Titans Sign K Brayden Narveson From Practice Squad With 2025 Extension
The Titans made an interesting roster move today. Tennessee signed practice squad kicker Brayden Narveson to the active roster, which by itself isn’t that interesting. What’s interesting is that Narveson’s stay on the active roster seems to have been made fairly permanent (for this season). Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports that the kicker’s deal with the team has another year tacked on, securing Narveson for the 2025 season, as well. 
The immediate use of signing Narveson from the practice squad to the active roster is as a backup kicker. The Titans’ regular kicker, Nick Folk, is listed as questionable this week after only participating in one practice this week in a limited capacity as he deals with an abdomen injury. The veteran kicker played through a groin injury last week, but it’s his abdomen bothering him in Week 16. While he’s listed as questionable, there’s belief that he won’t be active against the Colts, hence Narveson’s promotion.
The secondary use of signing Narveson, especially with the additional year added on, is as a potential kicker for the future. This isn’t a knock on Folk in the slightest. In his two years as the primary placekicker in Nashville, Folk has been an incredible 50 for 52, making 11 of 12 from over 50 yards. He led the NFL in field goal conversion percentage last year, and he’s leading the field in that stat this year, as well. He missed two extra point attempts last year, but with a perfect 2024 season, he’s 53 of 55 as a Titan after touchdowns. If Folk misses tomorrow’s divisional matchup, it’ll be his first missed game since 2019.
If anything, Narveson is being brought on as kicking competition for Folk for next year. If Tennessee decides to re-sign Folk, who’s playing on a contract year, the 40-year-old will likely be looking for a pretty good deal. If the Titans fear Folk will regress after crossing the 40-year-old mark, Narveson will provide competition; if they fear Folk will fetch too high a price, Narveson will be available as a cheaper option.
Narveson, an undrafted rookie out of NC State (after stops at Iowa State and Western Kentucky), was originally signed by the Titans. He wasn’t renowned for his accuracy, only connecting on 78 percent of his kicks in college, but he had a big leg, with a long of 57. After losing his first kicking competition with Folk, Narveson was waived and claimed by the Packers. He was named Green Bay’s primary kicker to start the season but was waived after missing five of his 17 attempts. He re-signed to Tennessee’s practice squad after clearing waivers.
Joining Narveson from the practice squad for tomorrow’s gameday will be defensive end Khalid Duke and offensive guard Arlington Hambright. Unlike Narveson, both Duke and Hambright will revert back to the team’s practice squad after this weekend.
Titans CB L’Jarius Sneed Will Not Return This Year
DECEMBER 20: Callahan said Friday (via Titaninsider.com’s Terry McCormick) that Sneed is not expected to come back, calling the high-priced cornerback’s injury “very strange” and “significant,” via veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky. This will end a disappointing season for the trade pickup.
Sneed both could not do much to help the Titans this season and also left a void in the Chiefs’ lineup opposite Trent McDuffie. The recently extended corner is signed through the 2027 season; his 2025 compensation is fully guaranteed.
DECEMBER 13: L’Jarius Sneed has been sidelined since October, and recent comments from Titans head coach Brian Callahan indicate that the veteran cornerback may not play again this season.
Callahan said it was “iffy” if Sneed returns to the field this year, according to Titans team reporter Jim Wyatt. The 27-year-old played in just five games before he injured his quad. At first, the injury was not believed to be serious, but Tennessee eventually moved Sneed onto injured reserve more than a month after his first missed game.
Sneed spent most of his time on IR with Chidobe Awuzie, who was out for more than two months with a groin injury. Awuzie came back last week, but Callahan seems dubious that Sneed can make a similar return.
The Titans have plenty of reason to be cautious with their star cornerback. They sent a third-round pick to the Chiefs in exchange for Sneed’s services and promptly signed him to a four-year, $76.4MM extension. His $44MM in fully-guaranteed money ranks third at the position and includes $19MM in guaranteed salary in 2025, so Tennessee will be expecting a full season from him next year.
