Following Dupree's Removal, Who Remains on IR?

There are still some big names such as Derrick Henry and A.J. Brown among the 16 players who currently are ineligible to play due to injuries.

George Walker IV / Tennessean.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC

NASHVILLE – The number of players the Tennessee Titans have on injured reserve was no different Saturday than it was a day earlier.

The caliber of players who carry that distinction was drastically altered, though, when outside linebacker Bud Dupree was returned to the active roster and fullback Tory Carter was added. Dupree arguably was the Titans’ most high-profile addition of the offseason, courtesy of a five-year, $82.5 million free agent contract. Carter carved out a place for himself as an undrafted rookie out of LSU.

Dupree’s return was expected since Wednesday when he was designated for return to practice. It is similar to how things transpired a week earlier with wide receiver Julio Jones, whose playing time in his return to game action Sunday against Jacksonville was limited.

Jones, Dupree and wide receiver A.J. Brown went on injured reserve in successive weeks ahead of the recent open date. Brown is eligible to come off as soon as next week. Of course, there is running back Derrick Henry, whose possible return has been a beacon for a franchise beset by health issues throughout the season.

There are 16 Titans on injured reserve, and XX of them are eligible to return at some point (not all of them will), including Carter, who could be back in uniform as early as the regular-season finale.

A look at the Tennessee Titans injured reserve list following Saturday’s moves:

ELIGIBLE TO RETURN

• Derrick Henry, RB: He is eligible to return to the active roster at any time. Whether he will and whether he will be able to produce at the level everyone has come to expect might be the biggest factor in whether or not this is a Super Bowl team.

• A.J. Brown, WR: The expectation is that he will return after the minimal three-game absence as Jones and Dupree have done with the idea that he will be fully healthy for the end of the season and the start of the playoffs.

• Chris Jackson, CB: He is not the team’s best pass defender, but he is versatile and competitive. Coaches have more coverage options when he available and involved.

• Tory Carter, FB: He has become a big part of the special teams and a reliably physical presence on offense. The ankle injury he sustained Sunday looked serious and could cause him to miss the rest of the year.

• Sam Ficken, K: He won the job handily in the preseason but was injured days before the start of the regular season. It’s unclear whether he actually is healthy and available in the event Randy Bullock’s recent struggles increase or if his sights are set on 2022.

• Caleb Farley, CB: The first-round draft pick is done for the season after just three appearances because of a torn knee ligament. As little as he did during the offseason and training camp, he effectively will still be a rookie next season.

• Monty Rice, ILB: In 10 appearances (four starts) before he sustained a season-ending ankle injury, the third-round pick likely showed enough to influence some offseason decisions and position himself for a prominent role on the defense in 2022.

• Rashad Weaver, OLB: The fourth-round pick played just two games before he sustained a broken leg in Week 3 against Indianapolis. Coaches will count on him next season, particularly if Harold Landry leaves in free agency.

• Cameron Batson, WR: He had to fight to carve out a role for himself before injuries thinned the wide receiver group. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in the same game Farley did.

CAN’T RETURN UNTIL NEXT SEASON

• Marcus Johnson, WR: He was one of the standout performers in training camp, but his history of injury issues caught up to him once again.

• Darrynton Evans, RB: He has spent the majority of his first two seasons on injured reserve.

• Tommy Hudson, TE: He spent all of last season on the practice squad and most of this one on injured reserve. Perhaps the active roster awaits in 2020.

• Trevon Coley, DT: He almost certainly would have had a spot in the defensive line rotation if he had made it to the regular season.

• B.J. Bello, LB: Franchise officials value special teams stalwarts like him, but he played just one snap on defense and seven on special teams in the preseason before a season-ending injury.

• Briley Moore, TE: An undrafted rookie, he was injured early in camp and will have to start pretty much from scratch next year.

• Brandon Kemp, T: His chance to make the roster were slim to begin with, but he did not even make it through the first week of training camp.