The Tennessee Titans are down to the kind of week that starts sorting out the edges of a roster. Before they host the Chicago Bears in their final preseason game at Nissan Stadium on Saturday, the two teams will meet for a joint practice on Thursday, giving Tennessee one more live look at how its group stacks up against outside competition.
That matters now more than ever. The Titans still have to trim from 90 players to 53 after Saturday night’s game, and while plenty of the decisions already feel settled, this final stretch could still shake up the bubble. Joint work against another team often reveals more than an intrasquad setting ever can, especially when depth-chart battles are still hanging in the balance.
For Tennessee, the Bears visit also serves as the last real chance to evaluate players before roster cuts and the regular season opener on Sept. 13. That makes Thursday’s practice and Saturday’s game a final two-step: one more controlled look, then one last preseason test before the front office starts making the hard calls.
Chicago may bring a notable name back into the picture, too. Second-year wide receiver Luther Burden is getting closer to returning and could appear when the Bears are in Nashville for the joint practice.
Around the league, the Pro Bowl is officially gone, with the NFL ending its All-Star Game after years of trying to make the event work. The league had long been stuck between player safety concerns and the need to put on a show, and it ultimately decided the effort wasn’t worth continuing.
In Other News...
Titans Just Got An Unexpected WR Decision To Make
The Browns decision to move on from Cedric Tillman has suddenly put a young receiver with some untapped intrigue on the market, and that has to be at least a passing consideration for the Titans. Tennessee has been looking for answers in its wideout room, and Tillman fits the kind of profile teams often circle this time of year: a recent draft pick, still looking to establish himself, with enough playmaking flashes to make a front office think twice before letting him get away.
Tillman was a third-round pick in 2022 and had returned to camp after an injury, but Cleveland still chose to release him rather than keep him in the mix. For Tennessee, the question is whether there is enough upside there to justify a look, especially with a roster spot and a potential depth need in play. No move has been reported yet, but it is the sort of decision the Titans could revisit quickly if they want to add another receiver with some developmental appeal. [Read more 🡒]
Titans-Bears Just Put Carnell Tates Family Loyalty In The Spotlight
The Titans preseason finale against the Bears brings a little extra family intrigue to a game that already has some storyline juice for Tennessee. Rookie wide receiver Carnell Tate may see only limited action, but he is still expected to be a key target for quarterback Cam Ward as the Titans continue sorting out their passing game before the regular season arrives.
Tate also comes into the matchup with a personal twist, since he and his father have long been Bears fans. Even with his son now wearing Titans colors, Tates father said he will still be backing Chicago in the preseason meeting, which adds a small but noticeable layer of split loyalties to an otherwise routine August game. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Suddenly Have A Linebacker Decision They Cant Ignore
The Titans went into the preseason with Cody Barton penciled in as a starting linebacker alongside Cedric Gray, but the competition around that spot has become harder to ignore. Barton has had some slow stretches in exhibition action, while the younger options behind him have started to make a stronger case for themselves. James Williams has flashed, and rookie Anthony Hill has particularly stood out with the kind of active play that tends to get a coaching staffs attention fast.
Hills recent preseason work has included impactful moments, which is exactly the sort of production that can force a depth-chart conversation before the games start to count. Tennessee still has time to sort out how it wants to use its linebacker group, but the contrast is now clear enough: experience is holding the current projection in place, while youthful playmaking is pushing to crack it open. [Read more 🡒]