Titans Promote Jon Robinson
- As a reward for a strong debut season as the Titans’ GM, controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk decided Thursday to make Jon Robinson the second-highest-ranking member of the organization. Robinson is now the team’s executive vice president/GM after helping the Titans go from three wins in 2015 to nine victories this season. “This is an acknowledgement of his work and it puts him on equal footing with others in the league who direct football operations,” Strunk said in a statement (via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com).
Titans Notes: Wright, Coaches
The Titans made wide receiver Kendall Wright a healthy scratch for their season finale last Sunday, and now the impending free agent is ready to leave Tennessee. “I saw the 2017 Tennessee Titans, and I am not a part of the 2017 Tennessee Titans,” Wright told TitansOnline.com on Monday (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com). “It is what it is. I respect everybody in the building.” A first-round pick in 2012, Wright began his career with three straight seasons of at least 57 catches and 93 targets, but the Titans tamped down their reliance on him the past two years. In 21 games dating back to 2015, Wright has combined for just 65 receptions and 102 targets. Now, with a trip to the open market looming, Wright feels “free.”
While Wright looks like a lock to exit the organization, two of his coaches – Bob Bratkowski (receivers) and Jason Tucker (assistant WRs) – definitely won’t be back in 2017. The Titans parted ways with the duo Wednesday, tweets Jim Wyatt of the team’s website.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/3/17
Here are Tuesday’s reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2017 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters.
Arizona Cardinals
- LB Cap Capi
- WR Marvin Hall
- WR Chris Hubert
- G Kaleb Johnson
- OL Daniel Munyer
- RB Elijhaa Penny
- CB Ronald Zamort
Carolina Panthers
- FB Darrel Young
Dallas Cowboys
Kansas City Chiefs
- OT Isaiah Battle
Minnesota Vikings
- OT Reid Fragel
- P Taylor Symmank
San Diego Chargers
- OL Brett Boyko
- CB Randall Evans
- CB Mike Lee
- LB Chris McCain
- S Adrian McDonald
- TE Jake McGee
Tennessee Titans
- OLB Reshard Cliett
- TE Tim Semisch
Titans Sign Seven To Reserve/Futures Contracts
Here are today’s reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2017 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters.
Baltimore Ravens
- WR Kenny Bell
- OL Jarell Broxton
- RB Stephen Houston
- OL Jarrod Pughsley
- OL Matt Skura
- QB Dustin Vaughan
Carolina Panthers
- T Blaine Clausell
- DT Eric Crume
- WR Keyarris Garrett
- CB Tyler Patmon
- RB Jalen Simmons
- TE Scott Simonson
- T Pearce Slater
- T Tyrus Thompson
- TE Eric Wallace
2017 NFL Draft Order
The Browns almost blew it yesterday. In the regular season finale, the Browns took the Steelers to overtime before ultimately losing 27-24. Had they won, the Browns would have been picking at No. 2 instead of the top position. Meanwhile, the Jaguars nearly slipped to No. 5, but they held their ground in the draft order when they lost 24-20 to the Colts. Phew.
The playoffs will help determine the bottom 12 picks, but the draft order has now been set for most of the NFL. Here is the list, with ties being broken by strength of schedule:
1. Browns (1-15)
2. 49ers (2-14)
3. Bears (3-13)
4. Jaguars (3-13)
5. Titans (via the 4-12 Rams)
6. Jets (5-11)
7. Chargers (5-11)
8. Panthers (6-10)
9. Bengals (6-9-1)
10. Bills (7-9)
11. Saints (7-9)
12. Browns (via the 7-9 Eagles)
13. Cardinals (7-8-1)
T-14. Eagles (via the 8-8 Minnesota Vikings)
T-14. Colts (8-8) (Note: The Vikings and Colts have identical records and the same strength of schedule. The tie will be broke by coin flip with the winner getting pick No. 14 and the other team getting the No. 15 pick.)
