Tag: Janoris Jenkins

Predicting the fate of Titans’ roster cut candidates

A look at seven cut candidates for the Titans and what we predict will happen with each.

Every offseason the Tennessee Titans have tough decisions to make in regards to players under contract for the following season — and that’s especially true with the team hitting the offseason over the salary cap.

According to Over the Cap, the Titans are in the red by $7.8 million, which means Tennessee will have to make cuts and work out restructures with players in order to free up more money.

When looking at the players under contract for 2022, there are a handful who jump out at us as potential cut candidates based on their salary and how they performed in 2021.

One name you won’t see on our list that has been talked about a lot this offseason is quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

Cutting him simply isn’t feasible, as the veteran carries a dead cap hit of $57.4 million if cut before June 1, and $38.6 million if cut after June 1.

The only way Tennessee could logically unload that contract is via trade after June 1, in which case Tannehill would carry dead cap hits of $9.6 million the next two years, and $4.6 million in each of the two years following.

With that out of the way, here’s a look at the seven players who have been considered cut candidates at one point or another, and what we think will happen with each.

Jimmy Garoppolo’s middle of the field woes continue on interception vs. Titans

Jimmy Garoppolo’s fatal flaw as a quarterback showed up once again in an early interception against the Titans.

Some quarterbacks just aren’t comfortable with throwing passes over the middle of the field. They diagnose things late, they pull the trigger late, and things tend to go wrong. Coverages in which the middle of the field is closed have always been a problem for 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, and even as Garoppolo has been on quite the hot streak in the second half of the 2021 season, his middle of the field issues continue.

Overall, from Weeks 10-15, only Aaron Rodgers (117.1) has a higher passer rating than Garoppolo’s 110.2, which Garoppolo amassed by completing 113 of 161 passes (70.2%) for 1,418 yards (8.8 yards per attempt), 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions. It’s been the best prolonged stretch of Garoppolo’s career, but that one bugaboo — reading and reacting to coverage over the middle of the field — has continued to haunt him. When the middle of the field is closed — “MOFC” in football parlance — Garoppolo tends to shut down, as well.

Per Sports Info Solutions, from Weeks 10-15, on passes charted to the middle of the field, Garoppolo has completed 17 of 24 for 273 yards, one touchdown, all three of those interceptions, and a passer rating of 81.8.

Then, with 1:36 left in the first quarter of the 49ers’ Thursday night game against the Titans to open Week 16, Garoppolo tried to hit tight end George Kittle in the end zone, only to miss the presence of cornerback Janoris “Jackrabbit” Jenkins. The result was Garoppolo’s fourth interception of the second half of the season on passes thrown over the middle, and his league-leading eighth overall in the 2021 season — Trevor Lawrence and Lamar Jackson are tied for second in the full season with five picks thrown over the middle.

The 49ers came into this contest with five wins in their last six games and a legitimate shot at a high playoff seed, but if Garoppolo isn’t able to get past a MOFC problem he’s had his entire career, how far can they go?

Report: Titans’ Jackrabbit Jenkins likely to miss time with injury

The injury hits just keep on coming for the Titans.

Tennessee Titans cornerback Jackrabbit Jenkins is just the latest player on the team who is dealing with an injury that could sideline him for at least a game.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Giardi, Jenkins is dealing with a foot/ankle sprain suffered in Week 12 that “likely causes him to miss some time,” although it isn’t clear exactly how much.

Rapoport notes that with the bye week this week, he may not need to be placed on Injured Reserve, which would force him to miss at least three games.

Jackrabbit had been on the injury report with a chest issue the past few weeks. He went down with the ankle/foot issue in the fourth quarter on Sunday.

After getting off to a rough start, Jenkins has been much better as the season has progressed. Tennessee is already very short-handed at the position with fellow corners Caleb Farley and Chris Jackson both on IR. Backup corner Greg Mabin has also missed the last four games.

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Titans’ Shane Bowen talks issues behind defense giving up big plays

Titans DC Shane Bowen isn’t laying all of the blame at the feet of the secondary.

The Achilles heel of the Tennessee Titans’ defense so far in 2021 has been the unit allowing big plays, something we saw once again during the Week 4 loss to the New York Jets.

