harrison posted career highs in receptions (52), receiving yards (604), and touchdowns (4) last year in his third season with the Beavers after transferring from Florida State. Copeland’s best season came when he was in Gainesville and caught 41 balls for 642 yards and four touchdowns. He failed to improve upon that performance in a grad transfer season with the Terrapins. Jackson never quite lived up to the billing of his high recruiting ranking. His strongest season came in 2020 when he caught 36 passes for 514 yards and three touchdowns. Holmes was a bit of a deep ball threat for the Bears last year, catching 27 balls for 521 yards and four touchdowns.

It’s fair to say that the room lacks established star power and experience. Moore, Burks, and Westbrook-Ikhine are the obvious leaders of the group with no changes moving forward. It helps to return star running back Derrick Henry as the focus of the offense and tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo, who finished second on the team last season with 450 receiving yards. Otherwise, it’s not easy to be as confident as Kelly in what quarterback Ryan Tannehill has to work with in 2023.

Titans Sign 14 Undrafted Free Agents

The Titans have added to their six-man draft class to bring in 20 total rookies. Here are the 14 undrafted free agents vying for a roster spot this summer:

Murphy is an intriguing addition to a Titans defense that had some good pass rush performances in 2023 but nothing elite with the absence of Harold Landry. Murphy was virtually unblockable while leading Ferris State to two consecutive Division-II national titles. He put up two monster performances for the Bulldogs in those seasons, combining for 40.0 sacks and 60.5 tackles for loss over the last two years. He has the potential to provide to the rotation and compete for snaps behind Landry and Denico Autry with Arden Key and Rashad Weaver.

McClendon will compete as well after tallying six sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss for the Colonels last year. Reese could surprise as a contributor at inside linebacker. He was a tackling machine for the Rebels, finishing second on the team last year with 84.

Copeland and McClelland will be joining their respective drafted teammates, sixth-round tackle Jaelyn Duncan and fifth-round tight end Josh Whyle, at minicamp. Jackson will join McClendon as a Mountaineer addition after leading the defense with 87 total tackles last year. He’s also a Nashville native, having attended high school at Hillsboro.

Tennessee inked another pair of teammates in Jones and Ojukwu. Ojukwu brings a strong resume after earning All-Mountain West first-team honors in each of the past two seasons as the Broncos starting left tackle. Jones has experience throughout college at both safety and nickelback.

Wolff comes in with the intention of battling Caleb Shudak for the responsibility of replacing Randy Bullock. Shudak only appeared in one game of his rookie year out of Iowa last season. He made three of four kicks, missing a 35-yard attempt. Wolff converted 42 of 52 field goal attempts and 107 of 110 of his PATs as a Red Raider. They’ll likely face off for kicking duties this summer.