Tag: Thomas Odukoya

Titans elevate Arlington Hambright, Thomas Odukoya for Week 16

The Tennessee Titans looked to their practice squad for some reinforcements and elevated Arlington Hambright and Thomas Odukoya for Week 16.

The Tennessee Titans are banged up and decided to dip into the practice squad for some reinforcements for their Week 16 battle with the Indianapolis Colts. 

The Titans used a standard elevation to make offensive lineman Arlington Hambright and tight end Thomas Odukoya available for Sunday. This is the third and final elevation for both Hambright and Odukoya this season. 

According to NFL rules, players can only be elevated from practice for three games in a season. The Titans will have to sign them to the 53-man roster for them to be eligible for the remainder of the 2024 season.

Odukoya has been split between the active roster and the practice squad for the entirety of the 2024 season and made his NFL debut against the Buffalo Bills. Hambright was signed to the practice squad in October to add experienced interior depth to the offensive line. The former seventh-round pick of the Chicago Bears has spent time with five NFL teams during his career. 

It will be interesting to monitor these players and their status moving forward. The Titans may need to free up a roster spot to activate offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan next week from injured reserve.  

The Titans need a win and will take on the Colts on Sunday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 16 action. 

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Titans elevate Arlington Hambright, Thomas Odukoya for Week 15

The Tennessee Titans looked to their practice squad for some reinforcements and elevated Arlington Hambright and Thomas Odukoya for Week 15.

The Tennessee Titans are getting healthier by the day, but that didn’t stop them from dipping into the practice squad for some reinforcements for their Week 15 battle with the Cincinnati Bengals. 

The Titans used a standard elevation to make offensive lineman Arlington Hambright and tight end Thomas Odukoya available for Sunday. This is the second elevation for both Hambright and Odukoya this season. Both players were elevated for Week 14. 

Odukoya has had an interesting 2024 campaign. He opened the season on the 53-man roster, becoming the first Dutch-born NFL player in 24 years to do so. He followed that by making his NFL debut playing on special teams in Week 7 against the Buffalo Bills. The Titans would eventually waive Odukoya on November 2 before signing him to the practice squad after he cleared waivers. 

Hambright was signed to the practice squad in October to add experienced interior depth to the offensive line. The former seventh-round pick of the Chicago Bears has spent time with five NFL teams during his career. 

The Titans need a win and will take on the Bengals on Sunday afternoon at Nissan Stadium in Week 15 action. 

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Titans elevate Arlington Hambright, Thomas Odukoya for Week 14

The Tennessee Titans dipped into the practice squad and activated Arlington Hambright and Thomas Odukoya for Week 14.

Earlier on Saturday, the Tennessee Titans made a flurry of roster moves to add reinforcements before their AFC South battle with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and they weren’t done there. After activating Chidobe Awuzie and signing Mason Kinsey and Kendell Brooks to the 53-man roster, the team decided to dip into the practice squad for more help. 

The Titans used a standard elevation to make offensive lineman Arlington Hambright and tight end Thomas Odukoya available for Sunday. This is the first elevation for both Hambright and Odukoya this season. 

Odukoya has had an interesting 2024 campaign. He opened the season on the 53-man roster, becoming the first Dutch-born NFL player in 24 years to do so. He followed that by making his NFL debut playing on special teams in Week 7 against the Buffalo Bills. The Titans would eventually waive Odukoya on November 2 before signing him to the practice squad after he cleared waivers. 

Hambright was signed to the practice squad in October to add experienced interior depth to the offensive line. The former seventh-round pick of the Chicago Bears has spent time with five NFL teams during his career. 

The Titans will take on the Jaguars on Sunday afternoon at Nissan Stadium in Week 14 action. 

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Titans add four to the practice squad

The Tennessee Titans were quiet at the trade deadline, but that didn’t stop them from adding some bodies to the practice squad.

