Practice Squad Elevations Send Ominous Message

Logan Woodside will be in uniform because Ryan Tannehill won't. Larrell Murchison's availability casts doubt about whether Jeffery Simmons will play.

Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com / USA Today Network

As usual on Saturday, the Tennessee Titans designated two players from their practice squad as standard elevations for the next day’s game.

This week’s choices – quarterback Logan Woodside and defensive lineman Larrell Murchison – make it clear, however, that Sunday’s contest against the Houston Texans will be decidedly out of the ordinary. They were made because the offense will be without one of its central players, and the defense might be without one of its most productive performers.

It is the first such designation this season for Woodside and Murchison, who have spent the entire campaign on the practice squad. Both automatically will revert to the practice squad on Monday.

Woodside will be in uniform and will be the backup to rookie Malik Willis after Ryan Tannehill was ruled out because of a combination of an ankle injury and an illness. Tannehill was listed as questionable on Friday but was downgraded a day later.

Tannehill’s primary backup each of the previous two seasons, Woodside has appeared in 11 games during his career but has seen no meaningful playing time. He has attempted three passes, and his lone completion – for seven yards – was on a fake punt. His most recent appearance in the regular season was three plays late in a Week 17 rout of Miami last season.

Murchison’s availability casts doubt about whether Jeffery Simmons will be able to go.

Simmons, a 2021 Pro Bowler, missed the entire week of practice with an ankle injury. He leads all Titans defensive linemen with 24 tackles and the entire defense with 24 quarterback pressures, is tied for the team lead with four tackles for loss, is second with four and a half sacks and third with three passes defensed.

He was the only player other than Tannehill who was listed as questionable on Friday. Since he made his NFL debut midway through 2019, Simmons has missed just two games, one was a meaningless contest for which he and others were rested, and the other was due to COVID-19.

Murchison, a fifth-round pick in the 2020 draft, was inactive for four of the final five games last season, including the playoffs, and then failed to earn a spot on the 53-man roster at the end of this year’s preseason. For his career, he has appeared in 21 games with five starts and has been credited with 13 tackles and one quarterback pressure.