Titans Address Injury Issues, Add Two Wide Receivers

Darius Jennings is re-signed and Rashard Davis is promoted from the practice squad

David Boclair | Dec 23, 2019

Philip G. Pavely/USA Today Sports

NASHVILLE – There is no wait and see.

The Tennessee Titans moved quickly Monday to address a possible shortage of wide receivers for Sunday’s regular season finale at Houston.

The Titans re-signed Darius Jennings and promoted Rashard Davis from the practice squad. To make room they released running back Dalyn Dawkins and linebacker Nigel Harris, both of whom were promoted from the practice squad last week.

The moves suggest that coaches and management fear that either Corey Davis or Kalif Raymond – or both – will be unable to play against the Texans. Each is currently in the NFL’s concussion protocol due to injuries sustained during Sunday’s 38-28 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

The availability of each will be determined later in the week.

Jennings (pictured) started the season with the Titans. He was the primary kickoff return man as well as a backup wide receiver for the first seven games before Raymond replaced him in those roles. The third-year veteran averaged 21.0 yards on seven kickoffs returns and caught two passes for 17 yards.

Last season, he set a franchise record and led the NFL with a 31.7-yard average on kickoff returns.

Rashard Davis has been on the Titans’ practice squad since Week 10. Undrafted out of James Madison in 2017, he has been on the practice squads of the Oakland Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles and has spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs but never has appeared in a regular season game.

Dawkins was added to the active roster Saturday, when coaches determined that Derrick Henry would not play against New Orleans. He set career-highs with nine carries for 24 yards in the defeat.

Harris was promoted last Tuesday in a flurry of roster moves that included the team’s latest change at kicker. The third-year pro made his 2019 debut against the Saints and played primarily on special teams.

Tennessee (8-7) can clinch a playoff berth with a victory Sunday over Houston (10-5).

Published Dec 23, 2019

DAVID BOCLAIR

David Boclair has covered the Tennessee Titans for multiple news outlets since 1998. He is award-winning journalist who has covered a wide range of topics in Middle Tennessee as well as Dallas-Fort Worth, where he worked for three different newspapers from 1987-96. As a student journalist at Southern Methodist University he covered the NCAA's decision to impose the so-called death penalty on the school's football program.