Titans Claim DT Jonah Laulu Off Waivers

Laulu, 26, set a franchise record with 86 tackles over his first two seasons in Las Vegas, during which he appeared in every game. As a rookie, the 2024 seventh-round pick started seven games and occupied a 43% snap share before stepping into a full-time role in 2025 with 15 starts and a 68% snap share. The increase in playing time came with a sharp uptick in production – 51 tackles (eight for loss) and four sacks – and raised expectations heading into 2026.

However, Laulu fell out of favor this year under new defensive coordinator Rob Leonard. He appeared in five of the Raiders’ first six games with a 32% snap share but was a healthy scratch in Week 7.

The third-year defender will now have an opportunity to carve out a role in Robert Saleh’s new defense in Tennessee. The Titans have rank as a bottom-10 defense against the run and the pass, though they rank 15th in points allowed. Laulu will add depth to a defensive line that has relied on Jeffery Simmons to carry the unit so far this season. He has played a whopping 425 snaps, more than 85% of the team’s defensive total, with Solomon Thomas (140 snaps), Nazir Stackhouse (126) and Jordan Elliott (114) far behind. Elliott was released last week after an altercation at the team’s facility, only raising Tennessee’s need for another experienced player in the trenches.

To clear a space for Laulu on the roster, the Titans waived Timmy Horne, a 29-year-old defensive tackle who appeared in two games this season. His last regular season-snaps came in 2023 for the Falcons and the Giants; before that, he appeared in all 17 games in Atlanta as an undrafted rookie in 2022.

Tennessee also signed punter Thomas Morstead to their practice squad after a tryout, per Cards Wire’s Howard Balzer. Tommy Townsend did not practice on Wednesday due to a knee injury, which could press Morstead into action right away in Week 8.