It took more than a month for the Titans to figure out that Sneed’s injury was severe enough to require an IR stint, and the team is already eliminated from the playoffs. Risking a re-injury that could impact Sneed’s future availability would be a short-sighted move from a franchise that is likely considering their 2025 draft position at this point in the season.
Will Levis Addresses Titans Benching
In a reaction to his latest turnover struggles, Will Levis was benched by the Titans earlier this week. The second-year quarterback’s future with the franchise is uncertain as a result, but he still views himself as a QB1 option at the NFL level. 
“I still believe that I can be the franchise quarterback for this team,” Levis said (via ESPN’s Turron Davenport). “I have the utmost confidence in myself and my ability to lead any team in this league.”
2024 marked Levis’ first full season as the Titans’ starter, and a number of moves made by the organization – including the hiring of first-time head coach Brian Callahan – were centered on his development. Things have not gone according to plan, though, and in the aftermath of a three-interception outing he was benched midway through Sunday’s loss. Mason Rudolph is therefore in position to handle starting duties the rest of the way.
Callahan declined to get into specifics when speaking about Levis’ status beyond the 2024 season, noting that a lack of consistency held back his development in other areas this season. The team’s attention is on the final three games of the campaign, and two more years remain on Levis’ rookie pact. Given his performances to date, though, it would not come as a surprise if one or more quarterback additions were to be made this offseason.
The Titans are one of seven teams with either 11 or 12 losses at this point, making them a candidate to land the No. 1 pick in April’s draft. With only two passers (Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward) seen as being worthy of a selection at the top of the order, though, Tennessee could wind up out of range for the top options in this year’s class. Given Rudolph’s status as a pending free agent, the veteran route could be taken in March to add a bridge starter or at least competition for Levis presuming he is retained.
The 25-year-old suffered a Grade 2 AC joint sprain earlier in the year, and it was made clear at that point he would reprise his role as starter once healthy. That proved to be the case, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes Levis reaggravated the injury in Week 14 before trying to play through a Grade 3 sprain on Sunday. That latest ailment will be healed by the start of the 2025 season, but it will be interesting to see what moves the Titans will have made under center by that point.
Titans Bench QB Will Levis For Week 16
10:02pm: Tennessee’s Levis plan is at least on hold; a quarterback switch will happen this week. Levis will head to the bench for Week 16, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. It would stand to reason Rudolph is moving up the depth chart; he is the only other QB on the Titans’ 53-man roster. It will indeed be Rudolph in Week 16, Callahan confirmed, doing so while indicating he was not ready to make post-2024 proclamations regarding Levis.
Still, this could mark a significant change for the Titans, who had themed their offseason around adding pieces to maximize Levis. The 2023 second-round pick has not taken a noticeable step forward, and the team will sit him down — perhaps to close out the season. If a three-game benching commences, it would certainly be worth monitoring if the Titans will be aggressive to add a starter-caliber option in 2025. Given the events of this season, such a push seems likely.
8:57am: The Titans have remained steadfast in their support of Will Levis this season, but that stance may shift over the waning stages of the season. Head coach Brian Callahan said (via ESPN’s Turron Davenport) the team is contemplating a change under center. 
Levis entered the 2024 campaign as Tennessee’s undisputed starter, and a central storyline for the team was his development during first full season atop the depth chart. Callahan’s first head coaching gig likewise came with the mandate of guiding the 25-year-old while the organization evaluated his potential as a franchise passer. Levis dealt with an AC joint sprain in October, but before and after that injury he has not lived up to expectations.
The 2023 second-round pick has struggled with turnovers throughout the campaign, and that trend continued on Sunday. During the third quarter of the Titans’ Week 15 loss, Levis was benched after throwing three interceptions. That brought his total on the season to 12 (matching his number of touchdown passes) in 11 games. Mason Rudolph finished the contest, and Callahan’s comments leave the door open to Rudolph starting in Week 16. The former Steeler made three starts while Levis was sidelined earlier in the year.
