Titans Back to One Kicker

Ryan Santoso released after three games as a kickoff specialist

Stan Szeto/USA Today Sports

NASHVILLE – A second kicker is a luxury the Tennessee Titans no longer can afford. Especially when that second kicker has not consistently met his primary responsibility.

The Tennessee Titans cut Ryan Santoso on Tuesday.

The Titans signed Santoso on Nov. 27 to handle kickoffs for Ryan Succop, who struggled to produce touchbacks upon his return from injured reserve. In three games, opponents returned 14 of Succop’s 17 kickoffs. The last of those contests was against Jacksonville (Nov. 24), which returned all seven.

In three games, Santoso produced nine touchbacks on 17 kickoffs. He got off to a promising start with five of six in his NFL debut, Dec. 1 at Indianapolis, a game played under a closed roof at the RCA Dome. In two outdoor contests since (Dec. 8 at Oakland and Sunday against Houston) just four of his 11 kickoffs resulted in touchbacks.

“Some of them have been touchbacks, and some of them have not,” coach Mike Vrabel said Monday. “So, to have guarantees in the league I think is impossible. Whether we’re talking about a guy kicking off, a guy punting the football, a guy catching the ball, we all probably need to do our job better, including me, starting with me. So, we continue to evaluate what we do and what everybody’s role, and job are on a team.”

While Succop was on IR for the first eight weeks of the season, Cairo Santos delivered 12 touchbacks on 21 tries over the first five contests, and Cody Parkey produced nine touchbacks on 12 kickoffs over three games.

Cornerback Kareem Orr was re-signed to fill the roster spot created by Santoso’s release. Orr was cut last week when defensive lineman Joey Ivie was promoted from the practice squad.

Ivie made his Titans debut Sunday against the Texans and was not credited with a tackle in limited action as a backup.