Smith spent some time on the Titans’ practice squad in 2020.
The Tennessee Titans have made yet another futures contract signing. The team announced on Monday that it has inked defensive back Maurice Smith to a futures deal.
Smith was signed to the Titans’ practice squad in 2020 while the team was in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak. He spent a little under one month there but didn’t play in any games before getting released in October.
The 25-year-old DB has played in 15 games (one start) during his career, 13 of which came with the Miami Dolphins and the other two with the Washington Football Team.
With Smith signed, the Titans have now brought in 19 players on futures contracts. Here’s a look at the full list:
The Titans have filled the three open spots they had on the practice squad.
With three holes to fill on their practice squad, the Tennessee Titans have added a pair of defensive backs and a wide receiver to it, the team announced on Thursday.
Adding to those two, the Titans have also brought back wide receiver Cody Hollister, who made the team’s 53-man roster out of training camp but was waived on September 15.
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It appears the Titans have made a clean switch at the position, as Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was promoted shortly after Hollister was waived.
The 5-foot-10, 195-pound Nelson went undrafted out of Southern Mississippi in 2019 and has never played in an NFL game. The 6-foot, 194-pound Smith has played in 15 games (one start) during his three-year career and has experience on special teams.
The Titans will hit the field on Sunday to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in what will be Tennessee’s home-opener.
All this after the Bengals worked hard to revamp the secondary this offseason by letting go of names like Darqueze Dennard and Dre Kirkpatrick. Williams was already getting phased out by free-agent arrival Vonn Bell.
Smith arrives as a promising younger player sure to soak up some snaps all over the place and given the circumstances, he has a chance to prove himself and maybe sneak onto the roster in some fashion.
Georgia football: It’s LeCounte Time in Athens. Richard LeCounte III is the key candidate for Kirby’s top Dawg at UGA.
Richard LeCounte III, his name always reminded me of the dark antagonists of the vampire books I read as a teenage. I envisioned “The Count” swooping in to make a plethora of interceptions and fumble recoveries at UGA, back when he was in high school, but committed to Georgia. Upon arrival in Athens, head coach Kirby Smart played LeCounte early but rode him hard, publicly. Smart said he could play better, was maturing through growing pains, called for LeCounte to become a better leader for the defense, even as a true sophomore. Coming off a career-high two interceptions in the Sugar Bowl to conclude his junior year, before announcing his intention to return for his senior season, LeCounte is the key candidate to be Kirby’s top Dawg.
Jan 1, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Richard LeCounte (2) is tackled by Baylor Bears wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (81) after an interception in the first quarter at the Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
The (5-11, 190) average, at best, size for a safety that LeCounte possesses belies his actual physicality as a tackler. He is less a Greg Blue-type knockout specialist and more just a sure tackler; positioning football is a key strength of his game. I found him, as a college player, to be more sound in disciplined technique and less explosive ballhawk.
But, his time is not up. I would still love to see the ball end up in his hands more, like I did in the SEC championship game two years ago versus Alabama. His goal line takeaway turned the tide early, Georgia keeping that positive momentum for most of the rest of the football game.
Back in December 2016, LeCounte earned All-USA First Team, putting up huge takeaway numbers on defense and starring on offense. His basketball team also won state, while he was the Georgia player of the year for their classification level, at Liberty County in Riceboro, Ga. He’s an athlete.
While LeCounte has played since his freshman year, he was still somewhat in the shadow of J.R. Reed in the safety platoon at UGA in 2019. Reed, a true field general under Smart and seemingly another coach on the field, more than any of the 2020 returning defenders, netted the top defense in the country, with his execution and leadership. Reed is off to the pros.
Oct 7, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back J.R. Reed (20) makes a tackle during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
At the start of every home football game at Sanford Stadium, a lone horn blows from the stands. Like that lone horn is meant to be emblematic of the birthplace of American public higher education, the University of Georgia (1785) and her old football program, a singular leader must arise in full.
Georgia has had a clear processional of excellent leaders on defense throughout the Smart era, fully demonstrating the defensive genius of Smart.
In 2016, Smart brought in Maurice Smith with him from Alabama, as a grad transfer safety. Smart clearly coveting a player he knew from personal experience that he could trust, particularly with in-game communication. Alabama coach Nick Saban actually attempted to block Smith’s immediate eligibility, since they anticipated potentially facing UGA soon. At the time, the SEC still asked graduating players to sit out a year if they went to a rival league school. That did not happen. Now that graduate transfers are quite commonplace, the process has been streamlined for the players and schools.
In UGA’s national runner-up year of 2017, Roquan Smith was in my opinion the single best defender in the country, winning the school’s first ever Butkus Award, from his middle linebacker position as top national linebacker.
Jan 1, 2018; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) attempts to avoid a tackle by Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Roquan Smith (3) during the third quarter of the 2018 Rose Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
In 2018, cornerback Deandre Baker led the defense, as he captured the school’s first ever Thorpe Award, as the best defensive back in the nation.
Jan 8, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Deandre Baker (18) makes an interception against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the third quarter in the 2018 CFP national championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
With safety J.R. Reed handing the baton after an excellent senior campaign, it’s Richard LeCounte III’s time to shine in Athens.
