Jackrabbit Jenkins Becomes Latest Cap Casualty

Cornerback made one interception, albeit a critical one, in his one season with the Titans.

George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA Today Network

NASHVILLE – Jackrabbit Jenkins was a valuable voice of experience in the Tennessee Titans secondary last season. But he was too expensive for this one.

The Titan released the veteran cornerback Tuesday in their latest move to create space under the salary cap. The move freed up a little more than $6.9 million in cap space and saddled the team with $3.2 million in dead money (source: OverTheCap.com).

ESPN was first to report the move.

Jenkins joined the Titans last season on a two-year, $15 million deal. In so doing, he replaced cornerbacks Malcolm Butler and Adoreé Jackson, two of Tennessee’s 2021 cap casualties, as the leader of that position group.

Jenkins appeared in 14 games (13 starts) and missed three games with an ankle injury. His lone interception was a game-saver in the Thursday night Week 16 victory over San Francisco, a game that helped propel the Titans to first place in the AFC South. He also was credited with 55 tackles, six passes defensed and one forced fumble.

Until now, franchise officials saved money with cuts to the offense. Left guard Rodger Saffold, backup tackle Kendall Lamm and running back Darrynton Evans were released last week.

If they don’t add a veteran to replace Jenkins, the Titans will have to look to last year’s first-round draft pick, Caleb Farley, to play a much more prominent role in 2022. Farley has the size (6-foot-2, 197 pounds) and athleticism that coaches covet, but he missed time early last season with a shoulder injury and played just three games before he sustained a season-ending knee injury. That followed an injury-riddled college career in which he played just 24 games over four seasons.