The Tennessee Titans made a small roster tweak before training camp, but it doesn’t come close to solving their bigger problem up front.
On the eve of veterans reporting Tuesday, with the first practice set for Wednesday and Saturday’s session the first open practice, the Titans placed offensive tackle JC Latham and safety Amani Hooker on the Physically Unable to Perform list. That immediately stirred concern around Latham, whose inconsistency has already become a talking point for fans.
At the same time, Tennessee added offensive tackle Zachary Thomas and waived tackle Ryan Hayes. Hayes had been with the team through minicamp and OTAs, but the Titans chose to move on and bring in Thomas instead.
Thomas entered the league as a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of San Diego State, and his NFL path has already turned into a tour. He has spent time with six different teams and has appeared in 17 career games. His most recent meaningful action came in 2024 with the Patriots and Texans.
Even then, the production was shaky. Thomas logged about 100 snaps as a reserve last season, and Pro Football Focus charged him with two sacks and four pressures allowed. That’s not the résumé of someone who has established himself as an NFL-caliber tackle.
So while the move adds another body for camp, it doesn’t change the reality for Tennessee: the roster still needs a legitimate swing tackle. Latham landing on PUP only sharpens that concern. The Titans can’t reasonably expect sophomore undrafted free agent Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson to handle the No. 3 tackle job this season.
Maybe the team sees Austin Deculus in that role. But Deculus struggled badly in a similar assignment with the Los Angeles Chargers last season, and based on that track record, Tennessee would be taking a real gamble if it leans on him for meaningful snaps.
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