Tuesday Injury Report: Long's Absence Likely to get Longer

After having missed the last five games, the team's second-leading tackler has been unable to take part in practices this week.

NASHVILLE – Anytime a Tennessee Titans player is injured, coach Mike Vrabel refuses to put a timetable on his recovery and potential return to action.

The uncertainty can mean some incongruity in how those players are handled.

Take the case of inside linebacker David Long. He did not participate in Tuesday’s workout as preparations for Thursday’s contest against the San Francisco 49ers continued. The same was true on Monday, which makes it a virtual certainty that he will miss a sixth straight game due to a hamstring injury.

Three others – wide receiver Julio Jones, left tackle Taylor Lewan and defensive lineman Larrell Murchison – also have missed each of the last two workouts.

In the time since Long’s last appearance, Nov. 7 against the Los Angeles Rams, high-profile players such as Jones and linebacker Bud Dupree went on injured reserve and returned to the active roster. The same could be true this week of wide receiver A.J. Brown and cornerback Chris Jackson, who were designated for return to practice on Monday.

During that time, Jayon Brown and Zach Cunningham have each started in place of Long, who is still second on the team with 66 tackles.

“You kind of get down the road where you think that if you are not putting a timeline on any injury, you are not really sure,” Vrabel said. “We have been able to manage the roster without having to put him on injured reserve.”

The complete Titans injury report for Tuesday:

TENNESSEE

Did not practice: WR Julio Jones (hamstring), LT Taylor Lewan (back), ILB David Long (hamstring) and DL Larrell Murchison (knee). Limited participation: none. Full participation: RB D’Onta Foreman (ankle), CB Jackrabbit Jenkins (ankle), RT David Quessenberry (knee), LG Rodger Saffold (shoulder) and DL Teair Tart (ankle).