Titans Sign Kenny Vaccaro
The Titans have found their starting safety. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the team has signed veteran defensive back Kenny Vaccaro. The Titans had been hunting for a safety since Johnathan Cyprien was placed on the injured reserve earlier this week.
We heard the other day that the 27-year-old was set to meet with Tennessee, although it sounded like the front office had other options on their radar. Those reports indicated that the organization was also eyeing safety Eric Reid. However, as Rapoport tweets, multiple flight cancellations prevented Reid from visiting his suitor. With Vaccaro generating interest from other teams, the Titans decided they had to make a move. Vaccaro had already had visits with the Jets, Dolphins, and Colts.
The 2013 first-round pick should immediately contribute to the Titans secondary. While Vaccaro hasn’t been able to put together a healthy season since 2015, he was still plenty productive last year. In 12 starts with the Saints, the safety finished with 60 tackles, 1.5 sacks, seven passes defended, and three interceptions. Due to those numbers, the veteran earned a spot on our list of the best remaining free agents.
With Cyprien out for the season with an ACL injury, the Titans were trying to figure out who to start opposite fellow safety Kevin Byard. Veteran Kendrick Lewis was currently slotted in as the starting strong safety, although the Titans also could have eyed one of Brynden Trawick or Dane Cruikshank for the gig.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/3/18
Today’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Bryce Bobo
- Waived: WR Kenny Bell
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Dom Williams
- Waived/Injured: WR Deontez Alexander
New York Giants
- Waived: CB Kenneth Durden
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Lord Hyeamang
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: T Laurence Gibson
- Placed on IR: S Johnathan Cyprien
- Waived/injured: DL Connor Flagel
Titans Work Out S Steven Terrell
The Titans are casting a wide net in their search for safety help. Former Seahawks and Chiefs safety Steven Terrell took part in the team’s tryouts on Friday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
The Titans were dealt a tough blow this week when they lost strong safety Johnathan Cyprien for the year with an ACL tear. Shortly after the diagnosis, the Titans scheduled Friday workouts with the following players, in addition to Terrell:
- Former Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro
- Former Steelers safety Mike Mitchell
- Former Ravens defensive back Lardarius Webb
- Former 49ers safety Eric Reid
Terrell spent the first three seasons of his career with the Seahawks and enjoyed a bit of a breakout season in 2016. After having appeared in 16 games between 2014 and 2015, the safety appeared in 16 games (five starts) in 2016, finishing with a career-high in tackles (27). Last year, he hooked on with the Chiefs and appeared in ten contests.
Titans To Host S Eric Reid
The Titans aren’t leaving any stone unturned as they search for Johnathan Cyprien‘s replacement at safety. Tennessee will meet with former 49ers defensive back Eric Reid on Friday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said earlier today that his club would consider Reid after losing Cyprien to a torn ACL, so Reid’s visit doesn’t come as a total surprise. In addition to Reid, Tennessee will take a look at fellow safeties Kenny Vaccaro, Lardarius Webb, and Mike Mitchell. As Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com speculates (via Twitter), the Titans could conceivably sign two defensive backs following tomorrow’s tryouts, especially given that backup Kendrick Lewis is also battling an injury.
Reid, of course, hasn’t had much success garnering interest this offseason, and that’s likely due to his intention to signal protest during the national anthem. He met with the Bengals earlier this year, but subsequently filed a collusion grievance after Cincinnati reportedly asked him to end his protests.
Reid, 26, was something of a playmaker during his first two NFL campaigns, as he posted seven total interceptions from 2013-14. While he hasn’t kept up that rate of turnover creation, Reid is still a solid starter, and Pro Football Focus graded him as the league’s No. 30 safety a year ago.
Titans To Meet With Lardarius Webb
The Titans have a full docket for Friday. In addition to meeting with safeties Mike Mitchell and Kenny Vaccaro, they’ll also have defensive back Lardarius Webb in for a visit, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
Webb, 33 in October, has reportedly garnered a few offers this offseason. He was used mostly off the bench last season, but he’s made 85 starts with Baltimore and suited up for 127 regular-season games. He’s also seen action in six playoff games for the Ravens, though an injury prevented him from suiting up during the Ravens’ four 2012 playoff contests. In Baltimore’s near-Super Bowl run during 2011, Webb intercepted eight passes with five in the regular season and three in the postseason.
Webb could improve the Titans’ depth in the wake of safety Johnathan Cyprien‘s season-ending ACL tear. It’s unlikely that he’d slide into the starting lineup, but he could provide support at both safety and corner.
Titans To Meet With S Mike Mitchell
The Titans are looking to evaluate all possible options in the wake of Johnathan Cyprien’s season-ending ACL tear. Former Steelers safety Mike Mitchell will be among the safeties to meet with the Titans and his visit is set for Friday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
Mitchell’s visit will coincide with Kenny Vaccaro‘s meeting with the Titans. The club is also considering 49ers free agent Eric Reid, according to head coach Mike Vrabel.
