The Tennessee Titans will head into Week 5 without Amani Hooker, with the starting safety ruled out for Sunday’s matchup against the Houston Texans after he did not clear concussion protocol.
Head coach Robert Saleh confirmed the news Friday after Hooker sat out Wednesday and Thursday’s practices. Hooker had reported concussion symptoms earlier in the week, then briefly returned to Tennessee’s Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens after being evaluated. That comeback won’t extend to Sunday.
Hooker’s absence is a notable one for Tennessee’s secondary. The eighth-year safety has piled up 28 tackles this season, along with one tackle for loss, two pass deflections and an interception. That pick came against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 20, when he raced 92 yards to help set up a touchdown.
With Hooker sidelined, Tony Adams is lined up to start against Houston. The fifth-year veteran arrived in Tennessee in March as a free agent after spending his first four NFL seasons with the New York Jets.
He has played in all four games this season and has three tackles and a quarterback hit. Over 57 career appearances, including 36 starts in 53 games with the Jets, Adams has four interceptions and 235 tackles.
The Titans are also expected to elevate safety Isaiah Oliver from the practice squad for Sunday’s game.
There was better news on the injury front elsewhere. Cornerback Joshua Williams practiced Friday after being designated to return from injured reserve earlier in the week, and Saleh praised his progress without saying whether he’ll be activated against the Texans.
Defensive linemen John Franklin-Myers and Jeffery Simmons, running back Tony Pollard and cornerback Marcus Harris also were on the field Friday. Saleh said tight end Gunnar Helm and receiver Carnell Tate, both added to the injury report with knee and back issues, respectively, should be available.
Safety Kevin Winston Jr. practiced in a yellow jersey, while tight end David Martin-Robinson missed practice because of a hamstring injury.
Tennessee will go through a walkthrough Saturday before facing Houston.
In Other News...
Titans Suddenly Have A New Concern In Their Passing Game
The Titans passing game picked up a new wrinkle this week when Carnell Tate landed on the injury report with a back issue ahead of Sundays game against the Houston Texans. Tate had been a full participant on Wednesday before being limited on Thursday, a shift that stands out on a roster already dealing with multiple players showing up on the report with assorted injuries.
For Tennessee, the timing matters because Tate has become a meaningful part of the offense as the team tries to keep its attack steady against Houston. The Titans have been monitoring several health questions this week, and Tates status now adds another layer of uncertainty to a passing game that could use as much stability as it can get heading into a divisional matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Carnell Tate Could Put Texans In A Tough Spot Again
Carnell Tates Week 4 breakout gave the Titans another layer to work with, and it came at the right time. The rookie wideout caught nine passes for 145 yards, flashing the kind of versatility that can make an offense harder to pin down when a defense starts keying on where a receiver lines up. Tennessee has already shown a willingness to move Tate around, using him on the boundary and also inside, which has helped expand how the passing game can attack different coverage looks.
That flexibility could matter again soon against Houston, where the Titans are likely to keep searching for favorable matchups by shifting Tate pre-snap and changing his alignment from play to play. If Tennessee can keep defenses guessing about where he will show up, it can force the Texans to sort through more decisions than they may want to make, especially after Tates emergence has given the Titans a young weapon worth building around. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Face A Tough Tony Pollard Decision After 0-4 Start
The Titans 0-4 start has already pushed roster conversations toward the future, and Tony Pollard has quickly become one of the more interesting names to watch. Tennessees veteran running back is off to a strong start, which only adds to his value if general manager Mike Borgonzi decides the time is right to listen on a move.
Pollards situation is especially tricky because he is on an expiring deal, giving the Titans a classic deadline dilemma between keeping a productive player and taking advantage of his market. With the trade deadline approaching, the possibility of dealing him has naturally started to draw attention around the league, and it puts Tennessee in the middle of a decision that could say plenty about how it views the rest of this season. [Read more 🡒]