Titans Place Adoree Jackson On IR
The Titans have placed Adoree Jackson on injured reserve prior to tonight’s opener against the Broncos, per a club announcement. Jackson was limited in practice on Friday with a knee injury, but the club has not offered additional details on the severity of the injury. At minimum, Jackson will miss the next three weeks, per the league’s modified IR rules for this season. 
Jackson was said to be having a strong camp before the injury. Now, the Titans will have to look elsewhere for support opposite of Malcolm Butler. Veteran Johnathan Joseph seems likely to get the nod and second-round rookie Kristian Fulton may also see some additional snaps in the interim.
To round out the group, the Titans have promoted cornerback Tye Smith from the taxi squad. Running back Jeremy McNichols and wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine will also get called up for Monday night’s game against Denver, though they’ll revert back to the p-squad on Tuesday morning.
Last year, Jackson graded out as the eighth-best cornerback in the NFL, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. This offseason, the Titans made the no-brainer move to pick up his fifth-year option for 2021. After this season, the Titans are expected to discuss a long-term deal with the USC product to keep him for years to come.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/14/20
Today’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: DB P.J. Locke, LB Derrek Tuszka
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Daren Bates
- Released: LB Malik Jefferson, DB Chris Miller
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/13/20
We’ll post today’s practice squad moves here:
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Daren Bates
Tennessee is adding some veteran insurance to their defense. An UDFA back in 2013, he’s bounced around the league the last handful of years. He spent 2017-19 with the Titans, playing mostly on special teams, so there’s plenty of familiarity here.
Titans OL Isaiah Wilson Arrested For DUI
Titans offensive lineman Isaiah Wilson was arrested for DUI last night, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds (on Twitter) that the first-round pick was “released from prison early this morning.” Buck Reising of A to Z Sports Nashville was first with the news of the arrest.
“We are aware of the situation,” the Titans in a statement. “This is not conduct that is indicative of the character of our football team and we are working through details on how to proceed.”
According to Reising’s report, Wilson was arrested in Nashville at 11:29 pm. The 21-year-old blew a “0.107 and 0.113 at the time he was pulled over,” with the legal BAC limit in Tennessee being .08.
Following a standout career at Georgia, the Titans selected Wilson with the 29th-overall selection in this past year’s draft. As ESPN’s Field Yates notes on Twitter, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the rookie. Wilson received a trespass warning after attending a Tennessee State party last month (a decision that “falls under conduct detrimental,” per Albert Breer on Twitter). He’s also had a pair of trips to the Reserve/COVID list, including one that could keep him out for the season opener.
Considering Wilson’s shortened offseason, it seemed unlikely that he’d start right out of the gate. There’s hope that he’ll eventually replace right tackle Jack Conklin, who left for Cleveland this past offseason. For the time being, it sounds like Dennis Kelly will earn the starting nod at that spot.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/9/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad updates here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Michael Dogbe
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Deone Bucannon
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: OL Jordan Devey, DE Chris Slayton
- Released: RB Antonio Williams
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LB Keandre Jones, G Keaton Sutherland
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: T Greg Senat
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: RB Elijah McGuire, T Eric Smith
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Kerrith Whyte
- Released: WR Victor Bolden
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Robert Foster, LB De’Jon Harris
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Ibraheim Campbell
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: OT Jaryd Jones-Smith
New England Patriots
- Signed: G Corey Levin
- Released: FB Paul Quessenberry
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DE Marcus Willoughby
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT T.Y. McGill
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Anthony Rush, WR John Ursua
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Cameron Batson, LB Malik Jefferson
Contract Details: Watson, Hopkins, Heyward
Here is the latest from some of the high-profile contracts signed around the league, beginning with the Texans’ former Pro Bowl connection:
- Deshaun Watson, Texans: Four years, $177.4MM. Watson will receive $73.7MM in full guarantees, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets. The deal includes fully guaranteed salaries of $1.177MM (2020), $10.54MM (2021) and $35MM (2022). This places the Pro Bowl passer third among QBs. Watson’s 2023 salary ($20MM) is guaranteed for injury at signing and becomes fully guaranteed on Day 4 of the 2022 league year, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports. Watson’s $32MM salaries in 2024 and ’25 are non-guaranteed. Watson’s contract also contains a no-trade clause, per Wilson.
- DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals: Two years, $54.5MM. Hopkins received $42.75MM guaranteed at signing, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. A $27.5MM signing bonus represents part of that guarantee, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). Hopkins received a no trade clause and a no-franchise tag clause, Rapoport tweets.
- Cameron Heyward, Steelers: Four years, $71.4MM. Heyward’s second Steelers re-up includes a $17.5MM signing bonus, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets. The Steelers will pay Heyward a $2.5MM roster bonus Friday.
- Stephen Gostkowski, Titans. Gostkowski’s one-year Tennessee pact is worth $2.75MM, Rapoport tweets. The 15th-year veteran can make up to $3.25MM based on his 2020 field goal make rate.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/6/20
Here are Sunday’s minor moves. The players who landed on injured reserve are eligible to come off teams’ respective lists after three weeks. For 2020, teams can also activate an unlimited number of IR players — as opposed to the two-man max of 2019.
Atlanta Falcons
- Claimed (from Washington): T Timon Paris
Cincinnati Bengals
- Claimed (from Dolphins): G Deion Calhoun
- Signed: CB Torry McTyer
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed (from Cowboys): DE Joe Jackson
- Claimed (from Bills): DT Vincent Taylor
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on IR: WR Ventell Bryant
- Signed: CB C.J. Goodwin, LB Justin March-Lillard
- Released: LB Joe Thomas
Houston Texans
- Re-signed: T Brent Qvale, LS Jon Weeks
Indianapolis Colts
- Claimed (from Eagles): TE Noah Togiai
Las Vegas Raiders
Minnesota Vikings
- Claimed (from Giants): LB Ryan Connelly
New York Giants
- Claimed (from Chiefs): T Jackson Barton, S Adrian Colbert
- Claimed (from Browns): WR Damion Ratley
- Waived: S Sean Chandler, OL Chad Slade
- Placed on IR: LB David Mayo, S Xavier McKinney
Philadelphia Eagles
- Claimed (from Lions): RB Jason Huntley
- Placed on IR: S Will Parks, WR Quez Watkins
San Francisco 49ers
- Released from IR via injury settlement: J.J. Nelson
Seattle Seahawks
- Claimed (from Titans): LB D’Andre Walker
- Waived: DB Linden Stephens
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Re-signed: C A.Q. Shipley
Titans Place T Isaiah Wilson On Reserve/COVID-19 List, Set Practice Squad
The Titans may begin the season without their first-round pick. They placed Isaiah Wilson on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
This marks the second time the first-round tackle has landed on the COVID list. Players do not have to test positive to be placed on the list; they can land there if they come in contact with an infected person.
Wilson, a Georgia alum, spent roughly a week on the COVID list earlier this summer. Given Tennessee’s investment, he projects as a player who will at some point become Jack Conklin‘s replacement at right tackle. However, the Titans may not have him to start the season.
In other Titans roster moves, running back Senorise Perry and cornerback Chris Milton will join the team’s 53-man roster. To clear the other roster spot, the Titans placed safety Dane Cruikshank on IR. Players who are carried onto the regular-season roster do not have to miss a full season if placed on IR. This season, players who land on IR can return after three weeks.
Tennessee also set its practice squad Sunday. Trevor Siemian agreed to sign on. The Titans signed the former Broncos starter-turned-journeyman backup late this offseason but did not carry him through to their 53-man roster. He will instead serve as an emergency quarterback of sorts.
Here is the full list:
- OLB Jamal Davis
- TE Tommy Hudson
- OL Brandon Kemp
- K Tucker McCann
- RB Jeremy McNichols
- CB Kareem Orr
- OL David Quessenberry
- OLB Wyatt Ray
- QB Trevor Siemian
- DL Kobe Smith
- CB Tye Smith
- DL Teair Tart
- WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Jadeveon Clowney To Sign With Titans
Just a few days before the start of the 2020 regular season, Jadeveon Clowney finally has a new home. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Clowney is signing a one-year deal with the Titans that is worth at least $12MM and that will max out at $15MM (Twitter link).