To the surprise of many observers, the Tennessee Titans didn’t make any more moves at the trade deadline. It’s an interesting development after they appeared to be starting a fire sale just two weeks ago. 

While no trades were made, the team was active, making a few minor transactions on the day. The Titans added tight end Thomas Odukoya, defensive back Gervarrius Owens, defensive back Daryl Worley and guard Cole Spencer to the practice squad. 

It’s no secret that the Titans are banged up, especially in the secondary and offensive line. Starting cornerback L’Jarius Sneed has missed the past three games and they lost starting safety Quandre Diggs for the season against the New England Patriots. Along the offensive line, the team has lost backup Andrew Rupcich and starter Lloyd Cushenberry in consecutive weeks to injured reserve and saw starting guard Dillon Radunz miss the last game due to injury. 

While Odukoya and Spencer are familiar faces, the additions of Owens and Worley are new. Owens was originally a seventh-round draft pick by the New York Giants in the 2023 NFL draft. In his career, he has seen action in three games, recording one tackle and one fumble recovery. He was released from the Giants’ practice squad in October. 

Worley is well-traveled and at age 29 will add some experience to the secondary. A third-round selection in 2016 by the Carolina Panthers, the Titans will be the 10th team he has played for during his NFL career. 

The Titans will likely have multiple roster moves in the coming days when they place Cushenberry and Diggs on injured reserve. The team will return to practice on Wednesday to start preparing for their Week 10 battle with the Los Angeles Chargers. 

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Titans make multiple roster moves in preparation for Patriots

The Tennessee Titans made a couple roster moves heading into the Week 9 contest against the New England Patriots.

The Tennessee Titans once again made Saturday interesting by making a few roster moves prior to their Week 9 battle with the New England Patriots. 


The Titans started the activity by waiving reserve tight end Thomas Odukoya and placing guard Andrew Rupcich on injured reserve. Rupcich, who was injured against the Detroit Lions, will likely miss the remainder of 2024 with a torn tricep muscle. 

To fill these spots and the other opening on the 53-man roster, the Titans added wide receiver Bryce Oliver, running back Joshua Kelley, and recently signed defensive back Justin Hardee to the active roster. 

Oliver and Kelley could be insurance with starters Tyler Boyd and Tony Pollard battling injuries and questionable for Sunday. Hardee, known for his special teams prowess, should play a more prominent role on the struggling coverage units, which are looking to bounce back from the debacle in Detroit.

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Watch: Titans’ Ran Carthon delivers life-changing news to five underdogs

Watch Tennessee Titans general manager break the news to five players that they embarking on a new challenge. Making the 53-man roster.

It has been no secret that the Tennessee Titans have had a changing of the guard over the past two years. First, the team hired Ran Carthon as general manager in 2023 to replace Jon Robinson. This was followed by a shocking move, firing head coach Mike Vrabel and transitioning to Brian Callahan. 

Carthon and Callahan have overhauled the roster almost totally in a very short period of time. They have also become more transparent with some of their behind-the-scenes moments. This includes the moment that five underdogs discovered their fate on cut day.

None of Andrew Rupcich, David Martin-Robinson, Thomas Odukoya, John Ojukwu, and James Williams knew what was about to transpire when they were summoned to the front office, and their emotions were all over the map. The sincerity of this life-altering moment for these players is apparent, and now they have a video to remind them of their journey. 

 

International pathway to dreams: Titans tight end is living proof

For Tennessee Titans tight end Thomas Odukoya, the International Pathway Program allowed him achieve his dream.

There are always a few surprises when NFL teams set their initial 53-man roster. The  2024 Tennessee Titans roster was no exception. When the team announced its initial roster, it included an unlikely tight end, Thomas Odukoya. Signed via the International Player Pathway Program, Odykoya will become the first Dutch-born player to play in the NFL during the regular season.

While many will only remember Odukoya for his incredible effort in thwarting a potential game-changing touchdown, he had an impressive preseason overall and showed continued growth.