The Titans gave up a handful of 20-plus-yard plays to Gang Green last Sunday, including two of 50 yards or more. It was the second time this season that an opponent has notched at least two 50-yard plays.

Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen isn’t laying the blame on just one part of the defense for this issue, though, according to Ben Arthur of The Tennessean.

“All 11 guys have to evaluate themselves: ‘How could I have made a difference on this play?’” Bowen said. “Whether it’s keeping the guy in the pocket, which happened a couple times the other day. Whether it’s staying deep when I’m a half(field) player. There’s a lot of different things that come into play in regard to that, and it’s not just one guy, right? It’s a unit thing. Everybody kind of factors in when those big plays are happening.”

Bowen isn’t wrong.

Yes, the secondary has no doubt struggled the most, but the pass-rush hasn’t helped all that much. The Titans simply haven’t been able to consistently finish when they get pressure, especially on more mobile quarterbacks.

And that failure to finish has allowed opposing signal-callers to extend plays and find their receivers down the field.

The Week 5 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars could present a similar problem, as rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence has the kind of mobility Tennessee has struggled to contain.

As far as the secondary is concerned, Bowen says the onus is on the players to decide when to play tight and when not to, which is an issue that has plagued this defense since 2020.

“They have to understand the situation of what’s going on with those kinds of stuff too,” Bowen said. “That’s a big part of it. Playing off when it’s third-and-five probably ain’t gonna do it.

“Ultimately, we have to have a plan for how we’re going to handle it. You can’t just line up against the man and play that man when they’re tight and bunched together or stacked together. You have to be able to play off each other, communicate defensively what we want to get done. That way, we can be a little bit tighter and just understand the situation of what’s going on.

“There’s a couple situations we do where we need to be tighter.”

These are issues the Titans must get fixed if they want to compete and make a deep run in the postseason. The next attempt to fix said issues will come on Sunday, but we’ll have to see it to believe it.

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Titans should make push to sign CB Stephon Gilmore

The Titans should be exploring any and every option to improve their struggling secondary.

One of the biggest areas of concern for the Tennessee Titans remains at the cornerback position, but it just so happens there’s a top veteran cornerback who recently became available.

According to multiple reports, the New England Patriots have decided to part ways with cornerback Stephon Gilmore after the two sides failed to come to an agreement on a contract restructure.

Gilmore, who is currently on the PUP list and is out through Week 6, has since confirmed his departure from New England with a post on social media.

A former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Gilmore was among the best cornerbacks in the NFL from 2017 through 2019, leading to a pair of First-Team All-Pro selections in 2018 and 2019.

Gilmore’s numbers took a dip in 2020, a season that was cut short by five games due to injury.

He still managed to garner a Pro Bowl nod last season, and his coverage numbers certainly weren’t terrible, as he allowed a completion rate of 57.1 percent and a QB rating of 75.7 when targeted.

Tennessee has a big issue at one cornerback spot right now, as veteran Janoris Jenkins has struggled to begin his Titans tenure. Jackrabbit is allowing a completion rate of 66.7 percent, a QBR of 102.2, and 12.1 yard per completion, all numbers that are worse than Gilmore’s 2020 marks.

As far as the fit is concerned, Gilmore works. While he excels in multiple types of coverages, the 31-year-old has been especially good in man coverage during his career.

Of course, one thing to consider will be the money, as the Titans have just $6.8 million in cap space, per Over the Cap. However, as we’ve seen on several occasions around the league this season, magic can be worked.

The Titans have already shown they are willing to go all-in to win this year, so it certainly isn’t out of the question for them to make a run at Gilmore, but the amount competition for his services will make it extremely difficult.

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Titans CB Janoris Jenkins’ coverage numbers are nightmare fuel

Janoris Jenkins is not off to a good start with the Titans in 2021.

In a stop-gap effort to replace cornerbacks they released in March of this year, the Tennessee Titans signed Janoris “Jackrabbit” Jenkins to a two-year, $15 million contract. Through the first four weeks, the 32-year-old has not looked anything like the player who earned Pro Bowl honors in 2016.

