Practice Squad Adds Aim to Pump Up Pass Rush

Outside linebackers Tuzar Skipper and Wyatt Ray will be available to play in Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

David Boclair | Dec 12, 2020

Practice Squad Adds Aim to Pump Up Pass Rush /

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Titans coaches and personnel people had one thing on their mind Saturday when they selected their practice squad roster additions for Sunday: The pass rush.

Outside linebackers Tuzar Skipper and Wyatt Ray will be available for the contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Under rules in place this season to help teams deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, both players automatically will revert to the practice squad on Monday.

Each has made his NFL debut recent weeks but there has not been a game in which both played. This one could be different. Skipper was credited with a start last Sunday against Cleveland.

In three games, Skipper has made four tackles. Ray (pictured) was not credited with any tackles in his lone appearance.

“(Skipper) had some real physical snaps last week in the run game when they ran it,” coach Mike Vrabel said Friday. “… (Ray) was up for Chicago and played in some snaps there. They continue to improve, and again it's hard at this point in the season with the limited amount of full speed reps that we get but we'll keep working those guys in there.

“… I think they're just continuing to build an understanding of our defense.”

Tennessee (8-4) is currently next-to-last in the NFL with 14 sacks in 12 games. It had none last Sunday in the loss to the Browns.

Jacksonville (1-11) has allowed 32 sacks. Only eight teams have given up more.

A week-by-week rundown of the practice squad players Tennessee has added to the gameday roster in 2020:

Week 1 at Denver: Jeremy McNichols, RB (0 rushes, 0 receptions, 1 target); Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, WR (inactive).

Week 2 vs. Jacksonville: Cameron Batson, WR (2 receptions, 26 yards); Jeremy McNichols (2 rushes-7 yards).

Week 3 at Minnesota: Cameron Batson, WR (0 receptions, 0 targets).

Week 5 vs. Buffalo: Daren Bates, LB (0 tackles); Cody Hollister, WR (1 reception, 12 yards); Kareem Orr, CB (4 tackles,1 fumble recovery); David Quessenberry, OL (played on special teams).

Week 6 vs. Houston: Daren Bates, LB (1 special teams tackle); Cameron Batson, WR (1 reception, 13 yards), Kareem Orr, CB (played on special teams).

Week 7 vs. Pittsburgh: Daren Bates, LB (1 special teams tackle); David Quessenberry, OL (played on special teams).

Week 8 at Cincinnati: Breon Borders, CB (three tackles in seven snaps); D’Onta Foreman, RB (5 rushes, 37 yards).

Week 9 vs. Chicago: Matt Overton, LS (13 special teams snaps); Wyatt Ray, OLB (13 snaps defense, 15 snaps special teams).

Week 10 vs. Indianapolis: Matt Overton, LS (7 special teams snaps); Trevor Daniel, P (2 punts, 32.0 average, one blocked).

Week 11 at Baltimore: Will Compton, ILB (six tackles); Tuzar Skipper, OLB (1 snap defense, 2 snaps special teams); Matt Overton, LS (7 special teams snaps).

Week 12 at Indianapolis: Will Compton, ILB (started on defense, 3 tackles); Tuzar Skipper, OLB (7 snaps defense, 17 snaps special teams).

Week 13 vs. Cleveland: Tuzar Skipper, OLB (four tackles in 24 snaps); Marshall Newhouse, T (did not play).

Published Dec 12, 2020

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.