The team made it clear at that time, however, that Levis would reclaim the No. 1 spot when he was healthy. Indeed, the Penn State and Kentucky product took over in Week 10 and has started every contest since. If the Titans were to make a change, though, it would represent a strong signal Levis will be replaced atop the depth chart by a new passer this offseason. Sitting at 3-11 on the year, the Titans are in contention to land the top pick in April’s draft, something which would give them the opportunity to reset under center.
Rudolph saw his lengthy tenure with Pittsburgh come to an end this offseason, and he took a one-year deal with Tennessee. A run of starts would provide him with the opportunity to boost his 2025 free agent stock; it would also, of course, point further to Levis’ run as a QB1 option coming to an end. Two more years remain on his rookie contract, but it very much remains to be seen how the Titans will proceed at the position during that span.
Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order
This NFL season saw several teams slip out of contention quicker than usual, slimming wild-card races and expanding the pursuit for the No. 1 overall pick. Two teams now lead that race.
While no prospect on the Caleb Williams level is dangling for the Raiders and Giants, an interesting showdown has formed. With three weeks to go, the Giants would currently hold the top 2025 draft choice. But based on projected strength of schedule, the Raiders would win the tiebreaker if the results held. The team with the weaker overall strength of schedule would win that. The Giants still have a game against the 12-2 Eagles, while the Raiders’ upcoming matchup with the 3-11 Jaguars works in their favor.
The Giants have not held the No. 1 pick in the common draft era (1967-present), last making a choice atop a draft in 1965 (running back Tucker Frederickson). Their Eli Manning trade occurred after the Chargers had chosen the quarterback to start the 2004 draft. The Raiders have held the top pick once in the common draft era, famously choosing JaMarcus Russell to start the ’07 draft. Both teams have coaches fighting for their jobs, but each also has seen All-Pros (Dexter Lawrence, Maxx Crosby) removed from equations. Losers of 10 straight, the Raiders follow their Jaguars matchup with games against the Saints and Chargers. The Giants, who have dropped nine consecutive games, go Falcons-Colts-Eagles to close the season.
Five 3-11 teams sit behind the Raiders and Giants presently, with the NFL having nine teams who have already lost double-digit contests. If a Giants or Raiders win occurs, there are candidates to move toward pole position in what could be races for Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward. Though, a non-Giants or Raiders team finishing in the top two creates a bit more intrigue, as both those clubs are in dire need of QB help.
With an eye on teams’ projected strength of schedule based on current records, here is how the draft order looks with three games to go:
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
- New York Giants (2-12)
- New England Patriots (3-11)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11)
- Carolina Panthers (3-11)
- Tennessee Titans (3-11)
- Cleveland Browns (3-11)
- New York Jets (4-10)
- Chicago Bears (4-10)
- New Orleans Saints (5-9)
- Miami Dolphins (6-8)
- Indianapolis Colts (6-8)
- Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-8)
- San Francisco 49ers (6-8)
- Atlanta Falcons (7-7)
- Arizona Cardinals (7-7)
- Seattle Seahawks (8-6)
- Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6)
- Los Angeles Rams (8-6)
- Washington Commanders (9-5)
- Denver Broncos (9-5)
- Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
- Houston Texans (9-5)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4)
- Green Bay Packers (10-4)
- Minnesota Vikings (12-2)
- Buffalo Bills (11-3)
- Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)
- Detroit Lions (12-2)
- Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/24
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claimed off waivers (from Panthers): S Jammie Robinson
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: LB Josh Woods
- Placed on IR: LB Troy Andersen
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: RB Darrynton Evans
Detroit Lions
- Signed off Jaguars’ practice squad: LB Anthony Pittman
Tennessee Titans
- Designated to return from reserve/PUP: WR Colton Dowell
Anthony Pittman is back in Detroit after the Lions snagged the linebacker off the Jaguars’ practice squad. Pittman was once a special teams mainstay for the Lions, appearing in every game for the organization between 2021 and 2023. Over that time, he was limited to 134 defensive snaps (vs. 1,099 ST snaps), and he’ll likely see a similar role during his current stint with the squad.
