Friday Injury Report: Jonnu Smith Won't Play vs. Cleveland
NASHVILLE – Geoff Swaim’s role has been the same since he joined the Tennessee Titans.
His responsibilities, on the other hand, can change on a week’s notice.
As the fourth tight end on the roster, Swaim fills in as needed for any of the top three. This week, that means he must take the place of Jonnu Smith, who on Friday was ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns at Nissan Stadium due to a knee injury.
Smith is the Titans’ third-leading receiver with 30 catches for 338 yards and tops all NFL tight ends with eight touchdowns (seven receiving, one rushing).
“It’s always tough when you lose a guy,” Swaim said. “Everybody has to kind of step up and take on different roles. For me, it will be doing some stuff that I don’t normally do, whether it’s two-tight-end sets or one-tight-end sets.
“It’s really just doing what you’re asked and hopefully during the course of the year you’ve been preparing to take those reps.”
Swaim has played in six of the Titans’ first 11 games. In five, he took the place of MyCole Pruitt, who sat out two because he was on the COVID-19 reserve list and the last three due to a knee injury. Swaim has six receptions (49 yards), twice as many as Pruitt but well short of Smith’s number.
Signed as a free agent in mid-August, less than a month before the start of the regular season, he was inactive for the first three games but figured his time would come. And it has.
“I’ve been in that position before where I’ve been the second or third guy up and guys go down, so you have to step in,” Swaim said. “So, I’ve had that experience of preparing to play, and that goes a long way to getting me ready. … I’m always prepared to go in there and do what’s asked of me.”
Cornerback Adoreé Jackson, who has yet to play this season, and rookie tackle Isaiah Wilson are the only other players Tennessee has ruled out for Sunday.
The complete Titans-Browns injury report for Friday:
TENNESSEE
Sunday status
Out: CB Adoreé Jackson (knee), TE Jonnu Smith (knee) and T Isaiah Wilson (illness). Questionable: G Rodger Saffold (ankle) and DT Jeffery Simmons (knee).
Others
Full participation: FB Khari Blasingame (shoulder), WR A.J. Brown (hip), TE Anthony Firkser (not injury related), RB D’Onta Foreman (knee), WR Adam Humphries (concussion), T Dennis Kelly (knee), OLB Harold Landry (illness) and TE MyCole Pruitt (knee).
CLEVELAND
Sunday status
Out: WR KhaDarel Hodge (hamstring), WR Taywan Taylor (neck) and CB Denzel Ward (calf). Questionable: C Nick Harris (ankle) and DT Vincent Taylor (knee).
Others
Full participation: DT Jordan Elliott (knee), RB Kareem Hunt (thigh), WR Jarvis Landry (knee), S Sheldrick Redwine (knee) and G Wyatt Teller (calf). Limited participation: T Jack Conklin (knee), and C J.C. Tretter (knee).
