Concussion to Keep Humphries on Sidelines vs. Chicago

One of the Tennessee Titans' leading receivers has been ruled out for Sunday.

NASHVILLE – Wide receiver Adam Humphries will not play for the Tennessee Titans when they host the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Humphries was ruled out Friday because of a concussion sustained in the Titans’ 31-20 loss at Cincinnati on Sunday. The sixth-year veteran is tied for third on the team with 22 receptions. Those catches have gone for 219 yards and two touchdowns.

“Adam will not be available,” coach Mike Vrabel said. “We’ve always taken these concussion protocol players very seriously. They will work their way through the protocol. There is zero pressure for them to get back quicker than they should.

“Again, those are all different. … We’ve had some that have taken longer. We’ve had some that have (gone) quicker. Having been through that as a player, I think that I’m very understanding of that and try to explain that to the player.”

Humphries was injured shortly before halftime against the Bengals when he was hit in the head as he tried to make a catch over the middle. Trainers attended to him for several minutes on the field, removed his facemask and prepared to load him onto a stretcher before he got to his feet and stepped into the cart that took him to the locker room.

No penalty was called on the play.

Humphries’ absence means that Tennessee (5-2) will not have all three of its top wide receivers available for the fourth time in six games.

Humphries missed one contest (Week 5 against Buffalo) because he was on the COVID-19 reserve list. Corey Davis was out for two games (Buffalo and Week 6 against Houston) for the same reason. A.J. Brown missed Weeks 2 and 3 (Jacksonville and Minnesota) because of a knee injury.

Davis leads the Titans with 29 receptions for 369 yards with three touchdowns. Brown is second with 27 catches for 356 yards and five touchdowns, including at least one touchdown in each of the last four games. Humphries’ 22 receptions tie him with tight end Jonnu Smith for third.

Oddly, Tennessee is only 1-2 in the games all three have played.

“We’ll continue to monitor (Humphries) and continue to work him through the protocol,” Vrabel said.

Without Humphries, Kalif Raymond (9 receptions, 187 yards) will play a bigger role. Cameron Batson (3 receptions, 39 yards) and Cody Hollister (1 reception 12 yards), practice squad players who have been gameday activations this season, are the most likely options to add to the depth at that position.

Chicago (5-3) is 12th in the NFL in pass defense with an average of 228.5 yards per game allowed and ninth with 37 passes defensed.