Tag: Leroy Watson

Titans release tackle Leroy Watson, add to practice squad

The Tennessee Titans made a flurry of roster moves Tuesday, releasing former starter Leroy Watson and signing three players to practice squad.

For a team that was on an off day, the Tennessee Titans were busy. At least their coaching staff and front office were. Hours after reports surfaced that Tennessee was signing kicker Brayden Narveson to the practice squad with kicker Nick Folk battling some type of injury, the team made a flurry of roster moves.


The most surprising move came when the Titans announced they were releasing former starting right tackle Leroy Watson. Watson has been sidelined with a back injury in recent weeks, but returned to practice last week and there was speculation that he could get a helmet in Week 14. 

Watson wasn’t a savior at right tackle when given his opportunity. He was inconsistent at best, but he was at least an option and competition for Nicholas Petit-Frere, who has struggled all season. 

The Titans also added two players to their practice squad: linebacker Curtis Bolton and offensive tackle Kellen Diesch. 

Bolton was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Green Bay Packers after the 2019 NFL draft after a solid career at Oklahoma. In all, he has seen action in 29 games with three different teams, making 16 combined tackles (11 solo).

Diesch was an interesting offensive tackle prospect coming out of Arizona State in the 2022 NFL draft. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Miami Dolphins, but did not make the team out of training camp. Since his release, he has been a practice squad player for the Chicago Bears (2022) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2023). He signed with Cleveland earlier in 2024, but was waived with a failed physical designation. 

Bolton and Diesch will join their new teammates on Wednesday when the Titans return to the practice field.

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Titans’ injury report: Multiple starters sit out practice

The Tennessee Titans released their first injury report for Week 12 and see multiple starters on the sidelines.

The Tennessee Titans dropped a tough one on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings and suffered some damaging injuries in the process. 

Heading into Week 12, it is already known that linebacker Jack Gibbens will be out and likely placed on injured reserve prior to kickoff. Gibbens suffered a devastating lower leg injury that required surgery on Monday. Since has not been placed on IR yet, he was a non-participant. 

Running back Tyjae Spears (concussion) and linebacker Otis Reese IV (ribs) were also injured during that contest. Spears is in concussion protocol and did not practice, while Reese practiced and was not listed on the injury report. 

Starting cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (quad) did not practice and is likely out for Week 12. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley, tackle Leroy Watson IV, defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day, defensive back Justin Hardee, defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, Cornerback Roger McCreary, and linebacker Kenneth Murray did not practice

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), OT Leroy Watson (back), CB Roger McCreary (knee), DT Sebastian Joseph-Day (biceps), WR Calvin Ridley (illness), LB Jack Gibbens (ankle), DB Justin Hardee (groin), LB Kenneth Murray (shoulder), RB Tyjae Spears (concussion)

Limited Participant: N/A

Full participants: N/A

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Titans’ Brian Callahan: ‘Right tackle is by far the weakest link’

Same game, same result for the Tennessee Titans at the right tackle position, they just aren’t good enough.

The Tennessee Titans lost to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11, and once again, one of their biggest flaws was exposed. The Titans need a right tackle!

The right tackle position has plagued the team this entire season, dating back to training camp, and yet, no matter what changes are made, there is still a major issue. This week, they may have cost the Titans the ball game.  Even head coach Brian Callahan acknowledges this. 


He is absolutely correct: neither he nor offensive line coach Bill Callahan has been able to find a player that can step in and just be average. Nicholas Petit-Frere, Leroy Watson, Isaiah Prince, Jaelyn Duncan or John Ojukwu, none have been able to step in and hold down that spot due to performance issues or injury. 

This begs the question of whether the fundamental issue is the coaching, players, or system. While people on the outside can only speculate about the issues, it is clear that inside the organization, the players are to blame, and they will continue to cycle through body after body to find a solution. 

Maybe it is time for the staff to take a deep dive into their techniques or philosophies; it’s clear that something isn’t working. Unfortunately, the Titans sit in uncharted territory, with the son being the head coach and the father in charge of the worst unit on the team. If this were any other franchise, offensive line coach Bill Callahan would be on the hot seat, but instead here the players are solely on the chopping block. 

The Titans will take on the Houston Texans in Week 12, and maybe during their preparations, they can find a way to put an average right tackle on the field. 

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Titans’ injury report: L’Jarius Sneed, Leroy Watson out vs. Vikings

The Tennessee Titans released their final injury report for Week 11 and will be down two starters against the Minnesota Vikings

The Tennessee Titans will take on the Minnesota Vikings at Nissan Stadium in Nashville Sunday in Week 11 action

Coming off another loss, the Titans will be down two starters including tackle Leroy Watson in this one. With Watson out, tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere will get the start at right tackle. 

Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (quad) continues to be out and will miss his fifth game. Sneed has not practiced since injuring his quad and there is no official timetable for his return. 

Starting cornerback Jarvis Brownlee was a late addition to the injury report with an ankle injury. He does not have an injury designation for the week after being limited on Friday.  Cornerback Justin Hardee was also limited and is questionable for Week 11. 

