The Tennessee Titans still have a game to play this weekend.
The Titans (1-5) host the New England Patriots (4-2) at Nissan Stadium on Oct. 19 (noon CT, CBS). Amid all the off-field intrigue surrounding coach Mike Vrabel’s return to Nashville and coach Brian Callahan’s firing atop the Titans leadership structure, it’s easy to lose the details. But the Titans are dealing with some pretty serious injury issues, headlined by Calvin Ridley’s hamstring injury that limited him in the Titans’ most recent loss.
Titans interim coach Mike McCoy will address media and break down some of the team’s injury concerns on Oct. 15 and Oct. 17. The Titans will also release injury reports after each of their three full-team practices this week, leading to injury designations being assigned on Oct. 17.
Here are the latest injury updates ahead of Sunday’s matchup.
Calvin Ridley, WR, hamstring
The Titans’ No. 1 receiver exited early from the Titans’ loss against the Raiders with a hamstring injury, leaving QB Cam Ward without his primary target. He’d previously dealt with knee and elbow injuries that limited him before the team’s Week 5 game, but didn’t cause him to miss any game time. Hamstring injuries tend to be difficult to predict and liable to linger.
T’Vondre Sweat, DT, ankle
Sweat was placed on injured reserve ahead of the Colts game. The second-year defensive tackle will be eligible to return from IR this week if the Titans so choose to activate him or open his window for practice.
Joey Slye, K, right calf
Slye injured his kicking leg in-game in Week 5 against Arizona and didn’t practice or play last week. He was replaced by Matthew Wright, who was elevated from the practice squad and made his lone field goal and extra point attempt in Las Vegas.
Arden Key, OLB, thigh
Key didn’t practice or play ahead of Week 6 with a thigh injury initially sustained the week prior. The Titans elevated outside linebacker Ali Gaye from the practice squad for extra depth at the position.
Blake Hance, OL, shoulder
Hance has missed the last couple of weeks with a shoulder injury. Without Hance, the Titans’ primary depth pieces on the interior offensive line are Jackson Slater and Corey Levin.
Bryce Oliver, WR, knee
Oliver has missed about a month with a knee injury. He’s been working his way back through practice in a limited capacity in recent weeks, but he hasn’t returned to his role as a primary special teams player yet.
Which Titans are on injured reserve?
In addition to Sweat, the Titans also have outside linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo, running back Kalel Mullings and safety Mike Brown on injured reserve. Mullings is the closest to returning on his timeline.
Tennessee Titans depth chart
- QB: Cam Ward, Brandon Allen
- RB: Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears, Julius Chestnut
- WR: Calvin Ridley, Elic Ayomanor, Tyler Lockett, Van Jefferson, Chimere Dike, Bryce Oliver
- TE: Chig Okonkwo, Gunnar Helm, David Martin-Robinson
- OT: Dan Moore Jr., JC Latham, Oli Udoh, Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson
- OG: Peter Skoronski, Kevin Zeitler, Blake Hance, Jackson Slater
- C: Lloyd Cushenberry III, Corey Levin
- DT: Jeffery Simmons, Sebastian Joseph-Day, James Lynch, Shy Tuttle, C.J. Ravenell
- ILB: Cody Barton, Cedric Gray, James Williams Sr., Dorian Mausi
- OLB: Dre’Mont Jones, Arden Key, Jihad Ward, Jaylen Harrell, Ali Gaye
- CB: L’Jarius Sneed, Roger McCreary, Darrell Baker Jr., Marcus Harris, Jalyn Armour-Davis, Samuel Womack III
- S: Amani Hooker, Xavier Woods, Quandre Diggs, Kevin Winston Jr., Kendell Brooks
- S/T: Morgan Cox, Johnny Hekker, Joey Slye
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin’ Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Titans vs Patriots injury update on Calvin Ridley, Joey Slye, T’Vondre Sweat
