Tag: Trenton Cannon

Ravens ILB Roquan Smith shares honest reaction to having game modeled by ILB Trenton Simpson

Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith reactsedto rookie Trenton Simpson modeling his game after him

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The Baltimore Ravens drafted University of Clemson inside linebacker Trenton Simpson in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft. During his initial interviews following getting drafted, he said that he’s modeled his game after Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith.

To have a player model their game after you is quite the endorsement for someone only in his sixth season in the NFL like Smith. The veteran reacted to the notion that Simpson uses his techniques as inspiration when speaking with the media during organized team activities, saying that he still feels like a kid sometimes at 26 years old.

“Yes, because it’s crazy, when I heard that like a couple weeks back because I think, ‘Man, I just turned 26. I still feel like a kid at times.’ (laughter) Then it’s like, ‘Oh, this man, he’s like looking up to me and whatnot.’ [Talking] about that guy [Trenton Simpson], from the first day, the guy is just so eager to learn. He’s busting his tail. Whatever it is, he’s just trying to get better. If there are little things, he’s always asking questions, so I have a great deal of respect for a rookie coming in like that. [He’s] just trying to get better and be the best rookie he can be. So, I’m excited about his future and I think there are a lot of great things in store [for him].”

Report: Titans RB Trenton Cannon out for the season with knee injury

Titans RB Trenton Cannon is reportedly out for the season.

The Tennessee Titans have reportedly lost yet another player for the rest of the 2022 campaign after the Week 2 contest against the Buffalo Bills.

According to Titans beat writer Paul Kuharsky, Cannon is “out for the year after blowing out his right knee in Buffalo on the opening kickoff.”

Cannon was signed this offseason to compete for a role as a backup running back and special teamer. He didn’t make the initial 53-man roster but was kept on the practice squad and later promoted.

Cannon had two returns in Week 1 against the New York Giants, totaling 33 yards. He was injured on the opening kickoff in Week 2.

Cannon is the second Titans player to reportedly be lost for the season, as left tackle Taylor Lewan suffered a knee injury on the first offensive play on Monday night that will knock him out for the rest of 2022.

The Titans injury epidemic, which dates back to last season, continues.

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Titans ST coach talks returner candidates, Caleb Shudak injury

Titans special teams coach Craig Aukerman revealed who may be competing for a return job in 2022.

The Tennessee Titans began their three-day mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, which will be the only session that is open to the media.

But before hitting the field, Tennessee’s coordinators met with the media, including special teams coach Craig Aukerman.

Aukerman touched on the competition for punt and kicker returner, revealing which players are likely to compete for each spot. The only player currently on the roster who returned kicks or punts for the Titans in 2021 is running back Dontrell Hilliard.

At kick returner, Aukerman says running back Trenton Cannon and wide receivers Reggie Roberson, Kyle Philips and Racey McMath could all compete for the job.

At punt returner, Aukerman estimates that Philips, wide receiver Mason Kinsey and safety Amani Hooker will battle it out.

Tennessee’s special teams coach went into more detail in regard to what he likes about two of the aforementioned candidates, Cannon and Philips.

While Philips figures to be a near-lock to make the roster, the same cannot be said for Cannon, but there’s no doubt his special teams prowess will help his cause.

Aukerman also provided an update on UDFA kicker Caleb Shudak, who was impressive in rookie minicamp and during organized team activities before suffering a leg injury last week.

Shudak will not participate in practice on Tuesday, and there is no timetable for his return to the field.

The Titans could definitely use a shot in the arm in the return game. While Tennessee did finish ninth in the NFL in punt return average in 2021, they also finished 27th in kick return average.

The only gripe we have with the candidates listed here is Hooker, who is set to return to his starting role in 2022. Hooker is far too valuable to the defense to risk as a returner, so we hope the Titans won’t ultimately settle on him.

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Titans’ Mike Vrabel talks A.J. Moore, Trenton Cannon signings

On top of special teams, Vrabel says Moore and Cannon could carve out roles for themselves on defense and offense, respectively.

