Titans roster cuts, live tracker as team gets to 53 players

2:06 pm CT

Bryce Oliver has been informed of his release, source confirms

Nick Suss

Another player who the Titans might’ve had on their 53-man bubble isn’t making the squad. A source confirmed to The Tennessean that WR Bryce Oliver has been informed he’ll be released. That leaves the competition for last receiver on the team down to Xavier Restrepo and K.J. Osborn, though the answer could still be either of them or both of them.

1:59 pm CT

Will Levis waived, per report

Nick Gray

Will Levis is being waived, Netflix and The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero reported on Aug. 30.

1:50 pm CT

A bit of a surprise: Malik Herring cut

Nick Suss

Per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Titans are cutting DE Malik Herring. Herring was a strong contender for the 53 man roster and probably the biggest surprise of the afternoon so far. This leaves a spot open as the fifth edge rusher on the team for someone like Truman Jones, who impressed in the preseason games but seemed to usually lag behind Herring on the depth chart.

1:05 pm CT

Expected Titans cuts start to trickle in

Nick Suss

Per Sports Illustrated: NFL Draft’s Justin Melo, the Titans are parting ways with some of the bottom-of-roster long shots who never really had much of a chance. This list already includes:

1:01 pm CT

D’Ernest Johnson not making the cut

Nick Suss

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the Titans are cutting RB D’Ernest Johnson, a late camp add who helped with depth as the Titans dealt with injuries to Kalel Mullings and Nick Singleton. Mullings, Julius Chestnut and Michael Carter are the running backs competing for bottom-of-the-roster jobs and potential spots on the practice squad.

12:48 pm CT

Cordell Volson on the way out

Nick Suss

The Titans are releasing offensive lineman Cordell Volson, per a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Volson was a favorite to win the Titans’ starting right guard job in training camp but fell to third in the pecking order behind Fernando Carmona Jr., and Jackson Slater as camp drew on.

12:32 pm CT

Titans depth chart refresher

Nick Suss

Not that any of these players are expecting to be on the chopping block for cut day today, but it’s probably worth refreshing our memories on what the Titans’ starting depth chart is expected to look like, with a couple of positions where competitions/rotation should be expected:

Quarterback:Cam Ward’s the starter. Mitchell Trubisky is the backup.
Running back:Expect Tony Pollard to be the starter but for Tyjae Spears to get roughly equal touches. Nick Singleton has earned the right to be involved, but not as heavily.
Wide receiver:Carnell Tate, Wan’Dale Robinson and Calvin Ridley are the pretty clear top options, though Elic Ayomanor made a solid case for himself as the No. 4 this camp.
Tight end:Gunnar Helm and Daniel Bellinger will both be used plenty, but Helm will be the “starter.”
Offensive line:From left to right ― Dan Moore Jr., Peter Skoronski, Austin Schlottmann, Fernando Carmona Jr., JC Latham. No real questions anymore, even if the start of training camp might’ve had some mystery in the middle.
Defensive line:Jeffery Simmons, John Franklin-Myers and Jermaine Johnson II will start and be heavily used. The rest of the front will consist of rotational elements including Jacob Martin, Femi Oladejo and Keldric Faulk off the edge and Solomon Thomas and Jordan Elliott in the middle.
Linebacker:Cody Barton, Cedric Gray and James Williams Sr., project to start the year as starters, but Anthony Hill Jr., is developing quickly.
Defensive back:Alontae Taylor, Cor’Dale Flott and Marcus Harris are the starters at cornerback, with Kevin Winston Jr., and Amani Hooker manning the safety room. Expect Tony Adams to play plenty at safety and nickel.

11:36 am CT

Keep up with the whole league

Nick Suss

Click here for USA TODAY Sports’ full tracker of NFL cut day moves, trades and more. There’s plenty going on across the league, with several candidates who could be potential waiver claim or practice squad options for the Titans coming available.

10:44 am CT

More QB movement, not including Will Levis

Nick Suss

The Miami Dolphins have reportedly traded for former Packers QB Kyle McCord, filling one of the spots they created by parting ways with Quinn Ewers and Cam Miller. This trade gives the Packers a backup QB familiar to Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan, both of whom came from Green Bay.

The Jaguars have also reportedly released backup QB Nick Mullens after trading for Ewers, putting another veteran QB with starting experience on the open market.

The McCord trade is reported per ESPN and the Packers will receive a 2028 sixth-round pick per the reported terms.

10:13 am CT

Titans training camp surprises

Nick Suss

Some of the players who aren’t on the bubble at all for the Titans right now include linebacker James Williams Sr., and guard Fernando Carmona Jr., both of whom seemed to win starting roles in training camp despite coming into the summer as perceived long shots. We can also say that, because of how the depth has shaken out at some positions where the Titans are thinner, it’ll be a bit of a surprise to see someone like TE David Martin-Robinson or CB Micah Robinson be released.

On the other side of things, there are some veterans who signed with the Titans in the offseason and started off fast given the nature of their experience but might be cut candidates as the day goes on. That list includes OG Cordell Volson, OT Austin Deculus, WR K.J. Osborn and LB Mohamoud Diabate.

9:12 am CT

NFL waiver order, explained

Nick Suss

In case you’re curious as cut day news starts trickling in, the Titans sit at No. 4 in the NFL waiver claim order and will through at least the first three weeks of the season. This means the Titans will have fourth dibs on any and every waiver-eligible free agent who is released today. The waiver order at this point in the season corresponds to the pre-trade draft order, so the Titans can be outbid on claims by the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals. But if any other team below the Titans submits a claim on a player the Titans claim, the Titans will be awarded that player.

