George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA Today Network
Three Placed on PUP List Ahead of Training Camp
Three injured players – two who were hurt on the same day – will not be healthy enough for the start of training camp, the Tennessee Titans announced Saturday.
Linebacker Monty Rice, tight end Tommy Hudson and kicker Caleb Shudak were placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. All three will continue with the rehabilitation process but cannot participate in practices until they are cleared medically and returned to the ative roster.
Rookies and injured players were scheduled to report for training camp on Saturday. The full squad is set to report on Tuesday, and the first on-field practice will be Wednesday.
Rice, the first of Tennessee’s two third-round picks in the 2021 draft (92nd overall), played eight games (four starts) as a rookie before an Achilles injury sent him to injured reserve, where he spent the final five weeks of the campaign. Before he was hurt, he made 30 tackles including a team-high 10 against New Orleans in his second start.
The expectation is that – when healthy – he will be the primary backup to starters Zach Cunningham and David Long at inside linebacker this season.
Hudson and Shudak were injured on June 7 during one of this offseason’s final organized team activity (OTA) sessions. Hudson was carted off the field with an apparent leg injury, and Shudak appeared to have an issue with his kicking leg following a field goal attempt.
Hudson, undrafted out of Arizona State in 2020, made his NFL debut last season and had three receptions for 31 yards in five appearances. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound blocking specialist spent six weeks on injured reserve in October and November and returned to IR in December, which officially ended his season. He spent all of 2020 on the practice squad.
Shudak signed with the Titans this year after going undrafted. He made 24 of 28 field goals last season at Iowa and figured to compete with veteran Randy Bullock for the job as placekicker.
