The 2024 season is less than a week away when the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs take on their fellow AFC contender Baltimore Ravens. Training camp and preseason are in the barn after a month-long race. Teams have set their initial 53-man rosters, which will surely see a lot of churn. Tennessee GM Ran Carthon and HC Brian Callahan have put their stamp on the 2024 Tennessee Titans. Who should feel bullish about their prospects, and which players are trending towards a bear market? Are there position groups and players that are treading water? Let’s find out in this week’s stock report!
Music City Musings: Titans Roster Cutdown Stock Report
Stock Up
2024 NFL Draft Selections
All seven selections made the initial roster and had varying degrees of impact. Starting left tackle JC Latham may get all the buzz and scrutiny that comes with such a celebrated position, but stellar rookies are all over the roster. Second-round selection T’Vondre Sweat is a force to be reckoned with when he’s on the field. The two rookies that made their names were a pair of seventh-round selections. EDGE Jaylen Harrell had a great game against Seattle, registering two sacks. He continued his hot streak with a solid showing in the third contest against New Orleans, drawing two holding calls. The former Michigan Man earned his way onto the roster and will likely play a rotational role behind Arden Key.
Safety turned inside linebacker James Williams put his name out there, although the statistics weren’t indicative of his impact. He took to the position like a duck to water despite never playing the position competitively until the Senior Bowl. Fifth-round corner Jarvis Brownlee, Jr had typical rookie cornerback moments but stood out during the offseason. With the Titans keeping just four cornerbacks and the injury history of their starters, he’s in line to play a significant role. Jha’Quan Jackson won the punt return job and made the roster as the sixth receiver.
Tight Ends
In a shock twist, the Titans held onto five players at the position (four are listed on the roster, but a fifth will be added soon). Nick Vannett was the fifth but was released to add a waiver claim on Wednesday. In the post-cut press conference, Carthon admitted that he’d return to the active roster. Undrafted free agent David Martin-Robinson forced the coaches to keep him after a stellar preseason and camp. Thomas Odukoya played his way onto the roster after showing well through the process. He made the play of the preseason after making an incredible tackle after running a total of 165 yards on a missed field goal return. It will be interesting to see if the five tight-end numbers stick long-term this season.
Watch Netherlands-born Thomas Odukoya (@ThomasO_) chase down this play and save a touchdown to end the half. pic.twitter.com/71C6oofMLC
— NFL (@NFL) August 25, 2024
Chef Ran Runs The Kitchen
It’s been an offseason of change for the Titans as the roster turned over significantly. Only 21 players on the roster for the last regular season game made it to the 53-man roster. A 61% roster turnover rate is quite the change, even by Not For Long standards. Carthon has also left it late on several transactions to improve the roster. Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs, and the recently acquired linebacker Ernest Jones IV were all summer moves to bolster the lineup. Only one of the previous administration’s selections from the 2020 and 2021 drafts remains. They’ve significantly upgraded the roster under his watch, particularly the sagging receiver room, with the additions of DeAndre Hopkins, Tyler Boyd, and Calvin Ridley over the past two seasons.
The linebacker room received a major injection of firepower with the additions of Kenneth Murray and Jones. Tennessee initiated a rebranding with a new staff. These aren’t the Titans we’ve become accustomed to over the years. He has used the trade market to boost his draft capital, garnering several pick swaps and later-round picks in the 2025 and 2026 drafts.
Collaborative Synchronization
Nothing resembles the collaborative nature of the new front office and coaching staff effort more than this gem, as seen below. They’re even holding their microphones similarly. Callahan and Carthon handled meeting the waived players together as a duo.
“Save your jokes about the matching outfits…”
GM Ran Carthon as he walked into the presser with HC Brian Callahan 😂 #Titans pic.twitter.com/FL4Uabq3xo
— Jill Jelnick (@JillJelnick) August 28, 2024
Wholesome Content
"You don't have to thank us, you earned it" 🥹
BTS of the moments Andrew Rupcich, David Martin-Robinson, Thomas Odukoya, John Ojukwu and James Williams found out they made the Titans 53-man roster pic.twitter.com/EwPwYVGklK
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) August 29, 2024
Holding
Two Quarterbacks
The Titans elected to keep just two quarterbacks after trading Malik Willis to the Packers for a 2025 seventh-round selection. They are one of 19 teams across the league to go with two instead of three. Tennessee is part of the two-quarterback club of a select few who have not signed a third quarterback to the practice squad. They should remedy this soon as several practice squad openings are available. According to Brian Callahan, Tyler Boyd is slated to be the emergency third quarterback.
Stock Down
The Jon Robinson Era
The 2024 roster is a gross indictment of the failed Jon Robinson administration, as his regime’s draft picks have been ruthlessly culled. Only one 2020 and 2021 draft class member remains on the roster from 14 selections. Projected starting right guard Dillon Radunz is the sole remaining member from those two classes. This monumental failure has contributed to the franchise’s current malaise. The most notable failure is Caleb Farley, given his injuries. The biggest blight on his CV is the infamous A.J. Brown trade that netted Treylon Burks in return, who has been a bust thus far and will struggle to get time this season.
Robinson had a chance to rectify the Brown trade to some degree by selecting Amon-Ra St. Brown in 2021 but passed him up. The team shored up its secondary by releasing Farley and trading Elijah Molden to the Chargers. After trading for him, the Packers will attempt to resurrect Malik Willis’ career as a backup to Jordan Love.
Four Defensive Linemen
Tennessee’s depth on the defensive line will be tested, as just four players make the active roster: Sebastian Joseph-Day, Jeffery Simmons, T’Vondre Sweat, and Keondre Coburn. The quartet will have to remain healthy, or it will look bleak without them. However, the Titans are loading up on defensive linemen on the practice squad with two signings so far. Waiver pickup Ali Gaye is more of an EDGE in Dennard Wilson’s system, but he is 6’6 265, so technically, he could be classified as a lineman. It wouldn’t be an upset if the organization continues to churn the market for more DL help. A fifth DL might be signed to the active roster, depending on the designation.
Four Cornerbacks
This area could be a big concern as the team elected to name only four cornerbacks to the roster. L’Jarius Sneed has a history of injuries and is on a load management plan. Chidobe Awuzie missed most of the training camp with a calf issue. That leaves Roger McCreary and rookie Jarvis Brownlee, Jr. as the sole primary cornerbacks. The team signed three cornerbacks for the practice squad, but we will see. DC Dennard Wilson frequently deploys three safety looks, but having only four corners is walking a tightrope.
Three Running Backs
Indeed, it is a risky proposition, given the position’s injury rate. The issue is compounded by the fact that joint starter Tyjae Spears is listed as the kick returner. To date, only one running back is signed to the practice squad. Perhaps Tennessee will look to add one more for insurance purposes.
Main Photo: [Christopher Hanewinc] – USA Today Sports