Colton Dowell will return to practice this week after being designated for return from the PUP list. The wideout suffered a torn ACL last December, and coach Brian Callahan told reporters that they wanted to give a look at the player after he worked so hard during rehab (via the team’s website). A 2023 seventh-round pick, Dowell got into 10 games as a rookie.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/14/24
Saturday’s minor moves and standard gameday elevations:
Arizona Cardinals
- Elevated: P Michael Palardy
- Placed on IR: RB Emari Demercado, P Blake Gillikin
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: DT Michael Pierce
- Elevated: CB Desmond King, LB William Kwenkeu
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: S Kareem Jackson, QB Mike White
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: RB Mike Boone, LB Jacoby Windmon
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed to active roster: QB Logan Woodside
- Elevated: T Andrew Coker, K Cade York
- Placed on IR: LB Joe Bachie
Dallas Cowboys
- Elevated: CB Andrew Booth, T Dakoda Shepley
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: G Nick Gargiulo, CB Reese Taylor
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: S Jamal Adams, LB Abraham Beauplan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: DE DJ Coleman
- Placed on IR: TE Evan Engram (story)
Houston Texans
- Elevated: TE Irv Smith Jr.
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: LB Swayze Bozeman, TE Anthony Firkser
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: WR Laviska Shenault, TE Eric Tomlinson
- Placed on IR: WR Jalen Reagor
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: WR Grant DuBose
- Signed to active roster: DT Matt Dickerson
- Elevated: T Ryan Hayes, LS Zach Triner
- Waived: QB Skylar Thompson
New England Patriots
- Elevated: TE Jack Westover
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from reserve/PUP: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
- Placed on IR: LB D’Marco Jackson
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: QB Tim Boyle
- Placed on IR: G Jon Runyan (story)
- Elevated: DB Raheem Layne
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: CB Kendall Sheffield
- Elevated: TE Zack Kuntz, WR Brandon Smith
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: FB Khari Blasingame
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from IR: DT Montravius Adams
- Placed on IR: T Calvin Anderson
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: CB Artie Burns
- Elevated: QB Jaren Hall, RB George Holani
- Placed on IR: S Jerrick Reed II
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Elevated: P Jack Browning, S Ryan Neal
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: G Arlington Hambright, TE Thomas Odukoya
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: DT Carl Davis
Demercado has taken a backseat to Florida State third-round rookie Trey Benson, but he has averaged 9.3 yards per carry on 24 carries this year. Palardy will take over punting duties with Gillikin landing on injured reserve.
Jackson signed with Bills in late July, and although he was among the team’s final roster cuts he was immediately retained via a practice squad deal. This elevation means Week 15 will mark his first time spent on the active roster this season. The 36-year-old has started all but 10 of his 203 NFL games, but last season was marred by suspensions which led to his Broncos release. Jackson could suit up for Buffalo down the stretch as a gameday elevation in a bid to rebuild his stock to a degree.
With the playoffs nearly out of reach and quarterback Joe Burrow dealing with a few ailments (wrist and knee), the Bengals don’t seem to be taking any chances. Jake Browning will continue serving as the primary backup, while Woodside’s promotion will allow him to act as the emergency backup.
