Tuesday afternoon was the deadline for the latest round of NFL roster reductions. As of 3 p.m. (CDT) the maximum number of players allowed on the active roster fell from 85 to 80.
The Tennessee Titans did not have to work hard to get there, thanks to the fact that three players went on the Reserve-COVID 19 list over two days. Their only move was to release defensive back Kevin Peterson, which actually left them at 79 players.
The most difficult decisions come in the next round, which is Aug. 31 when teams must get to the regular-season limit of 53.
Already, though, several notable former Titans are looking for jobs after their latest teams cut them loose as part of the moves made to ensure they did not exceed the new maximum. A look those who were released in the drop to 80:
• Cody Parkey, K (Cleveland): He was the second – and most effective – of the four kickers who played for the Titans in 2019 when he went 3-for-3 on field goals and 5-for-6 on PATs. Signed when Cairo Santos kicked his way off the roster, Parkey was released when Ryan Succop returned from injured reserve and was unavailable when Succop went back on injured reserve. He was the Browns’ kicker for the final 15 games of 2020 but has battled an injury in this year’s training camp.
• Darius Jennings, WR/KR (Detroit): He led the league in kickoff return average at 31.7 yards (a franchise record) in 2018, the only time he played all 16 games in a season. In 2019, he was on and off the roster and ultimately appeared in eight games. He was with Detroit for the last two weeks after having spent most of the offseason with the L.A. Chargers.
• B.W. Webb, CB: (San Francisco): He played nine games (two starts) for an injury-ravaged Titans’ secondary 2015, the year they finished 2-14 and ranked 26th in average yards per pass attempt against. He has played 80 games over six seasons but never has played more than one season with any team. He had been with the 49ers for about three weeks.
• Joey Ivie, DT (Arizona): He saw action in three games for Tennessee late in 2019 (he started the season with Kansas City and appeared in five contests for the Chiefs) and was credited with one tackle and two quarterback pressures. The Titans cut him at the start of the 2020 regular season, and he since has spent time with Cleveland and Indianapolis in addition to Arizona.
• Krishawn Hogan, WR (Carolina): He was with Tennessee briefly during last year’s preseason preparation. He signed in mid-August and was released at the start of the regular season.
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