Tight End Becomes Latest to Agree to Futures Contract

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Titans signed tight end Jared Pinkney to a futures contract Wednesday.

The 23-year-old is someone the personnel department knows well given that he played college football nearby at Vanderbilt, where he was a two-year starter and one of team’s leaders over his final two seasons.

He becomes the 15th player and second tight end the Titans have locked up for their 2021 roster. They announced the signing of 14 others to futures contracts on Monday.

Pinkney considered whether to give up his final year of college eligibility and enter the 2019 NFL Draft, when he was considered one of the top tight end prospects available. The 6-foot-4, 260-pounder led all SEC tight ends with 50 receptions and was second with 774 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches as a fourth-year junior.

He ultimately decided to return to school but caught just 20 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns – the least productive season of his career – that fall. In four seasons with the Commodores, he caught 114 passes for 1,560 yards (13.7 yards per reception) with 14 touchdowns.

Undrafted in 2020, the Georgia native ultimately signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Falcons and spent the entire season on the practice squad. He was a gameday addition to the active roster for the Week 17 contest against Tampa Bay but ultimately was among the Falcons’ inactives that day.

Futures contracts do not go into effect until the start of the new league year in March.