Friday Injury Report: Lewan, Three Others Ruled Out
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NASHVILLE – Todd Downing served notice of what was to come.
During his regular weekly media session Thursday, the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator effectively said that Dennis Daley would be the starting left tackle for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Friday, it became official. The Titans ruled out Taylor Lewan because of a knee injury. As a result, Daley will fill in as he did Monday at Buffalo after Lewan was injured on Tennessee’s first offensive play.
“I’m really excited to see what (Daley) does with a full week of preparation,” Downing said. “He played hard. Obviously, … there are some things he would like to different, and with a week of preparation I’m excited to see how he plays.”
Also ruled out were outside linebackers Bud Dupree and Ola Adeniyi and defensive back Ugo Amadi.
Dupree, Adeniyi and Amadi also were injured in the 41-7 loss to the Bills.
How coaches deal with those absences, particularly those at outside linebacker remains to be seen.
Daley, however, is a no-brainer as Lewan’s fill-in. A sixth-round pick by Carolina in 2019, he has started 21 games in his career, 13 of them at left tackle. The Titans acquired him in a trade with the Panthers at the end of the preseason to be their primary backup at both tackle spots.
He is likely to get some help from tight ends and running backs along the way, though. Tennessee coaches have talked all week about the potential for Raiders defensive ends Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones to disrupt things.
“Whether you’ve got a full complement or whoever you’ve got on the offensive line, those are some tough matchups [with edge rushers] sometimes,” Downing said. “So, we’re always looking for ways to do what’s best in protection.”
The complete Titans-Raiders injury report for Friday:
TENNESSEE
Did not practice: OLB Ola Adeniyi (neck), DB Ugo Amadi (ankle), ILB Zach Cunningham (knee), OLB Bud Dupree (hip) and T Taylor Lewan (knee). Limited participation: WR Kyle Philips (shoulder). Full participation: DL Denico Autry (not injury related), WR Treylon Burks (ankle) CB Kristian Fulton (hamstring), RB Dontrell Hilliard (hamstring) and ILB Joe Jones (hamstring).
Sunday status – Out: Adeniyi, Amadi, Dupree and Lewan. Doubtful: Philips. Questionable: Cunningham.
LAS VEGAS
Did not practice: RB Josh Jacobs (illness), LB Denzel Perryman (ankle) and WR Hunter Renfrow (concussion). Limited participation: DT Neil Farrell (shoulder), C Andre James (concussion), FB Jakob Johnson (hamstring), S Tre'Von Moehrig (hip) and DT Bilal Nichols (shoulder). Full participation: RB Brandon Bolden (hamstring) and T/G Jermaine Eluemunor (hip).
Sunday status – Out: Perryman and Renfrow. Questionable: Eluemunor, Jacobs, James, Moehrig and Nichols.
