Tag: Arden Key

4 Titans named as potential cut candidates

The Tennessee Titans need to make some changes this offseason and there are four potential candidates who could get cut in the process.

The Tennessee Titans have some serious adjustments to make this offseason after going 3-14 in 2024. They started the 2025 offseason by firing general manager Ran Carthon and bringing in Mike Borgonzi to replace him. Brian Callahan remains the head coach, and while Colt Anderson remains with the team, he is no longer the special teams coordinator.

Aside from staff changes, there are likely to be a number of adjustments made to player personnel. To that end, Over the Cap created a list of the top 100 cut candidates for 2025, and there are four Titans on that list.

Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

LB Kenneth Murray

Kenneth Murray is due $7.5 million in 2025, but none of it is guaranteed. He has completed one year on his two-year contract and, according to OTC, has a 58% chance of a negative fate. These are the reasons they have him as a cut candidate, although the likelihood that Murray is cut is slim. He led the Titans in tackles with 95 (57 solo) and added 3.5 sacks, eight tackles for a loss, two passes defensed, one interception, and one forced fumble.

The Titans can get more out of him in a trade if they work the deal right, but the Titans also like Murray and may not want him to go anywhere at all.

Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

EDGE Arden Key

Linebacker Arden Key was second in sacks this year with 6.5. He added in 42 tackles (24 solo), 11 tackles for a loss, one pass defensed, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. He’s in the second year of a three-year contract and is set to receive $7 million in 20205. However, none of that is guaranteed, and OTC says his contract has a 73.1% chance of a negative fate.

Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

EDGE Harold Landry III

Harold Landry is owed $17.5 million in 2025, the second year of his two-year contract. None of it is guaranteed, and OTC’s negative fate chances are set at 51.2%. However, Landry led the team with nine sacks and added 71 tackles (42 solo), 15 tackles for a loss and four passes defensed. He was a leader on the defense and helped out on special teams as well. It’s highly unlikely that the Titans cut Landry this year.

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S Amani Hooker

Amani Hooker is set to make $8.39 million in 2025, but again, none of it is guaranteed. He has completed two years of the three-year extension to his rookie contract, and OTC has his negative fate chances at 75.4%. However, Hooker led the Titans with five interceptions in 2024. He was the fourth leading tackler with 71 tackles (47 solo), four tackles for a loss, nine passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. Hooker has been with the Titans since they drafted him in 2019, and he has performed well. There are no indications that the Titans will cut him at this time.

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Titans’ Tony Pollard and Arden Key have added incentives in Week 18

The Tennessee Titans are always motivated against the Houston Texans, but players such as Tony Pollard and Arden Key have added motivations this week.

As the Tennessee Titans head into their season finale on Sunday, there is a push to end the season on a high note. For some players, there will be added motivation to reach certain performance incentives that could earn them some extra cash in 2024. 

Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac breaks down some of the more notable incentives still available to players heading into Week 18. 

Tennessee Titans

S Amani Hooker secured $500,000 with his 5th interception. The 26-year-old is under contract through 2025 at a non-guaranteed $8.1M.

RB Tony Pollard needs 83 rushing yards to secure an extra $250,000. There’s another $200,000 available if he scores twice on the ground as well.

LB Kenneth Murray needs a half sack this weekend to secure a $250,000 bonus. The 26-year-old holds a non-guaranteed $7.5M for 2025.

EDGE Arden Key is a sack and a half away from securing a $500,000 bonus. The 28-year-old holds a non-guaranteed $7M in 2025.

Unfortunately, for all of these players, the injury bug has had an impact on their production in 2024. While Amani Hooker has met all of his available incentives, the others are in jeopardy or have already missed out.

Running back Tony Pollard may have the easiest path to meeting his incentives even after missing Week 17. With Tyjae Spears being held out after suffering a concussion and head coach Brian Callahan rotating quarterbacks, Pollard should again be the focal point of the offense. Rushing for 83-yards and two touchdowns is not out of the question. In Week 12, he carried the ball 24 times for 119 yards and one touchdown. 