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The Tennessee Titans are hoping to bolster their special teams ahead of the 2022 season with the signings of running back Trenton Cannon and safety A.J. Moore.

Cannon and Moore have spent the majority of their careers playing on special teams, with Cannon having experience both covering and returning kicks.

Head coach Mike Vrabel revealed that Cannon would also have a shot to see snaps as a change-of-pace back, while Moore could carve out a role for himself on defense, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online.

“Both of those guys wanted to be with us, wanted to be a part of our football team,” Vrabel said. “Clearly A.J.’s special teams resume speaks for itself. We talked to him about creating a role on defense.

“Trenton, with his ability to play gunner and to cover kicks, and his ability to impact the game on special teams with his speed, and his disruption. We’ll give him an opportunity as well to work at running back as a change of pace.”

With the departure of Dane Cruikshank to Chicago, Moore has a good shot to take over the No. 3 safety role behind locked-in starters Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker. Moore saw just 44 defensive snaps last season but had a career-high 356 in 2020.

At running back, the situation behind Derrick Henry is very murky, leaving the door open for Cannon to possibly grab a role there. However, after his rookie season in 2018, the 27-year-old hasn’t gotten much action at the position, with just 13 carries and three receptions since 2019.

The Titans also need help at kick returner, where Cannon 23.2 yards per return during his career. In 2021, Cannon averaged 20.5 yards per.

Earlier this offseason, the Titans re-signed one of their key special teams members from 2021, outside linebacker Ola Adeniyi, who also added 2.5 sacks and one pass defended as a reserve.

Vrabel discussed the impact Adniyi made in his first year in Nashville.

“Ola did a nice job, and he took advantage of his opportunity,” Vrabel said. “He impacted games, and did a nice job, whether that was Seattle or Indy. His first job will be as a leader, and a large presence on our special teams unit. But we want him to have a defensive role as well for us, and he wants that.”

The Titans are clearly prioritizing special teams this offseason, as they also replaced assistant special teams coach Matt Edwards with former NFL linebacker and Carolina Panthers special teams coordinator, Chase Blackburn, as its assistant special teams coach.

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Titans’ Mike Vrabel: We have to punt better in 2022

Vrabel also expressed confidence in the special teams gunners the Titans have added this offseason.

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Often lost in the sauce of everything that went on with the Tennessee Titans in 2021 was the down year punter Brett Kern had.

Kern, who has always been as good and reliable as they come, missed three games due to injury for the second straight season after not having missed a single contest in any of his first 13 years in the NFL.

More importantly, he posted his worst gross (44.8) and net (40.4) punt yards average since the 2016 campaign, ranking 18th and 15th in those two categories, respectively.

Kern, who accounted for the second-biggest cap hit among punters in the NFL last season, was thought to be a cut candidate in 2022; however, the Titans were able to re-work his deal and lower his cap hit by $1 million.

While down at the owners meetings in Florida this week, head coach Mike Vrabel acknowledged that 2021 wasn’t Kern’s best season, and he also stated that Tennessee needs to do a better job punting the football in 2022.

The Titans added a pair of players who have thrived as special teams gunners in the past in running back Trenton Cannon and defensive back A.J. Moore. Cannon could also factor in to the return game, and Moore will double as a reserve safety.

As for Kern, he could be looking at his last season in the two-tone blue. The 36-year-old will be in the final year of his contract in 2022.

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Titans agree to terms with RB/KR Trenton Cannon

The Titans have reportedly agreed to terms with RB Trenton Cannon, who also has experience returning kicks.

After losing D’Onta Foreman in free agency and waiving Darrynton Evans, the Tennessee Titans have finally made an addition to their running backs room.

According to multiple reports, the Titans have agreed to terms with running back and kick returner, Trenton Cannon. The terms of the deal are not yet known.

More coming…

8 ex-Jets are one win away from the Super Bowl

Several former Jets players and coaches will get their shot to play in the Super Bowl on Championship Sunday.

The Jets aren’t anywhere close to a Super Bowl berth, but a few of their former players and coaches are just one win away from playing in the biggest game of the year.

