Titans Place Guards Fernando Carmona, Jackson Slater On IR

Guard Garrett Dellinger and running back Michael Carter were promoted from the practice squad to the active roster in corresponding moves. The Titans also signed guard Nick Broeker, defensive back Jakob Robinson, and linebacker Owen Pappoe to their practice squad.

Carmona, 24, went down on Tennessee’s opening series and was carted to the locker room. The initial scene looked concerning, but the rookie avoided a worst-case outcome with an ankle sprain that is expected to cost him a few weeks, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Week 8 will be the earliest he can return.

Carmona was one of the bigger surprises of the Titans’ summer. He beat out Slater and veteran Cordell Volson for the right guard job in training camp and started each of the team’s first three games. He allowed four pressures and zero sacks across 63 pass-blocking opportunities, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but logged a 55.3 run-blocking grade.

Slater filled in for Carmona, but went down with a foot injury of his own that head coach Robert Saleh characterized as “pretty significant” on Monday, according to ESPN’s Turron Davenport. The Titans have not set a timeline for Slater, but it would not be surprising if he misses well beyond the four-game minimum. Tennessee selected him out of Sacramento State with the No. 167 overall pick last year, and he appeared in 12 games without a start as a rookie. Sunday was his first appearance of the 2026 season.

The two placements leave the Titans very thin on the interior. Peter Skoronski and Atonio Mafi were the only healthy guards on the active roster before Dellinger’s promotion, and it looks as if either Mafi or Dellinger will be the starting right guard for now, per longtime Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky. Mafi has made seven career starts across stints with the Patriots, Colts and Raiders and has the edge in terms of experience. Dellinger, a Ravens seventh-round pick last year, was claimed off waivers from the Browns with three games left last season. He appeared in just one game as a rookie.

The timing could hardly be worse for an 0-3 team. The Titans travel to Baltimore to face the 2-1 Ravens on Sunday and will have to do so with a patchwork offensive line. It would not be a surprise to see Tennessee look outside the building for more veteran guard depth before then.