Tag: monty rice

Titans snap count takeaways from Week 5 victory vs. Commanders

Mario Edwards has grabbed a significant role immediately upon joining the Titans.

Another week, another game in which the Tennessee Titans had many key players to replace due to injury.

On top of the lengthy injured reserve list the Titans have, the team ruled out seven players for the Week 5 game against the Washington Commanders, with four starters among them.

To get an idea of just how insane things are in Nashville when it comes to injuries, the Titans have already fielded 64 different players this season, 27 players shy of the NFL record the team set in 2021. As we pointed out last week, Tennessee is on pace to at least approach that mark in 2022.

In that mess of 64, the Titans have also started 20 different players on defense through five games, a list they added to on Sunday with safety Amani Hooker sidelined for a second straight game.

On the other side of the spectrum, the Titans did see linebacker Monty Rice return from the active/physically unable to perform list and make his 2022 debut, officially making him one of the 64.

So, how did the Titans replace their injured players and how many snaps did Rice see in his return? Find out now as we take a look at the Week 5 snap counts, as well as the biggest takeaways from them.

Titans place Treylon Burks on IR, activate Monty Rice among 4 moves

Josh Gordon is not being elevated for the Titans’ Week 5 game after all.

The Tennessee Titans announced four transactions on Saturday ahead of their Week 5 game against the Washington Commanders.

The team announced it has placed wide receiver Treylon Burks on injured reserve, which means he will miss at least the next four games. Burks came down with a turf toe injury in Week 4.

On the bright side, linebacker Monty Rice has been activated from the PUP list after being designated to return earlier this week. He’s eligible to play in Week 5 against Washington.

Rice’s return is significant with Tennessee not having starting linebacker Zach Cunningham in the lineup due to an elbow injury. This will be the first game Rice plays since suffering an Achilles injury in Week 12 of last season.

The Titans are also adding a bit of temporary depth to their active roster at both wide receiver and linebacker, as the team will elevate wideout Dez Fitzpatrick and linebacker Joe Schobert for Week 5.

Fitzpatrick has yet to play in a game this season after failing to make the initial 53-man roster and being kept on the practice squad. Schobert made his Titans debut last week and forced a fumble in the win.

The biggest surprise here is no elevation for wide receiver Josh Gordon, who we assumed would be the guy Tennessee turns to with its lack of depth at the position on the active roster. Instead, it will be Fitzpatrick who gets the nod on Sunday.

Titans designate LB Monty Rice to return from PUP

Titans LB Monty Rice was designated to return from the PUP list on Wednesday.

The Tennessee Titans have begun the process of bringing back linebacker Monty Rice off the reserve/physically unable to perform list.

On Wednesday, the team announced it has designated the 2021 third-round pick to return from the PUP list, opening his 21-day window to be activated.

Rice was placed on the list prior to the start of the 2022 campaign as he continues to work his way back from an Achilles injury. If the Titans don’t activate him in the next 21 days, he’ll be forced to miss the rest of the season.

Rice appeared in 10 games (four starts) for the Titans in 2021 before sustaining the injury.

Whether or not Rice actually plays this week remains to be seen but the Titans could use his help with starting linebacker Zach Cunningham dealing with an elbow injury that has his status up in the air.

Last week, the Titans used a combination of Dylan Cole and Joe Schobert alongside David Long to fill the void and it actually proved successful after Tennessee’s run defense surrendered just 42 rushing yards to Indianapolis Colts running back, Jonathan Taylor.

Three players are eligible to be designated to return from injured reserve this week in linebacker Chance Campbell, cornerback Elijah Molden and wide receiver Racey McMath, but head coach Mike Vrabel has already said he doesn’t expect McMath or Molden back this week.

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Titans give injury updates on Elijah Molden, Racey McMath, Monty Rice

Titans HC Mike Vrabel provided updates on Monty Rice, Elijah Molden and Racey McMath on Monday.

