Second-Year Safety Acquired in Trade

Tyree Gillespie was a fourth-round pick in 2021 by the Las Vegas Raiders. The Titans gave up a conditional 2023 selection to get him.

Update (3 p.m., CDT): The Titans formally announced the deal. To make room on the roster, tight end Briley Moore was released.

Original story

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Titans have tried to plug holes at safety since the start of training camp.

Tuesday, they found what looks to be a more permanent fix.

Tennessee acquired Tyree Gillespie from the Las Vegas Raiders in trade for a conditional late-round pick (seventh round) in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was a fourth-round pick by the Raiders in 2021 and played 11 games as a rookie with the majority of his playing time on special teams. He was credited with two tackles on defense and six on special teams.

Gillespie (6-foot, 207 pounds) becomes the fourth safety the Titans have added in less than a month. They brought back Josh Kalu three days before the start of camp and last week signed free agents Adrian Colbert and Elijah Benton (Benton was released Tuesday).

“It's been a thin position for us,” coach Mike Vrabel said Monday.

The early additions were meant to plug holes in the training camp roster so that no one would be overloaded in practice or in the preseason.

The decision to trade for Gillespie suggests that franchise officials expect him to be around beyond camp.

His arrival comes amid a continuing shortage of safeties. Starter Amani Hooker has been out for more than a week with an injury and rookie Theo Jackson, a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft, sat out workouts earlier this week. The Titans do not release specific injury information during training camp.

Gillespie’s first work with Tennessee will come in joint practices with Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which take place Wednesday and Thursday. The same teams will meet in a preseason game Saturday at Nissan Stadium.

Colbert, a sixth-year veteran, played more than half of the defensive snaps in last Thursday’s preseason loss at Baltimore despite having been with Tennessee for a matter of days. He was credited with three tackles.

“I liked his speed, man,” defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said. “You see him flying around. … It might be a credit to having some fresh legs, but he’s done a good job. He’s trying to learn.”

Now, he no longer is the new kid in class.