Outside linebacker Arden Key has a chance to reach his incentives if he plays. The veteran edge has not practiced so far this week due to an injury and his status is undetermined. In the first meeting he was basically invisible, recording only two tackles, but likely matching up against a reserve offensive tackle could open the door if he plays. 

Unfortunately, linebacker Kenneth Murray will fall just short. The veteran linebacker was placed on injured reserve during Week 17 and will miss the final two games of 2024. 

Tune in to see if any of these players can reach these incentives when the Titans close out the season on Sunday against the Texans in Week 18 action. 

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Titans injury report: Arden Key out, Chig Okonkwo limited

The Tennessee Titans were back on the practice field and watched multiple starters led by Arden Key sidelined.

The Tennessee Titans were back on the field Thursday, ramping up preparations for their season finale against the Houston Texans. 

The team did get some positive news. Kicker Nick Folk returned to the field after missing time with an abdominal injury. While he was limited, this is a positive step forward and he might be able to go against the Texans. If he can’t go, the Titans have Matthew Wright on the practice squad to kick. 

Tight end Chig Okonkwo was added to the injury list on Thursday and was limited with an abdominal injury. There was no update given, so his participation on Friday is worth monitoring. 

No other players saw their status change from Wednesday’s injury report, which saw multiple starters sidelined due to injury. 

The Titans’ complete injury report for Thursday can be found below. 

Did not participate: WR Tyler Boyd (foot), OT Jaelyn Duncan (shoulder), LB Otis Reese (ankle), S Amani Hooker (shoulder), OLB Arden Key (head), RB Tyjae Spears (concussion)

Limited participant: RB Tony Pollard (ankle), K Nick Folk (abdomen), WR Colton Dowell (knee), TE Chig Okonkwo (abdomen)

Full participant: OG Dillon Radunz (shoulder) 

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Titans’ injury report: Arden Key, Roger McCreary, Jeffery Simmons return

The Tennessee Titans saw multiple starters return to practice on Thursday — here is the daily injury report.

The Tennessee Titans were back on the practice field on Thursday and welcomed some starters back after sitting out Wednesday’s session.

 

Outside linebacker Arden Key, cornerback Roger McCreary and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons all were full participants and running back Tony Pollard was limited. This is a positive sign for Key and McCreary who sat out Wednesday due to injury. 

The same cannot be said about cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and tackle Leroy Watson, as both players missed their second day of practice heading into Week 11. They were joined on the sideline by defensive back Justin Hardee, who was limited on Wednesday with a groin injury. 

The Titans will wrap up their practice week on Friday and release their final injury report. 

The Titans complete Thursday injury report is below.

Did not participate: CB L’Jarius Sneed (quad), OT Leroy Watson (back), CB Justin Hardee (groin)

Limited participant: RB Tony Pollard (NIR/rest)

Full participant: DT Jeffery Simmon (NIR/rest). CB Roger McCteary (knee), OLB Arden Key (back)

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Titans vs. Vikings: 3 causes for concern in Week 11

The Tennessee Titans square off in a Sunday afternoon battle against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11. Here are three reasons for concern.

The Tennessee Titans host the Minnesota Vikings at Nissan Stadium on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. CST.

The Titans’ 2024 season has been rough. Not that anyone expected Brian Callahan to come in and take this team to the Super Bowl in his first season, but people expected a better showing than what we’ve seen so far. It’s not all bad, but there’s a lot of work to be done.

The Vikings, on the other hand, are 7-2 and sit in second place in the NFC North, right behind the Detroit Lions. Their biggest goal is to keep winning and hope the Lions lose or they make wild card weekend. In the toughest division in the NFL this season, the Vikings have their work cut out for them to make the postseason.

Those concerns don’t start for the Vikings this week, though. Up against a Titans team that isn’t playing like it can, the Vikings are heavy favorites this week. That’s certainly a cause for concern for the Titans, although not the only one. Let’s take a look at three causes for concern for the Titans heading into Week 11.

Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union

Vikings boast the top run defense in the NFL

The Vikings typically have a strong defense year-to-year, but this year they hold the top spot in the league with their run defense. In 2024, the Vikings have allowed just 711 rushing yards, that’s an average of 3.8 yards per carry or 79 yards per game. They’ve allowed only two run plays over 20 yards and only one over 40 yards. This is as stout of a run defense as we’ve seen in a long time.

The concern here is that the Titans’ offense goes through Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears on the ground. That is simply not going to be effective against the Vikings, so Brian Callahan and Nick Holz better have a plan in place for when the run game fails.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

More defensive players sporting injuries

Titans cornerback L’Jarius Sneed has missed weeks with a quad injury, which was recently revealed to be a substantial bruise and a strain. He’s not happy and feels guilty that he’s not out there on the field, but he’s not alone. Injuries on the defensive side of the ball have been a problem all season. The concern this week is there are three new defenders with injuries: Arden Key has a back injury, Roger McCreary is dealing with a knee injury, and Justin Hardee has a groin injury.

We won’t know if they will carry an injury designation into the game until Friday, but that none of them practiced on Wednesday shows they all needed rest.

The severity of these injuries isn’t apparent yet, so all three of them may still play this week. Even so, the defense is already struggling with injuries and fatigue, so adding more isn’t helpful.

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The offensive line is still a problem

Last week, Will Levis was sacked seven times. The Los Angeles Chargers rank fifth in sacks this season, and the Vikings are right behind them in the sixth spot. They’ve recorded 30 sacks this season, and the Titans’ offensive line simply isn’t going to fare well against the Vikings’ defensive front.

Leroy Watson IV and John Ojukwu will likely continue to rotate at right tackle, although Watson is nursing a back injury now, so who knows how much he will play. On the left side, rookie JC Latham has largely done his job well, but fatigue started to set in last week against the Chargers and could be seen in his play.

The Titans’ offensive line has allowed 28 sacks this season and seven of them happened last week. Brian Callahan and Nick Holz have to find a way to keep Levis protected against a strong Vikings defense in Week 11.

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Titans’ injury report: 6 starters sit out practice

The Tennessee Titans returned to the practice field Wednesday and released their first injury report for the week.

The Titans seemed to be making progress on the injury front heading into their 27-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. With the week’s first practice on hand, it will be the first chance to see if some ailing players could return this week.

The most notable injury remains cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. His quad injury has kept him out for an extended period. Heading into Wednesday, Sneed has not practiced in any capacity since the injury. Unfortunately, Sneed has continued to be sidelined.

Multiple starters joined him on the sideline, including defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, outside linebacker Arden Key, Cornerback Roger McCreary, running back Tony Pollard, and tackle Leroy Watson IV.

Defensive Back Justin Hardee was limited with a groin injury. 

The Titans’ Wednesday injury report can be found below:

Did not participate: CB L’Jarius Sneed (quad), Jeffery Simmons (NIR/rest), RB Tony Pollard (NIR/rest), OT Leroy Watson (back), CB Roger McCreary (knee), OLB Arden Key (back)

Limited Participant: DB Justin Hardee (groin)

Full participants: N/A

Key things to know about Chargers’ Week 10 opponent: Titans

Here are some important things to know about the Titans ahead of the Week 10 matchup with the Chargers.

The Chargers are at home to face the Titans on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 1:05 p.m. PT.

To get you prepped for the Week 10 bout, here are five key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the matchup.

How things are going…

The Titans are 2-6 on the season. Tennessee snapped a three-game losing streak after beating the Patriots last Sunday.

Porous passing game

The Chargers shouldn’t have to worry about the Titans presenting a problem through the air. Tennessee currently ranks 31st in passing offense, averaging 170.8 yards per game. Mason Rudolph has served as the Titans’ starting quarterback in the last three games, while Will Levis has been sidelined with a shoulder injury. Rudolph had his most productive outing last weekend, throwing for over 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Tennessee is hopeful that Levis can play this weekend. In five games, Levis has completed 66.4% of his passes for 699 yards and five TDs to seven interceptions.