The Tennessee Titans could be getting some reinforcements this week, as some players on injured reserve and the PUP list are eligible to return.

The four most notable players who fit that bill are cornerback Elijah Molden, linebackers Monty Rice and Chance Campbell, and wide receiver Racey McMath.

When asked about the status of these players on Monday, head coach Mike Vrabel said he doesn’t expect Molden or McMath back this week, but it’s possible we could see Rice.

As far as Campbell is concerned, we didn’t get an update on him.

Rice’s return is significant because Tennessee’s starting linebacker, Zach Cunningham, is dealing with an elbow injury that sidelined him in Week 4.

Granted, Dylan Cole and Joe Schobert played well in Cunningham’s absence, but extra help at the position couldn’t hurt, and we still really don’t know what the Titans have in Rice, giving him potential upside.

The Titans could really use Molden and McMath back, too. Molden will help solidify the slot cornerback position upon his return, and the Titans need bodies at wide receiver with Treylon Burks set to miss time with turf toe.

We should get our next update on Rice when the Titans hit the practice field on Wednesday. It appears we’ll have to wait a bit longer for Molden and McMath, though.

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Titans place LB Monty Rice on Reserve/PUP list

Titans LB Monty Rice will miss at least the first four games of the 2022 season.

The Tennessee Titans pulled off a trade on Wednesday, landing safety Ugo Amadi in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.

In order to fit Amadi on the roster, Tennessee placed linebacker Monty Rice on the Reserve/Physically Unable list, which means he’ll miss at least the first four games of the 2022 campaign.

A 2021 third-round pick, the Georgia product appeared in 10 games (four starts) for the Titans during his rookie season, which was cut short due to an Achilles injury.

Rice was placed on the active/PUP list at the start of training camp and has yet to practice this offseason as he continues to recover.

The move means there’s now an extra spot to be had on the roster, and the No. 3 linebacker role Rice was expected to fill is now up for grabs.

Aside from the roster locks in David Long and Zach Cunningham, the Titans also have rookies Chance Campbell and Jack Gibbens, and veterans Dylan Cole and Joe Jones all vying for a roster spot at the position.

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Titans place Monty Rice on PUP, sign Joshua Kalu among 5 moves

The Titans made five roster moves on Saturday.

The Tennessee Titans have reunited with a familiar face and also placed three players on the Physically Unable to Perform list with training camp just days away on July 27.

Per the team, the Titans have agreed to terms with defensive back Joshua Kalu, who spent three seasons with Tennessee from 2018-2020. Kalu will compete for one of the backup roster spots in the secondary.

In order to make room for Kalu, the Titans cut defensive back Rodney Clemons, which was reported earlier in the day.

On the injury front, the Titans placed three players on the PUP list, including linebacker Monty Rice, tight end Tommy Hudson, and kicker Caleb Shudak. All three players can be activated off the list at any time before the start of the season.

Rice’s rookie campaign was cut short due to what was originally called an ankle injury, but we found out this offseason that it was in fact an Achilles injury. It remains to be seen when he’ll be cleared.

Hudson (leg) and Shudak (leg) both suffered unspecified leg injuries during mandatory minicamp.

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Titans training camp preview: The backup battle at ILB

The Titans will have one or two spots up for grabs at ILB going into training camp.

In our latest installment of training camp previews, we take a closer look at the Tennessee Titans’ inside linebacker position, which doesn’t have many question marks.

The Titans saw a changing of the guard at the position in 2021, as former starters Jayon Brown and Rashaan Evans were unseated by Zach Cunningham and David Long, both of whom played well.

Cunningham was an absolute steal after being claimed off waivers and he quickly secured a starting role. The writing was on the wall as far back as 2020 that Long would become a starter at some point, and that’s just what happened in 2021.

Even before the 2021 season started, the Titans began looking to the future up the middle by drafting Monty Rice, who appeared in 10 games before suffering a season-ending injury.