Originally signed by the Titans as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL draft,  the Eastern Michigan University product has been inching toward a roster spot, and now he has broken through. His commitment and work ethic were mentioned as he was singled out by general manager Ran Carthon in his post-cut-down press conference.

“For a guy to be an international practice squad guy, to now earn his chance on the 53. That’s what this league is about, and that’s what that program is about.”

Carthon is spot on, and the league hopes that more international players can make an impact. What kind of impact will Odukoya make in 2024? No one is sure, but he has his sights on the season opener when the Titans take on the Chicago Bears on September 8.

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Samson Nacua came up just short of a kick-six in Titans preseason game

Samson Nacua returned this missed field goal 106 yards, but he was just yards away from a huge Saints kick-six. See the play for yourself:

Samson Nacua nearly made the play of the day in the New Orleans Saints’ preseason game with the Tennessee Titans. Titans kicker Brayden Narveson was too short from 58 yards out on a field goal try before halftime, but Nacua was in position to field it and bring it out for a return. First following his blockers right, Nacua cut back to his left and flew upfield and into the open field.

But it wasn’t to be. You hate to see this for Nacua, but you’ve got to give credit to Titans tight end Thomas Odukoya for hustling to catch Nacua from behind and force him out of bounds short of the goal line, scuttling what would’ve been a kick-six. He was credited with 106 yards on the return but needed 109 for the score.

Still, it was an exhilarating play, and it’s great to see Nacua’s teammates congratulating him on the field and again on the sideline for showing such great effort. You just wish he could’ve gone the distance. A better block by safety Johnathan Abram at the end of the return may have walled off Odukoya long enough for Nacua to cross the goal line, but we’ll never know. Good on Nacua for doing everything he could to make a play here.

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Watch: Titans TE Thomas Odukoya was mic’d up for preseason finale

Titans tight end Thomas Odukoya was mic’d up for the preseason finale against the Patriots.

In the preseason finale against the New England Patriots last week, Tennessee Titans tight end Thomas Odukoya was mic’d up.

Odukoya, who hails from the Netherlands was originally signed by the Titans in 2022 as part of the International Player Pathway Program and spent the entire season on the practice squad.

He made significant strides during his second offseason in the NFL, though, and managed to really stand out as a blocker, which led many (myself included) to believe he had a shot at a roster spot.

Unfortunately, he didn’t make the cut, but Tennessee was able to bring him back on the practice squad, which also allows the Titans to keep 17 players on the practice squad due to an exemption for Odukoya.

Check out the sights and sounds of preseason Week 3 from Odukoya’s perspective below.

According to Paul Kuharsky, Odukoya cannot be elevated to play in games until the international designation and exemption is removed via the Titans making him a regular practice squad player.

And, after that happens, Odukoya would also be ineligible to be elevated for a minimum of three weeks. Knowing all that, don’t expect to see the Eastern Michigan product active for a game for awhile.

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Report: Titans intend to sign Thomas Odukoya to practice squad

The Titans reportedly intend to sign TE Thomas Odukoya to their practice squad if he clears waivers on Wednesday.

We have our first bit of practice squad news for the Tennessee Titans on Wednesday morning after the team revealed it’s initial 53-man roster on Tuesday.

According to Justin Melo of Broadway Sports Media, the Titans intend to sign recently cut tight end Thomas Odukoya to their practice squad if he clears waivers, which will go through at noon ET on Wednesday.

Odukoya was first signed in 2022 as part of the NFL International Player Pathway Program and spent all of last season on the practice squad.

The Eastern Michigan product, who hails from the Netherlands, was thought to have a good shot to make the initial roster after standing out as a blocker during the preseason but ended up among the team’s final cuts.

Another positive about bringing Odukoya back is the fact that he doesn’t count against the 16-man practice squad limit, which allows Tennessee to carry an extra player.

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