Tennessee Titans

Out: CB L’Jarius Sneed (quad), OT Leroy Watson (back)

Doubtful: None

Questionable: CB Justin Hardee (groin)

Minnesota Vikings

Out: OLB Gabe Murphy (knee)

Doubtful: None

Questionable: None

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.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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

Titans’ Brian Callahan states the obvious: Right tackle is an issue

The Tennessee Titans again struggled with protection on the right side of the offensive line and head coach Brian Callahan took notice.

One week after breaking a three-year streak by not allowing a sack against the Indianapolis Colts, the Tennessee Titans offensive line reverted back to their previous selves, and QB Mason Rudolph faced his share of pressure, 

Some of that blame can easily be attributed to Nicholas Petit-Frere, who again struggled after replacing starter Jaelyn Duncan, who was injured on the opening drive of the game. This has been a common topic with Petit-Frere, who lost his starting job in Week 6 to OT Leroy Watson. 

In the game, Petit-Frere gave up seven pressures and one sack to the Buffalo Bills after being pressed into duty. However, he wasn’t the only lineman that struggled. OT JC Latham went through his worst game since the season opener, giving up two sacks, one hit, and four pressures. 

While Latham and the left side of the offensive line are safe, the right side of the offensive line, specifically the right tackle position, is a work in progress. Head coach Brian Callahan also acknowledged the issue postgame. “We need to sort out the right tackle issue,” Callahan said after the game. 

One week after Watson started against the Colts, he was inactive in Week 7. This left Duncan and Petit-Frere to man the right side. Now with Duncan suffering a hamstring injury and already listed as ‘week-to-week’ things will shift again for Week 8. Callahan basically ruled out Duncan for this week and dispelled the idea of moving RG Dillon Radunz to the position. That leaves Watson, Petit-Frere, and John Ojukwu as in-house options to battle for the right tackle position heading into Week 8. 

Anyone who has watched the Titans through six games knows that the right tackle position has been a problem. Unfortunately, the answer to the problem does not appear on the roster. Tune in Sunday when the Titans face the Detroit Lions to see what changes, if any, are made. 

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Titans vs. Bills: 3 reasons for optimism in Week 7

The Tennessee Titans take on the Buffalo Bills this Sunday afternoon in Week 7 and here are three reasons for optimism.

After a tumultuous week, the Tennessee Titans (1-4) are set to travel to Orchard Park to take on the Buffalo Bills (4-2) at Highmark Stadium in Week 7 action.

There is no secret that the Titans are struggling to get going in 2024. Their offense has been anemic behind turnover-prone Will Levis and the defense tends to fade late in ballgames. Heading into a game against the high-powered Bills offense and a ball-hawking secondary, this could spell disaster.

Yet, for Titans fans, there are some reasons for optimism, and here are three of them.

Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Titans rushing attack

The Titans will likely be without Tyjae Spears this week as he recovers from his hamstring injury. But, that will mean a bigger dose of Tony Pollard. Pollard has been the one constant for the struggling offense leading the team with 339 yards rushing and three touchdowns. He appears fully recovered from past injuries and has shown flashes of being the dynamic back of the past.

The Bills defense is tough against the pass but sits near the bottom of the NFL against the run. The Titans should employ another conservative run-oriented game plan to take advantage of this and protect Will Levis from the Bills secondary.

Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Improved offensive line play

This by no way means that the offensive line is complete or close to the top of their game, but with the insertion of Leroy Watson at right tackle the unit showed improvement coming off the bye against the Indianapolis Colts. Not only did Levis have time to throw, they did not allow a sack for the first time in three seasons. The Bills will be without their top pass rusher Von Miller, who is serving a four-game suspension and the line could again take a step forward.

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Nick Folk

If there is one area where the Titans have a clear advantage in the game it is at kicker. Nick Folk has been perfect on the season, going 8-for-8 on field goals, with a long of 53 yards, and 10-for-10 on extra points. This is in sharp contrast to Bills kicker Tyler Bass, who has only connected on 75 percent of his attempts in 2024. Buffalo is so concerned about their erratic kicking situation that they added kicker Lucas Havrisik to the practice squad this week to compete with Bass. This may be a small advantage for the Titans, but it could be a critical one.

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Titans sign QB Trevor Siemian to their practice squad

The Tennessee Titans have made a few roster moves as they prepare to face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 6 action.

The Tennessee Titans are back at work in preparation for their Sunday afternoon match-up against the Indianapolis Colts and have made some roster moves ahead of the weekend.

After releasing tackle John Ojukwo on Tuesday, they moved quickly to fill his open roster spot by promoting him from within. The Titans signed tackle Leroy Watson IV from their practice squad to the active roster.

Acquired in April in a trade with the Cleveland Browns for a seventh-round selection in the 2024 NFL draft, the former college tight end saw action in seven games for the Browns during the 2023 season.

The 6-4, 311-pound tackle entered the league as an undrafted free agent from Texas San Antonio (UTSA) and has spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Browns, and now the Titans.

With quarterback Will Levis battling a shoulder injury, the Titans also announced the signing of quarterback Trevor Siemian to the practice squad.

The veteran signal-caller has some history with head coach Brian Callahan and has seen action in 40 career games. In 33 starts, Siemian has a 15-18 record, throwing for 7,751 yards, 44 touchdowns and 32 interceptions.

The Titans will be the seventh team to reach the journeyman, who has also spent time with the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, and Cincinnati Bengals.

Head coach Brian Callahan also said the team will be adding Ojukwo back to the practice squad.

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