Titans’ Delanie Walker: I Won’t Retire
Delanie Walker‘s season is over, but he says his career will continue. After being placed on injured reserve, the tight end told the team website (via Twitter) that he intends to play in 2020.
“This is not the end for me,” Walker said.
This has been a frustrating season for the 35-year-old. He started the season as the Titans’ starting tight end, but his surgically-repaired ankle held him back. In 2018, that ankle injury limited him to just one game.
Walker’s season ended after 21 catches for 215 yards and two touchdowns in seven games. Still, he believes he can get back to the form he exhibited from 2014-2017, when he tallied at least 800 yards in each campaign.
In theory, Walker is set to return to the Titans thanks to the two-year, $17MM extension he signed prior to the 2018 season. However, the Titans can get out of the deal pretty easily, if they want to, and put those dollars elsewhere.
The Titans, sans Walker, will face the Raiders on Sunday afternoon. At 7-5, they have a 42% shot at reaching the playoffs, according to FiveThirtyEight.
Ravens Claim C Hroniss Grasu
With Matt Skura out for the season, the Ravens gave the Week 13 center snaps to a player without much experience at the position. On Wednesday, they claimed a former starting center, Hroniss Grasu, off waivers from the Titans, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
Patrick Mekari started for Baltimore against San Francisco and played all 65 offensive snaps, but the rookie UDFA out of Cal had not previously started an NFL or college game at center. Grasu provides some insurance.
The former Bears starter has made 13 NFL starts, including one with the Ravens last season, since being a 2015 third-round pick. The Titans waived him earlier this week after not using him in a game this season. The Ravens cut Grasu late last season, leading him to stints with the Dolphins and Titans.
The Ravens waived defensive lineman Zach Sieler to clear a roster spot for Grasu, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets.
NFL Workout Updates: 12/3/19
Today’s notes from the workout/visit circuit:
Arizona Cardinals
- QB Drew Anderson, WR Saeed Blacknall, DT Lyndon Johnson, WR DaMarkus Lodge
Carolina Panthers
Denver Broncos
- OG Larry Allen, OT Ka’John Armstrong, RB Alex Barnes, WR Tyre Brady, RB Nick Brossette, QB Taryn Christion, RB Jeremy Cox, RB Matthew Dayes, OT Brian Fineanganofo, QB Nick Fitzgerald, OG Joshua Garnett, QB Tyree Jackson, TE Tyree Mayfield, WR De’Mornay Pierson-El, OG Bunchy Stallings, WR DeAndre Thompkins, WR Trevion Thompson, WR Alex Wesley, WR Papi White
Detroit Lions
- P Ryan Anderson, TE Paul Butler, LS James Fisher, P Jack Fox, TE Cole Herdman, LB Christian Kuntz, DT Walter Palmore, P Austin Rehkow, TE Will Tye, K Kaare Vedvik, DE Kevin Wilkins, LS John Wirtel
Houston Texans
- DE Eric Lee
Jacksonville Jaguars
- DE Jonathan Bonner, RB Tony Brooks-James, WR Charone Peake, RB Paul Perkins
New Orleans Saints
- OL Gerhard de Beer, LB Mason Foster, LB Malcolm Smith, OL Marquez Tucker
New York Jets
Tennessee Titans
- CB Jordan Brown, CB Dee Delaney
Titans Claim CB Tramaine Brock
The Titans claimed cornerback Tramaine Brock off waivers from the Cardinals, a source tells NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). The move gives the Titans veteran support for their ailing secondary and brings Brock to a team still in the playoff chase. 
Brock, long regarded as one of the league’s better slot corners, joined the Cardinals in April. The deal reunited the veteran with Vance Joseph, who set out to build an experienced CB unit for 2019.
The 31-year-old was having a solid individual year, even as the Cardinals struggled. He left Arizona after tallying 37 stops, two tackles for a loss, and three passes defensed across ten games this season.
Brock was dealing with an injury of his own – a hamstring ailment – but is now believed to be healthy. He’ll look to show his stuff for the Titans, who will pay him the remainder of his modest $1MM base salary.
AFC South Notes: Jags, Tannehill, Funchess
As they limp towards the end of their second consecutive disappointing campaign, the Jaguars could be looking at a major organizational overhaul this offseason, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes. Several members of head coach Doug Marrone‘s staff believe Marrone will be fired at season’s end, and questions remain as to how long team president Tom Coughlin will remain with the club.
Indeed, La Canfora says members of Jacksonville’s front office are just as concerned about their job security as the team’s coaches and are beginning to explore opportunities elsewhere. Owner Shad Khan did consider a significant shakeup last year before opting to retain Marrone, Coughlin, and GM Dave Caldwell, but he may not be as patient this time. If Khan does elect to make a GM change, La Canfora names Scott Pioli as a potential replacement, and Patriots OC Josh McDaniels could be on the short list of replacements for Marrone.
