Second-Year Defensive Lineman Released

Isaiah Mack was a longshot to make the roster in 2019 but lost his spot when the Titans made a trade Monday.

Isaiah Mack was one of the best stories of the Tennessee Titans’ 2019 preseason.

Of course, there was no 2020 preseason. And now Mack is out of a job.

The Titans waived the second-year defensive end Monday to make room for defensive back Desmond King, who was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Mack, a 6-foot-1, 299-pound defensive tackle, has appeared in six of seven games this season. He was on the field for just nine snaps with the defense (tied for his season low) in Sunday’s 31-20 loss at Cincinnati. His most extensive playing time came in the Week 5 victory over Buffalo, when Jeffery Simmons was sidelined by the coronavirus.

He has been credited with two tackles and one quarterback sack.

His release leaves the Titans with five defensive linemen on the active roster, including fifth-round draft pick Larrell Murchison and Matt Dickerson, who has been inactive in three of the last four games.

Mack made the Titans’ 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent out of Chattanooga after he was credited with nine tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in the preseason.

He played in the first 13 games of the regular season and made four tackles – still his career-high – in his NFL debut, a Week 1 rout of Cleveland. He notched his first career sack in a Week 2 loss to Indianapolis and added a half a sack two weeks later at Atlanta.

He was inactive for the final three weeks of the regular season and all three playoff contests.