Long Snapper Added to Practice Squad
The Tennessee Titans have made sure they won’t be short a long snapper on Tuesday.
Monday, Matt Overton was signed to the practice squad.
The 35-year-old is an experienced snapper who has 100 games of NFL experience and was a Pro Bowler in 2013, but has not played in more than a year. He was Indianapolis’ long snapper for 80 games (2012-16) and Jacksonville’s for 20 games (2017-18).
His last appearance was Dec. 30, 2018. Recently, he has worked as a real estate agent in Indianapolis.
He also has a direct connection to the Titans through inside linebackers coach Jim Haslett. Before he caught on in the NFL, Overton was a member of the United Football League’s Florida Tuskers in 2009, and Haslett was his head coach.
As a member of the practice squad, Overton is eligible for promotion to the active roster, if needed.
The Titans’ long snapper, Beau Brinkley, was removed from the COVID-19 reserve list and added to the active roster. He has performed that job for Tennessee in every game since the start of the 2012 season.
Coach Mike Vrabel said last week that there is no alternate long snapper on the active roster.
Brinkley was one of the first three players to test positive during the current COVID-19 outbreak. The spread of the virus caused the NFL to postpone two Titans’ games and to keep them out of action long enough for those players get back to health.
Positive tests were returned for Brinkley, nose tackle DaQuan Jones and practice squad tight end Tommy Hudson on Sept. 29 and the three were placed on the COVID-19 reserve list. Jones was returned to the active roster on Sunday along with Brinkley. Hudson last week was suspended six weeks for violation of the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing drugs.