Jenkins, a former second-round pick of the then-St. Louis Rams in 2012, has struggled, allowing a 66.7 percent completion rate on 30 balls thrown his way, and a 102.2 QB rating, both on pace for career-worsts.

In Sunday’s overtime loss to the New York Jets, Jenkins was allowing nearly 15 yards of cushion on a third-and-3 in the extra period. Thanks to Denico Autry, Tennessee held the Jets to a field goal.

On Monday, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said he would speak with Jenkins — and Kristian Fulton — about playing tighter coverage in these situations, but that’s something a nine-year veteran should know by now.

On Sunday, he was responsible for allowing Jets receiver Keelan Cole to haul in a 54-yard gain in the third quarter, and a 29-yard reception in overtime.

“Us as a defense, or us as team, we’re just not understanding how to play complementary football right now,” safety Kevin Byard said on Sunday. “When the offense makes a big play, we have to go out there and make a stop. When you don’t do that, things aren’t going to go well.”

The Titans have had their issues giving up big plays, and while not all of the blame falls squarely on Jenkins’ shoulders, he’s been a liability in the secondary thus far.

Here’s a complete look at his advanced statistics, per Pro Football Reference.

  • 66.7 completion  percentage allowed
  • 99.5 QBR
  • 12.1 yards per completion
  • 190 air yards on completion

All values are the worst among Titans defensive backs who have been targeted at least five times.

The Titans are not in a position for rookie Caleb Farley to take over for Jenkins, as the team’s first-round pick in this year’s draft is still getting up to speed after sitting out all of 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Should he continue at this pace, the Titans can cut ties with Jenkins in the offseason, but they would carry a $3.2 million dead cap hit next season, according to Spotrac.

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Watch: Titans CB Kristian Fulton praises Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf

Watch Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton praise Metcalf’s game going into Week 2.

Cornerbacks are in for a tough time on Sunday when the Seahawks host the Titans in their first home game of the season. On one side, Seattle’s corners will have their hands full trying to cover Julio Jones and A.J. Brown. On the other, Tennessee has to contend with Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. There’s plenty of mutual respect to go around.

Watch Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton praise Metcalf’s game going into Week 2. Fulton says Metcalf has improved as a route runner since he came into the league and remains physical at the top of the route as in college.

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Titans view joint practices with Bucs as measuring stick for progress

The Titans and Bucs will begin joint practice on Wednesday at 9:55 p.m. CT.

The Tennessee Titans will hold a pair of joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Wednesday and Thursday, and the team views it as a good measuring stick for their progress at this point in training camp.

The Titans won’t be seeing the Buccaneers’ starters during their Preseason matchup on Saturday night, but they should see ample time against those same players during the two practices — and that’s something left tackle Taylor Lewan is looking forward to, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online.

“Those guys, they’re Super Bowl champions for a reason,” Lewan said. “They’re an extremely talented team everywhere, at every position. It’s going to be a good time to go down there and gauge where we’re all at and what we need to work out and rely on the things the coaches taught us and what we rely on.”

Head coach Mike Vrabel also praised the talent the defending Super Bowl champions have and noted how great it will be to work with their colorful head coach, Bruce Arians.

“I have a lot of respect for that football team,” Vrabel said. “I mean, they are defending Super Bowl champs. Obviously very talented and well-coached. … Bruce is great to work with. We are excited to go down there and get a lot of work in, competitive work, but obviously taking care of each other also.”

The Titans should also get a look at quarterback Tom Brady. The 44-year-old, who was a member of the New England Patriots when they held joint practices with the Titans in 2019, is expected to participate.

Cornerback Janoris Jenkins expressed how great it’ll be to have that challenge from arguably the greatest quarterback in NFL history.

“He’s a ‘GOAT’ in the league, he knows everything, he’s seen it all,” Jenkins said. “We just have to be on our Ps and Qs. We have to go out there and play fast, play hard.

“(It’s all about) just getting better, technique, fundamentals. It will help me a lot (facing their receivers) – you have a tall guy, shifty guys. Such different techniques I have to use to get better every day… We are just going to keep working, preseason, regular season. We have to play fast and play hard.”