Adams has seen his biggest NFL roles during his time in Pittsburgh. Though he hasn’t gotten the same number of starts as he had in 2022 and 2023, he’s continued the same level of production. After missing the last four games, he’ll be looking to return to the field as early as tomorrow.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/10/24
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: C Keith Ismael
Carolina Panthers
- Released: WR Dax Milne
Chicago Bears
- Released: RB Demetric Felton
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Kaden Davis, WR Jaelen Gill, K Riley Patterson, OT Julian Pearl
- Released: DT Michael Dwumfour
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB K.J Cloyd
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Jeremiah Martin
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT Pheldarius Payne
- Placed on injured list: DT Trysten Hill
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: G Jerome Carvin, RB Myles Gaskin
- Released: LS Tucker Addington, P Matt Haack
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: QB Jake Luton, DT Tyler Manoa
- Released: DT Marquan McCall
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Dez Fitzpatrick
- Released: OT Alex Leatherwood
New England Patriots
- Released: LB Keshawn Banks
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: G Kyle Hergel
New York Giants
- Signed: DL Ross Blacklock, QB Tim Boyle, CB Ekow Boye-Doe, CB Azizi Hearn
- Placed on injured list: C Jimmy Morrissey
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: P Ty Zentner
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Curtis Bolton, T Kellen Diesch, K Brayden Narveson
Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins has made just 64.0% of his field goal attempts this season, which includes two misses from inside 40 yards. Patterson kicked for Cleveland when Hopkins was injured at the end of last season, and his addition to the practice squad indicates that head coach Kevin Stefanski is considering a similar change this year.
The Titans signed Narveson as insurance for starter Nick Folk, who is dealing with an injury, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Narveson began the season as the Packers’ kicker, but after missing five of his 12 field goal attempts, all of which came inside of 50 yards.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/10/24
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on injured reserve: RB Jonathon Brooks
- Waived: DL DeShawn Williams
- Signed to active roster from practice squad: DT Sam Roberts
New York Giants
- Placed on injured reserve: CB Tre Hawkins
- Signed to active roster from practice squad: CB Greg Stroman
Tennessee Titans
- Waived with injury designation: OT Leroy Watson
The Panthers officially placed Brooks on injured reserve after he re-tore his right ACL on Sunday against the Eagles. The second-round pick spent most of his rookie season on the Physically Unable to Perform list after his initial ACL tear last November. He only managed 12 touches for 45 yards in his first three NFL appearances before re-injuring his knee, which will require another lengthy rehab process and puts his availability for the start of the 2025 season in doubt.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/7/24
Saturday’s minor transactions, including gameday practice squad elevations:
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: WR Chris Blair
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: DT DeWayne Carter
- Elevated: S Lewis Cine, TE Zach Davidson
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: WR Dan Chisena, LB Jacoby Windmon
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: S Adrian Colbert, RB Darrynton Evans
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: WR Joshua Cephus
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: WR Kristian Wilkerson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from IR: LB Junior Colson
- Elevated: RB Jaret Patterson, S Kendall Williamson
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: CB Charles Woods
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: LS Zach Triner
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from IR: LS Andrew DePaola, K Will Reichard (story)
- Elevated: OLB Gabriel Murphy
- Waived: K John Parker Romo
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: WR Kevin Austin, Dante Pettis
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: DT Elijah Garcia, DE Casey Rogers
- Elevated: T Tyre Phillips, CB Greg Stroman
- Placed on IR: DT D.J. Davidson
- Waived: QB Tim Boyle
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: WR Allen Lazard, G Wes Schweitzer (story)
- Elevated: CB Kendall Sheffield
- Placed on IR: LB C.J. Mosley (story)
- Waived: C Connor McGovern
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed to active roster: TE E.J. Jenkins
- Elevated: FB Khari Blasingame, S Andre’ Sam
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to active roster: LB Antonio Grier
- Elevated: P Jack Browning, CB Dallis Flowers
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: WR Mason Kinsey, DB Kendall Brooks
- Elevated: G Arlington Hambright, TE Thomas Odukoya
Eagles starting tight end Dallas Goedert has been placed on injured reserve, so Jenkins will come up from the practice squad for a little added depth.