Mitchell, 31, has spent the past four seasons in Pittsburgh, where he’s started each of his 61 games. Mitchell appeared in 13 games this past season, finishing with 53 tackles and two passes defended. Pro Football Focus ultimately ranked him 62nd among 87 safety candidates. He’s not a world-beater, per se, but he does offer a great deal of experience and could be a fit for the Titans’ defensive scheme.
It has been a quiet offseason for Mitchell on the whole, but he did meet with the Cardinals in late July.
Titans Considering Eric Reid, Kenny Vaccaro
In the wake of losing safety Johnathan Cyprien for the season, the Titans aren’t wasting any time in exploring outside options. The club has talked about safety Eric Reid and he could be brought in for a visit, head coach Mike Vrabel tells reporters. Meanwhile, Kenny Vaccaro will meet with the Titans on Friday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: Titans’ Johnathan Cyprien Done For Season]
Reid met with the Bengals in April, but he believes teams have been staying away from him due to his participation in anthem protests. Reid filed a grievance against the NFL in May and has been spotted working out with former teammate Colin Kaepernick. As a five-year starter who is still in the prime years of his career, Reid is clearly deserving of a roster spot somewhere. His opportunity may come with the Titans.
Vaccaro also offers years of starting experience, but he has been a victim of the league’s slow-moving free agent safety market this offseason. The Colts, Jets, and Dolphins showed interest in Vaccaro earlier this offseason, but we haven’t heard much about him in recent weeks. In his fifth season as a starter for the Saints last year, Vaccaro totaled 60 tackles, 1.5 sacks, seven passes defensed, and a career-high three interceptions.
The Titans’ current group of reserve safeties includes Kendrick Lewis, Brynden Trawick, and fifth-round pick Dane Cruikshank.
Titans’ Johnathan Cyprien Done For Season
The Titans have lost safety Johnathan Cyprien to a torn ACL, coach Mike Vrabel announced. The team will place Cyprien on season-ending IR in order to open up a spot on the roster.
[RELATED: Titans Considering Eric Reid, Kenny Vaccaro]
Cyprien, 28, was set to resume his role as the Titans’ starting strong safety this year. Unfortunately, this is not his first go ’round with the injury bug in Tennessee. Last year, a hamstring ailment limited him to just ten games. This year, Cyprien’s torn ACL could theoretically end his tenure with the team.
Cyprien joined the Titans in 2017 on a four-year, $25MM free agent deal. The pact had just $9MM guaranteed, however, and the Titans can release Cyprien next year to save $5.25MM against just $1.5MM in dead money.
In his first year with the club, Cyprien had 57 total tackles and one sack in his ten games. He graded out as one of the ten worst qualified safeties in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus, though PFF’s metrics have never been particularly high on him.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/1/18
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed: OT Adam Bisnowaty (from Lions)
- Placed on injured reserve: CB Ross Cockrell (story)
Detroit Lions
- Signed CB Josh Okonye
- Waived: CB Amari Coleman
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Michael Dunn, TE DeAndre Goolsby
- Waived/injured: OL Brandon Thomas
- Waived: LS Andrew East
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: LB Otha Peters
- Waived: WR Ashton Lampkin
New Orleans Saints
- Waived/injured: WR Eldridge Massington, WR Josh Smith
New York Giants
- Claimed: OL Victor Salako (from Browns)
Tennessee Titans
- Retired: OL John Theus
Titans Place CB Tye Smith On IR
The Titans’ cornerback depth took a hit today. The team announced that they’ve placed Tye Smith on the injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. The team also waived/injured defensive lineman Claude Pelon. The Titans signed defensive linemen Johnny Maxey and Du’Vonta Lampkin to take the open roster spots.
Smith, a 2015 fourth-round pick, had a breakout season for the Titans in 2017. The cornerback finished the campaign with 19 tackles, one interception, and one pass defended in 15 games (one start). The 25-year-old also started the team’s two playoff games, totaling seven tackles.
The Towson product was expected to play an important depth role behind Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan, and Adoree’ Jackson in 2018. The injury means former fifth-rounder LeShaun Sims will likely slide in as the team’s fourth cornerback, although the Titans will also give a look at Kalan Reed and Demontre Hurst.
Pelon, a former undrafted free agent out of USC, spent the first two seasons of his career with the Jets organization, compiling a pair of tackles in one game. He signed with the Titans last week. Now, the team will hope that one of Maxey or Lampkin can make up for the lost depth, at least during the preseason. Maxey, 24, previously spent time with the Steelers. Lampkin, 21, spent time with the Ravens after going undrafted out of Oklahoma in this past year’s draft.