16. Ravens (8-8)
17. Redskins (8-7-1)
18. Titans (9-7)
19. Buccaneers (9-7)
20. Broncos (9-7)
Titans Promote DL Woods Off Taxi Squad
- The Titans placed defensive end Mehdi Abdesmad on IR and added rookie defensive tackle Antwaun Woods to the 53-man roster. Signed as a UDFA in May, Woods has bounced on and off the Titans’ practice squad this season.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/28/16
Here are today’s practice squad updates.
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DL Iosia Iosia, WR Hunter Sharp, OL Reese Dismukes
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: WR Cayleb Jones
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Brian Blechen
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Kelvin Taylor, OL Ross Burbank
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: RB Blake Sims, DE Deonte Gibson
- Cut: OL Kyler Kerbyson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Kourtnei Brown, WR K.J. Maye
Washington Redskins
- Signed: LB Rufus Johnson
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/27/16
A rundown of Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted from practice squad: S Christian Bryant (signed from Giants practice squad)
- Placed on injured reserve: S Tony Jefferson, G Taylor Boggs
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted from practice squad: S Travell Dixon, DE Larry Webster
- Placed on IR: S Tre Boston, DE Ryan Delaire
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Jake Kumerow, LB Trevor Roach
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Joe Banyard
- Placed on IR: LB Sean Porter
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: RB Ryan Matthews
San Francisco 49ers
- Claimed off waivers: DL Zach Moore
- Placed on IR: RB Carlos Hyde
San Diego Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Andre Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Kasen Williams
- Placed on IR: WR Tyler Lockett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: CB Jude Adjei-Barimah
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Alex Tanney
- Placed on IR: QB Marcus Mariota
Washington Redskins
- Placed on waivers: RB Silas Redd (Twitter link via Howard Balzer of BalzerFootball.com)
2017 NFL Draft Order Through Week 16
This weekend, the Browns got the best of both worlds when they won their first game of the 2016 season while the 49ers also found their way to victory. Now, the 1-14 Browns remain in the top spot as we head into the final week of the NFL season.
Here’s where we stand through Week 16. (Note: Ties are broken by strength of schedule):
- Browns 1-14
- 49ers 2-13
- Bears 3-12
- Jaguars 3-12
- Rams (pick belongs to Titans) 4-11
- Jets 4-11
- Chargers 5-10
- Bengals 5-9-1
- Panthers 6-9
- Eagles (pick belongs to Browns) 6-9
- Cardinals 6-8-1
- Bills 7-8
- Colts 7-8
- Vikings (pick belongs to Eagles) 7-8
- Saints 7-8
- Titans 8-7
- Ravens 8-7
- Buccaneers 8-7
- Broncos 8-7
- Redskins 8-6-1
Marcus Mariota Fractures Fibula
The Titans could not inch closer to a playoff spot after a Week 16 blowout loss in Jacksonville, and the team received rough news postgame. Marcus Mariota fractured his right fibula, said Mike Mularkey before adding, “Obviously, he is out.”
Mariota will miss the rest of the season, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This will make Matt Cassel the Titans’ starter in what could be a Week 17 game for a playoff spot. Cassel came in for Mariota after the seminal second-half sequence that featured the second-year starter carted off the field.
Tennessee rode into playoff contention down the stretch behind a strong running game, an improved defense and a developing Mariota, who won five more games as a starter than he did as a rookie. The 2014 Heisman Trophy recipient finishes his season with 26 touchdown passes compared to just nine interceptions. Mariota also rushed for a career-high 346 yards and scored two touchdowns.
A Sheldon Day sack resulted in the cart-off sequence, and it will signal an offseason for the Titans’ cornerstone player geared around rehab. Mariota finished last season on IR, missing Tennessee’s final three games. However, those contests came for a team that ultimately went 3-13 and secured the No. 1 pick.
Tennessee’s Week 17 game against Houston could be for the division title, but after this loss, that will only come if the Texans lose to the Bengals tonight. The Colts finishing in a three-way tie would also doom the Titans, who are 1-4 in AFC South play.
Cassel looks set to make a start for a fifth NFL team in the past four years and sixth overall. He went 1-6 as a Cowboys starter last season. The 34-year-old passer signed a one-year deal in March to back up Mariota.