Julio Jones Out for an Extended Period

The Tennessee Titans placed the veteran wide receiver on injured reserve, which means he cannot play again until after their bye, in mid-December.

NASHVILLE – Julio Jones was in and out of the Tennessee Titans’ lineup through the first half of the season.

Now, he is out for a time.

The Titans placed the seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver on injured reserve Saturday, which means he will miss at least the next three games. Those contests – against New Orleans, Houston and New England – lead into the open date in the schedule (Dec. 5). As a result, the 32-year-old Jones will have plenty of time to deal with a hamstring injury that has been an issue throughout the regular season.

Franchise officials signed rookie Dez Fitzpatrick off the practice squad to take his place.

“For me, I never get frustrated. It comes with the game,” Jones said a little more than a week earlier. “I’ve been doing it a long time. It’s just finding ways to limit (the injury). For me, it’s a great training staff here. … It’s just all of us communicating and making decisions.”

The week started on a positive note when Jones was not listed on the injury report. That changed Thursday when he was added as a limited participant in the day’s practice. He did not practice at all on Friday and was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints at Nissan Stadium.

Injuries limited Jones to nine games played last season with Atlanta. That was his fewest since 2013.

If all goes well and he can get healthy – and stay healthy – coming out of the bye week, he will be able to play in 11 games this season.

Tennessee (7-2) is 5-1 with Jones in the lineup. He is third on the team with 21 receptions for 336 yards but leads the Titans with an average of 16 yards per reception.

“If we knew earlier [exactly what to do], we would have done it,” Jones said a little more than a week earlier. “For me, it’s just taking care of myself, doing a little more here and there.”