Now for more from the AFC South:
- The Titans are interested in extending their relationship with quarterback Ryan Tannehill beyond 2019, and as La Canfora writes, the franchise tag could be in play for Tannehill. The tag would come with a roughly $27MM cap hit, but with Tannehill suddenly a hot commodity, the club could hit him with the tag as a precursor to a multi-year pact. Of course, much depends on how Tannehill finishes the season, and while the two sides are unlikely to engage in contract talks in the short term, Tannehill looks set to cash in once the season is over.
- Despite some hope that veteran wideout Devin Funchess would be returning to the field soon, the Colts have decided to shut him down for the year, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Funchess, who suffered a fractured collarbone during Indianapolis’ Week 1 loss to the Chargers, simply has not healed enough, per Rapoport, who says the plate inserted into the fracture did not work out as hoped. This is a difficult blow for the Colts, who have seen many of their top skill players miss time due to injury this year.
- The Texans have been in the news a great deal over the last two days. The team placed first-round rookie Tytus Howard on IR on Saturday, and today we learned that the club will operate without a GM in 2020. Houston also got some potentially exciting news, as J.J. Watt could return to the field in time for the playoffs.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/19
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: TE Carson Meier
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: C Jake Brendel
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Chris Lacy
- Placed on IR: WR Marvin Hall
New York Giants
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Da’Mari Scott
- Waived: WR Bennie Fowler
Oakland Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Rico Gafford
- Waived: OL Erik Magnuson
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: DL Damontre Moore
- Promoted from practice squad: DL Jeremiah Valoaga
Washington
- Signed: OLB Nate Orchard
NFL Workout Updates: 11/27/19
Here is the latest from the workout circuit on Wednesday:
Baltimore Ravens
- OT Seantrel Henderson, OL Matt Kaskey
Cleveland Browns
- LB Asantay Brown, DE Robert McCray (signed), LB Gimel President, FB Sutton Smith
Miami Dolphins
- WR Cyril Grayson, WR Keon Hatcher, WR Reece Horn, WR Jordan Veasy, WR Terry Wright
San Francisco 49ers
- DL Alex Barrett (signed), OLB Trevon Young
Tennessee Titans
- CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun, CB Kenneth Durden, K Kai Forbath, K Elliott Fry, Derrick Jones, K Nick Rose, K Ryan Santoso (signed), K Kaare Vedvik
Washington
- DE Kasim Edebali, LB Shane Ray, DE Nate Orchard (signed)
Titans Place Delanie Walker On IR, Sign K Ryan Santoso
The Titans made a pair of roster moves Wednesday. Tennessee is placing tight end Delanie Walker on injured reserve, and signing kicker Ryan Santoso to take his place on the roster, the team announced.
Walker started the season as the Titans’ starting tight end once again, but the 35-year-old was hampered by the ankle that he had surgery on last year. A severe ankle injury cost him all but one game last season, and with the injuries piling up it’s possible this is the end of the road for the longtime veteran. He’ll finish 2019 having played in seven games, with 21 catches for 215 yards and two touchdowns.
Walker has been playing in the league for 14 seasons, and has been with the Titans since 2013. He had at least 800 yards for four straight seasons from 2014 through 2017. He’s under contract for next season, but the Titans can get out of it pretty easily if they want to. He signed a two-year, $17MM extension with $10.5MM guaranteed before last season.
In his absence the team will continue to lean on Jonnu Smith, a third-year player who has flashed a lot of promise. Tennessee also added Santoso, but regular kicker Ryan Succop isn’t going anywhere. The team intends to carry two kickers for now, writes Jim Wyatt of the team’s official site. Santoso is a Minnesota alum who has never kicked in a regular season game. It appears that he’s going to be tasked with handling kickoffs, while Succop continues to kick field goals.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/26/19
A handful of practice squad moves to pass along:
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: OT Cody Conway
Houston Texans
- Signed: S Jonathan Owens
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: S Doug Middleton
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: FB Johnny Stanton
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Chris Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Wes Saxton
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DB Kenneth Durden, DL Joey Ivie
Titans Place Cameron Wake On IR
The Titans will have to play without one of their key pass rushers the rest of the way. They placed Cameron Wake on IR Tuesday. Wake signed with the Titans this offseason, but an injury will shelve the 37-year-old standout.
Wake registered 2.5 sacks this season, but each of those came in the Titans’ Week 1 win over the Browns. He signed a three-year, $23MM deal with the Titans in March. The team has not disclosed the nature of the injury.
The former Dolphins sack artist has certainly not made the same kind of impact with the Titans, having made just four tackles this season. Still, those 2.5 sacks in Cleveland moved him past 100 for his career. Sitting on 100.5, Wake is tied for 31st all time. Although the four-time Pro Bowler has been used in a situational capacity, with second-year edge player Harold Landry serving as Tennessee’s top sack threat, Wake did play a season-high 37 snaps against Jacksonville.
This will also mark just the second time in Wake’s 11-year NFL career he will have missed more than two games in a season. Other than going on Miami’s IR list midway through the 2015 season, Wake has been one of the NFL’s most durable players.
Tennessee promoted outside linebacker Derick Roberson and cornerback Kareem Orr from its practice squad, while also placing defensive back Chris Milton on IR.