Rashaan Evans Ruled Out for Sunday
NASHVILLE – When the season started, it seemed as if the Tennessee Titans had an embarrassment of riches at inside linebacker.
One by one, though, those players have broken down.
The latest is Rashaan Evans, who on Saturday was ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. The 2018 first-round draft pick was added to the injury report Friday and listed as questionable with an ankle injury. A day later, it was determined that he could not go.
Evans’ absence ensures that once again the Titans will not have all their inside linebackers available, as has been the case in the vast majority of games this season.
Consider:
• David Long was inactive in Week 1 because of an injury.
• Jayon Brown was inactive in Week 2 with an injury and has been on injured reserve for the last three games. He was designated to return to practice this week but has not been added to the active roster.
• Rookie Monty Rice has been inactive for the last two contests because of an injury.
Evans and those other three all have been in uniform for just two games, Week 3 against Indianapolis and Week 4 against the New York Jets.
Ultimately, franchise officials have had to bolster that position group. Veteran Avery Williamson was signed two weeks ago and made his season debut with the Titans last Sunday. Joe Jones was added from the practice squad in Week 5, and special teams stalwart Nick Dzubnar has gotten a handful of snaps with the defense.
Evans has missed one game in his NFL career. He was unavailable in Week 1 of his rookie season and since has played 54 straight plus another four in the postseason.
In 2019, he was the Titans’ leader with 139 tackles. Through seven games this season, he is third with 37. He also has two quarterback pressures, one tackle for loss, one pass defensed, one interception and one fumble recovery. He and Kevin Byard are the only members of the defense with multiple takeaways.