Anyone claimed on waivers is required to be signed to the active roster, meaning the Titans will have to cut someone from their initial 53-man squad to make space for any incoming waiver claims.

8:28 am CT

Movement in the QB market

Nick Suss

The Miami Dolphins are reportedly waiving QB Cam Miller, per ESPN. This comes one day after the Dolphins traded away backup QB Quinn Ewers, leaving them without a true option at backup quarterback. Could this be a landing spot for Will Levis? And how does that end up stacking up the reunion potential with Levis and Malik Willis manning the same quarterback room again? Levis isn’t the only potentially-tradeable quarterback, with former first-round pick J.J. McCarthy another who could potentially be on the move. There are also veterans like Mason Rudolph and potential developmental options like Anthony Richardson to consider. But Levis is fascinating to think about.

7:55 am CT

News around the league: Gervon Dexter traded

Nick Suss

According to ESPN, the Bears are giving up defensive tackle Gervon Dexter in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for cornerback Clark Phillips III and a fifth-round draft pick. Remember: This time of year, trade assets almost always go for less than you think they would. Dexter, for example, started 32 games with 11 sacks from the interior in the last two years, and now he’s being shipped off for a late-round pick and a corner who played in one game last year.

6:30 am CT

Titans position battles for cut day

Nick Suss

Let’s go across the roster and ask which players are the likeliest to be cut:

QB:Hendon Hooker isn’t going to make the 53-man roster. Will Levis is about as much of a maybe as there can be. The team would have every reason to keep him for trade bait, but also would have every reason to let him loose and save the roster spot for someone who’ll actually contribute on special teams.
RB:The last few roster spots are going to come down to how much the Titans value Kalel Mullings, Julius Chestnut and Michael Carter. Special teams coordinator John Fassel has been pretty clear that he values Chestnut as one of the best special teams players he’s ever coached.
WR:If the Titans keep six receivers, the last spot will be a choice between Xavier Restrepo, Bryce Oliver and K.J. Osborn. There’s a world where the Titans only keep five receivers, though.
TE:Kylen Granson and Joel Wilson are the depth pieces who could be TE4 with Jaren Kanak on IR.
OL:Austin Deculus and Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson are the competitors for the swing tackle spot. We’ll see if the Titans choose to keep both of them to have four tackles or if they opt to be deeper at guard and end up keeping both Cordell Volson and Jackson Slater.
DL:Rookie Jackie Marshall hasn’t been seen all too much, but he’s still a draft pick.
DE:Malik Herring and Truman Jones should be competing for DE5.
LB:Let’s see what happens with Mohamoud Diabate, James Williams Sr., and Dorian Mausi. Maybe all get kept. Maybe not.
CB:Micah Robinson and Joshua Williams should be safe. After that point, we’ll see if Keydrain Calligan gets kept too.
S:Erick Hallett II, Jerrick Reed and Kendell Brooks are tough to differentiate.

6:00 am CT

Titans defensive roster: Full list

Nick Suss

Here’s a look at the position-by-position list of Titans defensive players heading into cut day:

DT:Jeffery Simmons, John Franklin-Myers, Solomon Thomas, Jordan Elliott, Khalen Saunders, Jalyn Holmes, Jackie Marshall, Timmy Horne, Earnest Brown IV, Laki Tasi
DE:Jermaine Johnson II, Jacob Martin, Keldric Faulk, Oluwafemi Oladejo, Malik Herring, Truman Jones, Tanoh Kpassagnon
ILB:Cody Barton, Cedric Gray, Mohamoud Diabate, James Williams Sr., Anthony Hill Jr., Dorian Mausi, Mani Powell, Reid Carrico, Dyonate Johnson
CB:Alontae Taylor, Cor’Dale Flott, Marcus Harris, Micah Robinson, Joshua Williams, Keydrain Calligan, Mario Goodrich III, Jalen McMurray, Corey Mayfield Jr.
S:Amani Hooker, Kevin Winston Jr., Tony Adams, Kendell Brooks, Erick Hallett II, Jerrick Reed II, Derrick Canteen, Bishop Fitzgerald

5:06 am CT

Titans offensive roster: Full list

Nick Suss

Here’s a look at the position-by-position Titans offense heading into cut day:

QB:Cam Ward, Mitchell Trubisky, Will Levis, Hendon Hooker
RB:Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears, Julius Chestnut, Nick Singleton, D’Ernest Johnson, Michael Carter, Kalel Mullings
WR:Carnell Tate, Wan’Dale Robinson, Calvin Ridley, Chimere Dike, Elic Ayomanor, Bryce Oliver, Xavier Restrepo, K.J. Osborn, Lance McCutcheon, Mason Kinsey, Hank Beatty, Tyren Montgomery, Courtney Jackson
TE:Gunnar Helm, Daniel Bellinger, David Martin-Robinson, Kylen Granson, Joel Wilson
OT:Dan Moore Jr., JC Latham, Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, Austin Deculus, Aamil Wagner, Zachary Thomas, Rasheed Miller
OG:Peter Skoronski, Fernando Carmona Jr., Cordell Volson, Jackson Slater, Drew Moss, Garrett Dellinger
OC:Austin Schlottmann, Andre James, Pat Coogan