There are eight ex-Jets across the rosters and the coaching staffs of three of the four teams competing on Championship Sunday. The Chiefs don’t boast any former Jets, but the Bengals, Rams and 49ers do. Most are Adam Gase-era castoffs, though there are a few 2021 contributors who found roles on these championship-contending teams.

Here are the eight former Jets who are just one win away from the Super Bowl.

49ers roster moves: Practice window opened for RB Trenton Cannon

The #49ers made a few roster moves, one of which was opening RB Trenton Cannon’s practice window.

The 49ers on Wednesday announced a handful of roster moves which included some very good news on running back Trenton Cannon.

Cannon, who was taken off the field in an ambulance because of a hit to the head and neck area on the opening kickoff in Week 13, had his practice window opened after a five-week stint on injured reserve. The 27-year-old avoided any additional neck or head injuries beyond his concussion. Now he has a chance to return and contribute for San Francisco in the postseason.

The other moves were all on the practice squad.

Safety Doug Middleton was reinstated after a stint on the practice squad IR and quarterback Tyler Bray was released.

The 49ers also added punter Ryan Winslow with Mitch Wishnowsky in concussion protocol. Winslow has seen action in four games with three different teams this season. He kicked for two games in Carolina, and one each in Arizona and Washington. In four games he booted 16 punts with an average of 39.1 yards per kick. He also handled kickoffs for the Panthers and Cardinals – a job Wishnowsky typically holds.

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Kyle Shanahan has good news on RB Trenton Cannon

Kyle Shanahan had some good news about RB Trenton Cannon, who was taken off the field via ambulance three weeks ago. #49ers

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49ers running back Trenton Cannon suffered a head injury on the opening kickoff of the team’s Week 13 loss to the Seahawks. The injury was bad enough that it required him to be taken off the field on a stretcher in an ambulance. The latest update on him from head coach Kyle Shanahan brought some good news.

Cannon went on injured reserve with a concussion following the injury that forced him to stay overnight in a Seattle hospital. He avoided any additional issues because of the hit to the head and neck area, and Shanahan on Tuesday told reporters Cannon is now back with the team and taking part in some off-field work.

“Trenton Cannon’s doing good,” Shanahan said. “He was in the meetings today. Got to see him for the first time in a little bit, but it sounds like he’s doing a lot better. Still in the protocol, but just his health and how he’s feeling seems pretty good.”

Cannon’s status for the rest of the season is unknown, but Thursday’s game against the Titans would mark three missed games for the special teams ace. He’s eligible to return against Houston in Week 17, though that will depend on where he is physically and whether he clears concussion protocol.

The fact Cannon is already back around the team and in meetings is a great sign that he’s trending the right direction just a couple weeks after one of the scariest injuries of the NFL season.

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49ers down to 1 healthy running back after Week 13

The #49ers are down to one (1) healthy running back after Sunday’s game.

The 49ers injury problems that plagued their backfield last season have risen again after their Week 13 loss to the Seahawks. Three of the 49ers’ four healthy running backs went down in Seattle and could wind up missing the team’s Week 14 matchup with the Bengals.

Trenton Cannon is in concussion protocol and on his way back to the Bay Area after spending Sunday night in a Seattle-area hospital per head coach Kyle Shanahan who spoke on a conference call Monday afternoon. Cannon avoided additional injuries after a scary hit to his head and neck area on the opening kickoff.

Rookie Elijah Mitchell is also in concussion protocol after getting whacked in the head on a third-quarter run in Seattle. He left the game to get evaluated for a concussion and was cleared to return. Mitchell developed symptoms in the time after the game and went into concussion protocol.

Jeff Wilson Jr., who missed the first half of the season recovering from a torn meniscus he suffered in the offseason, had what Shanahan called a ‘flare up’ in his knee. He only played two snaps Sunday and his status for Week 14 is unknown.

With rookie RB Trey Sermon already on injured reserve with an ankle injury, JaMycal Hasty is now the only healthy running back on the active roster.

There are no running backs on the practice squad as of Shanahan’s conference call. The head coach indicated the club would work out running backs ahead of their Week 14 game in case none of the trio who were hurt Sunday are able to suit up.

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