Though Clowney’s name has been a prominent part of the NFL news cycle all offseason, his market really started to pick up within the past week or so. It was reported at the end of last month that the Ravens had emerged as the frontrunners for his services, and then we learned that the Titans and Saints were pushing to sign him. The Seahawks and Browns were among the other clubs that expressed legitimate interest during Clowney’s lengthy stay on the market.
According to Dianna Russini of ESPN.com — who first reported last night that Clowney was planning to sign with Tennessee — the Saints’ offer came in about $2MM lower than the Titans’ proposal (Twitter link). Dan Graziano of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that New Orleans really wanted to get a deal done and even talked to veterans already on the roster about reworking their contracts to create cap room. Graziano says Seattle continued to monitor the situation but ultimately felt that a $12MM minimum payout was too rich (Twitter link). And per Albert Breer of SI.com, Clowney wanted to sign with Baltimore, but the Ravens were perhaps more lukewarm on the idea than was reported (Twitter link).
As opposed to most of the other teams that were connected to Clowney, the Titans have been involved in the process all along. They extended an offer months ago and never stopped their pursuit. Given the presence of head coach Mike Vrabel — the Texans’ LB coach and defensive coordinator during Clowney’s first four years in Houston — and Tennessee’s relative proximity to Clowney’s South Carolina home, the Titans always felt like a logical fit.
Clowney, 27, is not without his detractors. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 draft battled injuries in the early part of his career, and he underwent core muscle surgery this offseason. For months, teams could not bring him into their facilities to evaluate him due to COVID-19 restrictions, and (fair or not) it seems that health concerns will always be a part of his resume.
There is also the issue of his lack of sack production to consider. Clowney has never posted double-digit sacks in a season, and he mustered just three with the Seahawks last season. On the other hand, Clowney supporters will point to his ability to disrupt a passing game even without gaudy sack totals, and he can be a menace against the run as well. He earned three consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2016-18, and the Titans hope his familiarity with Vrabel’s defense will help him return to that level of play.
It may take Clowney and fellow free agent acquisition Vic Beasley a week or two to get fully up to speed. But once they do, they will team with Harold Landry and Jeffery Simmons to form the foundation of an intriguing front seven, one that could certainly help the Titans get back to the postseason.
Clowney did not get the massive multi-year contract with a $20MM AAV that he was seeking when free agency opened, but he will have a good chance to improve his stock with the Titans. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Titans have agreed that they will not use the franchise tag on Clowney next offseason. That same provision was worked into his Seahawks deal after he was traded to Seattle last year and may have ultimately cost him several million dollars, but he is clearly willing to bet on his ability to land a long-term pact with significant guarantees. With the 2021 salary cap expected to decrease, though, even a career-best showing this year might not be enough to get him that type of deal next offseason.
No Decision Yet For Jadeveon Clowney
While some reports have connected Jadeveon Clowney to the Titans, the free agent edge rusher says that he has “still not made a decision,” (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson). Clowney says “teams are still calling,” making it clear that he’s still weighing opportunities from multiple teams. 
The Saints and Titans have emerged as the frontrunners for the former No. 1 overall pick, but the Ravens and incumbent Seahawks are said to still be lurking. For months, the Titans have stood as one of Clowney’s most logical landing spots. With a clear need at DE, old pal Mike Vrabel patrolling the sidelines, and more cap flexibility than most clubs, the Titans make tons of sense. Still, they’re far from the only contender who could use more pressure against the pass.
Interestingly, Clowney has canned agent Bus Cook, just as he did over Labor Day Weekend 2019. Eventually, they worked out their differences and went back into business together. It remains to be seen whether another reunion will take place or if this will signal a return tour in Seattle.
Clowney’s sliding asking price has been well documented at this point. After asking for ~$20MM/year in March, Clowney has reportedly scaled things back to the $17MM/year neighborhood. The Browns tried to sign him for $15MM earlier this year, but the 27-year-old quickly rejected the offer.