The Titans get a boost in the secondary Sunday with Alontae Taylor back in the mix, but they’ll be doing it without two of their offensive names most worth watching.
Tennessee will be without RB Tyjae Spears and WR Calvin Ridley against the Browns, along with RB Nick Singleton, TE Kylen Granson, T Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, DT Jackie Marshall and CB Jaylon Jones. Spears and Singleton being sidelined leaves the backfield in a tougher spot, meaning Julius Chestnut and Michael Carter will be leaned on behind Tony Pollard when he needs a breather.
Ridley’s absence stands out for another reason, too, since he’s viewed as one of the Titans’ more intriguing trade candidates. However people want to spin that, he won’t be on the field later today.
Cleveland has its own list of inactive players, with QB Tayler Green, LB Justin Jefferson, CB Noah Igbinohene, RB Audric Estime, DT Mike Hall Jr. and C Parker Brailsford all ruled out. One key name did make it through: CB Denzel Ward, who was questionable with a hand injury but is active.
That matters because Ward figures to spend plenty of time across from WR Carnell Tate. If Ward isn’t at full strength, Tate could have chances to work through the contact and compete on 50-50 balls as the game goes along.
The other major development is Taylor’s return after he was a healthy scratch last Sunday. HC Robert Saleh said Taylor got work at nickel during the week, and that’s worth paying attention to given his history of success there.
The Titans brought Taylor in expecting him to be a long-term answer on the boundary, but that fit has already shown some cracks. Now the question is how often Tennessee uses him today, especially with Marcus Harris already looking like the team’s best nickel.
Could the Titans roll out packages with Harris outside and Taylor inside? That’s the wrinkle to watch as the game unfolds.
In Other News...
Titans Rework Alontae Taylor After Benching Him For A Bigger Need
After being a healthy scratch in a recent game, Alontae Taylor is back in the mix at practice as the Titans take a fresh look at where he fits best. Robert Saleh has started working Taylor into slot corner rotations, a sign that Tennessee is rethinking how to use a defender whose versatility could matter more in nickel packages than in his previous role.
The move comes with some context attached, since the defense held up well without him and the staff now has room to be deliberate about the next step. Saleh has pointed to Taylor's effort in adjusting to the nickel spot and his positive response to being benched, but the bigger question is whether that new alignment becomes a real solution for a secondary that is still being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Quietly Signal Concern About Their Offense Before Browns Game
The Titans are adding some extra insurance on offense ahead of Week 7, elevating running back Kelel Mullings and receiver K.J. Osborn from the practice squad for Sundays matchup with the Browns. It is the kind of move teams make when the injury report starts to thin out a little too much, and Tennessee could use the reinforcement with the game set for Nissan Stadium and CBS carrying the broadcast.
The timing is notable because several offensive players are listed as questionable, including backup running back Tyjae Spears and wide receiver Calvin Ridley. Elevations like this do not guarantee a major role, but they do suggest Tennessee is preparing for a few different scenarios as it tries to keep the offense functional against Cleveland. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Win Changed Nothing About One Tough Deadline Decision
The Titans finally got a win on the board, but it hardly changed the larger picture in Nashville. At 1-5, Tennessee is still staring at a long road back into the playoff conversation, and the coming weeks are less about chasing a run and more about deciding how aggressively to lean into a rebuild.
With the trade deadline nearing, several recognizable names could draw attention if the Titans decide draft capital matters more than holding the current core together. Jeffery Simmons, Amani Hooker, Tony Pollard and Alonte Taylor all sit in that uneasy space where value, contract status and team direction start to intersect, and for a front office trying to balance the present with the future, those choices can be a lot tougher than the scoreboard suggests. [Read more 🡒]