Looking ahead to 2022, the Titans are mostly set at the position but do need to figure out who takes at least one reserve spot. Let’s take a closer look.

Titans’ LB duo lands smack-dab in the middle of PFF’s rankings

The Titans’ LB duo ranked smack-dab in the middle of PFF’s rankings.

The Tennessee Titans are set to sport a talented and exciting inside linebacker duo in 2022 with David Long and Zach Cunningham, but where do they rank as compared to others in the NFL?

According to Pro Football Focus’ Seth Galina, the pair ranks 16th. Here’s what he had to say about both:

Zach Cunningham, if nothing else, stops the run. He’s aggressive, has a quick trigger and finds the ball carrier. He’s not great in other facets, but stopping the run is still an important aspect of the position. David Long, meanwhile, was playing at a solid level before an injury forced him to miss most of the second half of the 2021 season. 

A 2019 sixth-round pick of the Titans, Long is entering his second season as a full-time starter after securing the role in 2021. The West Virginia product is also entering the final year of his rookie deal.

While he’s been more known for his ability to play against the run, Long did make strides in coverage last season. His completion rate (70.7 percent) and QB rating allowed (61.0) were both career-bests.

Cunningham fell into the Titans’ lap via waivers after the Houston Texans cut him last season. He immediately secured the starting role alongside Long, further making both Rashaan Evans and Jayon Brown expendable.

Cunningham needs to improve in coverage in 2022, but he did lead the Titans in tackles area during his five games (including playoffs) with the team in 2021, and he remained an impact run defender, also.

Beyond Cunningham and Long, it’ll be interesting to see the strides 2021 third-round pick Monty Rice makes in his second season.

Rice, who saw his rookie campaign end early because of injury, is set to play a backup role in his second season, and could be auditioning for a starting role in 2023.

This ranking from PFF is fair considering this duo hasn’t had much time together, but there’s plenty of reasons for optimism that Long and Cunningham could jump up this list by the time 2022 ends.

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What to expect from Titans’ 2021 draft class in 2022

Here’s what we want to see out of each member of the Titans’ 2021 draft class in 2022.

For the second straight year the Tennessee Titans didn’t get much out of a draft class. Just like the 2020 group, the 2021 class saw some players deal with injuries, while others showed they needed more time to develop.

The exception to the rest was cornerback Elijah Molden, who worked his way into the role of the team’s primary slot cornerback — and from Week 3 on, he performed as arguably the best rookie at his position in the NFL.

Edge rusher Rashad Weaver, cornerback Caleb Farley and linebacker Monty Rice each saw their seasons end early, although Rice did show enough to give us hope.

Offensive lineman Dillon Radunz and wide receivers Dez Fitzpatrick and Racey McMath simply weren’t ready for prime time, and Tennessee’s last pick of the 2021 NFL draft, safety Brady Breeze, isn’t even with the team anymore.

While things are no doubt off to a rocky start for this group as a whole, there is hope things can turn around in 2022. Here’s a look at what we expect from each member of the Titans’ 2021 draft class in their second season.

Titans’ Shane Bowen all but confirms Monty Rice is out for the season

Rice suffered an ankle injury in the Week 12 game against the Patriots.

Tennessee Titans 2021 third-round pick and linebacker Monty Rice suffered an ankle injury in the Week 12 loss to the New England Patriots and has since been placed on Injured Reserve.

On Thursday, Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen all but confirmed that Rice would be out the remainder of the season, saying the team hopes to get him healthy and “get him back next year,” per beat writer Paul Kuharsky.

Rice started out the year as a backup, playing primarily on special teams, but he was called into starting duty with the team dealing with injuries at the position.

The Georgia product appeared in 10 games (four starts) and tallied 36 tackles, one QB hit and one pass defensed.

Rice could be in line for a starting role in 2022, as fellow linebackers Rashaan Evans and Jayon Brown will both be free agents, leaving David Long as the only current starter under contract for next year.

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