The Titans have only had the benefit of facing each other in practice up until now. Tight end Anthony Firkser is looking forward to the change of pace.

“I excited to work with them,” Titans tight end Anthony Firkser said.” I know they are fast and physical guys, and it’s going to be a good matchup. Our tight ends and backs are going to have to do a lot to work on technique to be able to get open.

“It’s just exciting to compete against other guys. We’ve been going against our team for almost (three) weeks now, so it will be good to compete and be able to show everything we’ve worked for in training camp and assess than on another opponent.”

The Titans’ first of two joint practices with the Buccaneers will begin at 9:55 a.m. CT on Wednesday.

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Titans’ Caleb Farley talks Week 1 status, getting help from Jackrabbit

Caleb Farley spoke for the first time since making his Titans practice debut on Monday.

Tennessee Titans 2021 first-round pick and cornerback Caleb Farley made his practice debut on Monday, and on Friday he addressed the media for the first time after practice.

The Titans have been slowly ramping Farley up after he missed all of OTAs and mandatory minicamp while recovering from back surgery. The rookie participated in seven-on-seven and red-zone work at Friday’s practice for the first time, which are more signs of progress.

The biggest question at the moment comes in regard to Farley’s chances of playing in Week 1. As far as that is concerned, the Virginia Tech product says he thinks he’s moving in the right direction to be ready for the home opener against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 12.

Someone who has been helping Farley in his development is veteran corner Janoris Jenkins, who recently said that Farley “stay picking my brain.”

Farley went into detail about Jenkins lending a hand, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport.

“That’s huge. It’s incredibly huge,” Farley said. “Having someone that is even willing to open up to me like that and share some of the things he’s learned over his 10-year career… All of that put together, along with our receiving corps., and just this team and coaches, I truly feel the love and the bond here, and I think all of that is huge and will help me progress.”

Farley is trying to earn the starting spot opposite Jenkins, but he’ll have competition from 2020 second-round pick, Kristian Fulton. This is one training camp battle that is incredibly important.

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Titans’ Shane Bowen praises Amani Hooker, Jackrabbit Jenkins, Breon Borders

Bowen says Jackrabbit’s competitiveness is “contagious.”

The Tennessee Titans will have plenty of new starters on their defense in 2021, especially in the secondary where general manager Jon Robinson’s massive overhaul spared almost no one.

Two of those new starters are safety Amani Hooker and corner Jackrabbit Jenkins. Hooker will play alongside the only remaining member of Tennessee’s initial 2020 starting secondary, Kevin Byard.

When the Titans signed Jackrabbit, we heard all about his veteran leadership and competitiveness, and those are two things defensive coordinator Shane Bowen has seen from Jenkins early on in training camp.

According to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online, Bowen says Jenkins’ desire to compete is “contagious” and he has already shown his leadership.

“Whenever you have a veteran like that who has done it a long time and has success, and you see the way he practices and competes and goes about it, I think it rubs off on everybody regardless of the position group,” Bowen said. “The wide receivers see it, that is contagious. The thing with him, he is constantly talking, constantly coaching guys up, constantly trying to turn the tide because every game there is going to be something. It is not always going to be perfect, we understand that, he understands that from playing so long and I think his leadership and being able to turn the tide and get our guys to respond can kind of change the mojo when it is not going our way.”

Jenkins has been busy showing that leadership in different ways, including his helping to bring along 2021 first-round pick, cornerback Caleb Farley.

Bowen heaped some praise on Hooker, who has caught his eye. He called the 2019 fourth-round pick “savvy” and “a smart football player.”

“Hooker showed up in a few different coverages making some plays. He has been savvy back there. He has always been a smart football player. I think he is starting to learn the ins and outs of playing the game a little bit, more so than just his job so to speak,” Bowen said.

The defensive coordinator is also impressed with cornerback Breon Borders, who has been among the biggest standouts in camp so far and will provide an insurance policy as a high-end depth piece.

“Breon has been good up to this point, again, just consistency day in and day out, play in and play out for him,” Bowen explained. “He showed a lot of improvement coming into camp versus where he was at in the spring even. I think he busted his butt in those five or six weeks away and he has come back ready to go.”

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