Ground game is working

While the Titans’ passing attack hasn’t been efficient, their offense has benefited from the running game. Tennessee is 12th in that department, averaging 125.6 YPG. Tony Pollard, who was acquired this past offseason, has been a key playmaker in the team’s offense. Pollard has rushed for 622 yards and three scores, with an average of 4.4 yards per carry.

Stiff defense

You can’t attribute the Titans losing as many games as they have to their defense. Tennessee ranks No. 1 in total defense and passing defense. They’re also third in yards per play allowed and 11th against the run. However, they’re allowing a handful of points, as opponents are averaging 26.6 PPG (26th). This speaks to their struggles in the red zone, as the Titans are 26th in this category.

Look out for…

Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. The Chargers’ interior offensive line has struggled this season, and Simmons can give them fits. Simmons generated a season-high seven pressures and a sack on 37 pass rushes in Week 9 against the Patriots, including three pressures in under 2.5 seconds.

Titans receive calls on multiple players, stand firm at trade deadline

The Titans received calls on three key defensive players ahead of the trade deadline but stood firm and kept their defense intact.

The NFL trade deadline came and went on Tuesday at 4pm EDT, and the Tennessee Titans phones rang, but no trades were made. Specifically, the Titans received calls regarding defensive end Jeffery Simmons, linebacker Arden Key and defensive end Sebastian Joseph-Day.

The Titans’ defense currently allows the least amount of yardage per game, and these three players have four sacks (Key), three sacks (Simmons) and 2.5 sacks (Joseph-Day) on the season.

The Titans, however, weren’t interested in dealing Simmons at all.

As for Key and Joseph-Day, if they were considering trades, no one offered the Titans what they wanted in return. Aside from their ability to get to the quarterback, both Key and Simmons have a fumble recovery this season.

This Titans’ defense is solid and is the only reason the team won over the New England Patriots on Sunday. It didn’t allow the Chicago Bears to score a touchdown in Week 1. And even with the loss of Ernest Jones IV, the defense seems to have gotten even stronger under Dennard Wilson.

Keeping the Titans’ defense intact signals that the Titans want to keep winning. They like the pieces they have in place and want to build on what Wilson has started this season.

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Titans see two more added to the walking wounded list

After seeing only two players miss practice on Wednesday, the Tennessee Titans watched that list double on Thursday.

After watching two veterans sit out practice on Wednesday, the Tennessee Titans saw an increased number of players sit out on Thursday when the team returned to the practice field. Going into the week, the team appeared to be set up well from a health perspective and are relatively healthy. But as the
week crawls toward a close, more questions arise.

Joining wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and safety Jamal Adams on the sideline on Thursday were a couple of defenders: edge Arden Key and linebacker Otis Reese IV.

Key, the veteran edge rusher, has been dealing with a hamstring injury for the past week. Initially diagnosed with a slight hamstring injury, he missed some time last week prior to the preseason finale but did take the field on Wednesday, matching head coach Brian Callahan’s initial assessment.

Reese is more of a question mark. The linebacker missed some time last week being inside the league’s concussion protocol. Though he practiced on Wednesday, it is reported that he is still making his way through protocol.

With over a week until kick off the season Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, the Titans have time to get to full strength. Will they? Time will tell.

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Titans’ Arden Key avoids serious injury

The Titans hope that Key will return next week.

Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Arden Key will be sidelined for the next week with a minor hamstring injury, head coach Brian Callahan said via Jim Wyatt.

The 28-year-old tweaked something in a rep against JC Latham on Wednesday and was absent from Thursday’s training camp practice. It’s probably a safe bet to count Key out for Sunday’s preseason finale in New Orleans, but the Titans hope to have him back next week.

Of course, the major news surrounding Key this offseason was his pending six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

The linebacker, who recorded 30 tackles and six sacks in his first season with the Titans last year, won his appeal and can suit up in Week 1 of the regular season.

Tennessee is expected to let its starters play around three series against the Saints on Sunday. With Key unlikely to go, look for Jaylen Harrell to continue to make some noise.

The seventh-round pick in this year’s draft has been turning heads in camp and the preseason schedule, and he has clearly worked his way into a rotational role this year.