Tennessee Titans: Injury Report – Week 1 vs. Miami Dolphins
The Tennessee Titans are dealing with a few important injuries as they head to Miami to take on the Dolphins on Sunday.
Though first-year head coach Mike Vrabel played it coy when discussing his players’ injuries through the entire offseason and preseason, he is forced to give an injury report throughout the regular season. The report for Week 1 is out and four Titans will not be able to play against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, though the team will get a boost by the return of a key defensive starter.
Players That Are Officially Out
RT Jack Conklin (knee)
Conklin avoided the PUP list to start the season, which means the Titans believe he will be ready for game action within the first six weeks of the year, but the team is smartly being cautious with their All-Pro right tackle. Conklin tore his ACL in January of this year and needs time to fully heal and regain confidence in the knee. The good news is that Conklin was a limited participant in Friday’s practice, which signals that he’s nearing a return. Dennis Kelly will hold down the fort in his place.
OLB Harold Landry (ankle)
Landry injured himself during the preseason and hasn’t been able to get fully healthy, but he has shed his walking boot and doesn’t seem to be too far away from returning. The concerning aspect of his injury is that it’s to the same ankle that hampered him for all of his final season at Boston College. Kamalei Correa, Sharif Finch and Aaron Wallace will be the direct backups to Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan on Sunday.
LB Rashaan Evans (hamstring)
Evans has rarely practiced all offseason, and we didn’t find out until this week that his lengthy absence was due to a hamstring injury. While not quite a “heat-related” injury, hamstring injuries are tricky, tend to linger and require meticulous care and rehab. As we saw with Corey Davis and Johnathan Cyprien last season, it’s important for the Titans to not rush Evans back unless he is completely past the injury. Wesley Woodyard and Jayon Brown were slated to start whether Evans was available against the Dolphins or not, but Will Compton will likely be used in obvious running situations on Sunday.
S Kendrick Lewis (foot)
It’s unclear when Lewis picked up a foot injury, but he has been out of practice for a week and will not suit up on Sunday. Lewis is strictly a depth piece, so he won’t be sorely missed on Sunday. Rookie Dane Cruikshank will serve as Kevin Byard and Kenny Vaccaro’s backup, with special teams ace Brynden Trawick the secondary option in a pinch.
Players Likely to Play
OLB Derrick Morgan (knee)
Morgan is the only other Titans player who is currently banged up, as he has been working his way back from a minor knee surgery. While Morgan’s outlook for Week 1 was initially glum, he has quickly recovered and looks all set to line up opposite Brian Orakpo at OLB on Sunday in Miami.