Injured Trio Expect to Be Back on Defense

Outside linebacker Bud Dupree, defensive back Elijah Molden and safety Amani Hooker have dealt with multiple health issues this season.

Christopher Hanewinckel / USA Today Sports

NASHVILLE – Bud Dupree hopes to return – yet again.

The veteran outside linebacker has played in just six of the Tennessee Titans' 10 games this season due to issues with his hips, most recently missing last Thursday's victory at Green Bay.

The latest injury, Dupree said Tuesday, was to his other hip, not the one that kept him out of two games earlier this season and limited him to a combined 21 defensive snaps in two others.

But the good news is he returned to the practice field.

“Just going through that is frustrating, obviously,” Dupree said. “Since I’ve been here, I’ve been dealing with a lot of injuries – injuries that come out of nowhere, small stuff that you don’t really know how it’s happening. But I’m excited to be out on the field again (at practice) and continuing to prove myself.”

Dupree has made an impact when he’s been on the field this season, totaling three sacks and three tackles for loss – even while playing 40 or more snaps in just four games.

The sack total is as many as Dupree had in 11 games last season, and he already has one more tackle for loss than he did in 2021.

He hopes to return at the same level he was playing at before the latest hip injury.

“I’m feeling good, excited to go out here today and see the progress and just hopefully stay on the field next time around for a long stretch,” Dupree said.

How did he feel about his chances of playing Sunday against the Bengals?

“(Today’s practice) will tell all,” Dupree said.

Two other key Titans defensive players who missed the game against Green Bay also practiced on Tuesday – safety Amani Hooker (shoulder) and nickel corner Elijah Molden (groin). Both players had practiced to some degree leading up to the contest against the Packers, but were held out.

“I did everything I could to play last week,” Molden said. “I guess it was just with the short week and everything, and what went down the week before, there wasn’t really time (to get healthy). But it was definitely frustrating.”

Molden has played in just one game this season – Week 10 against Denver – when he aggravated the groin strain that had landed him on injured reserve at the start of the season.

“I didn’t redo my whole injury (against the Broncos),” Molden said. “That would have been bad. So I’m just working through it and managing expectations, too. This is going to be something that will get better with time, but I’ve got to go through the highs and lows a little bit.”

Hooker has played in just five games this season, and he hasn’t seen action since suffering the shoulder injury Oct. 30 against Houston.

The fourth-year safety sounded optimistic about his health after getting a few extra days of rest over the weekend.

“Actually those couple days were much needed,” Hooker said. “I’m feeling better. I’ll be out there today. I’ve missed the boys.”