The Tennessee Titans have finally made the roster move fans were waiting on.
After keeping offensive tackle Austin Deculus on the initial 53-man roster Sunday, Tennessee added veteran tackle James Hudson on Monday and moved Deculus off the team, the move confirmed by Jim Wyatt. It came after general manager Mike Borgonzi already made four other additions and corresponding cuts, but Deculus still survived that first round before the Titans corrected course.
The new arrivals earlier in the day were linebacker Owen Pappoe, safety Terrell Burgess, defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse, and Melvin Smith. To create space, Tennessee waived Xavier Restrepo, Erick Hallett II, Mo Diabate, and Jerrick Reed II.
Deculus had been brought in to battle for the swing tackle job behind starters JC Latham and Dan Moore Jr., but that competition never really got off the ground. He struggled badly in camp and the preseason, and Pro Football Focus charged him with three preseason sacks allowed while giving him a 45.1 pass-blocking grade.
Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson quickly moved ahead of him as the backup tackle option. During the preseason, Crenshaw-Dickson was even spotted working higher on the practice pecking order, and he made the original 53-man roster.
Because Deculus is a vested veteran, the former LSU sixth-round pick does not have to go through waivers. He can sign with any team immediately after his release.
Hudson arrives from the New England Patriots after a career that has included 60 NFL games and 19 starts. The 6-foot-5, 313-pound blocker is also familiar with Titans offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo from their time together with the New York Giants, where Hudson was teammates with starting center Austin Schlottmann.
In preseason action, Hudson posted an overall PFF offensive grade of 65.5, including a 62.6 mark in pass protection. He has had his own ups and downs in the league, which helps explain why he was available this late in August.
For Tennessee, though, the swap gives the Titans a more workable option at tackle. Hudson brings more upside and comes with familiarity in both Brian Daboll’s offense and Bricillo’s scheme, making him a better fit to back up on the edge.
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