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Injuries at wide receiver new challenge for the Titans and rookie QB Cam Ward
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans aren’t as thin at wide receiver now as they were at the end of Sunday’s game when only veteran Van Jefferson and practice squad regular Mason Kinsey were rookie Cam Ward’s options at that position.
The challenge now will be getting everyone on the same page.
“The only bad thing just the injuries that we dealt with, you kind of lose chemistry on guys just because they get caught up and you haven’t got a lot of reps,” Ward said Wednesday. “So that’s something that you got to get in practice.”
The Titans already had to adapt to veteran Tyler Lockett wanting to be released Oct. 22. Bryce Oliver was just put on injured reserve after missing essentially all season. Then veteran Calvin Ridley had a season-ending injury on his first play back from an injured hamstring.
Veteran Van Jefferson now is in Ridley’s spot in the starting lineup, joining a pair of Ward’s fellow draft picks in Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor ahead of Sunday’s game against Seattle (7-3). Yet both rookie receivers are dealing with injuries with Ayomanor not practicing Wednesday with a hamstring issue.
That’s why the Titans (1-9) promoted James Proche II to the roster Tuesday and added a couple of more receivers to the practice squad to bolster the unit. Wide receivers, such as Ward’s college teammate Xavier Restrepo at Miami, are practicing every position to be ready.
“Shoot after last week, we got to know everything,” interim coach Mike McCoy said of the receivers. “You never know when that’s going to come up.”
The Titans’ passing offense has been anemic at best this season. Ridley’s short season ended without a touchdown catch for the first time in his career with injuries limiting him to seven games. Jefferson just caught his first touchdown pass in last week’s 16-13 loss to Houston.
Tennessee is 30th in the NFL in averaging 163.6 yards passing per game and 31st with 4.93 yards per pass play. Ward has as many touchdowns (six) as interceptions.
Tight end Chig Okonkwo has the team lead with 33 catches, which is tied for 66th in the NFL. His 375 yards receiving are good for 75th in the league, and Ayomanor has the most TD catches with two. Jefferson, who started only two of the first 10 games, has 17 catches for 189 yards.
The Titans have a strong history of tight ends leading the team in receptions from the late Frank Wycheck to Pro Bowler Delanie Walker. Okonkwo had a 39-yard catch helping set up Ward’s TD pass to Jefferson, and the tight end said both he and rookie Gunnar Helm are ready.
“We’ve been, you know, kind of begging for this opportunity, asking for it all these weeks and we’re finally getting that chance to go out there and show it,” Okonkwo said. “So we’re definitely ready for it.”
Injury report
Ayomanor was among seven Titans who did not practice Wednesday. McCoy said RG Kevin Zeitler (back), OLB Jihad Ward, DT Jeffery Simmons (hamstring) were for rest. CB Darrell Baker Jr. (knee), S Kendall Brooks (concussion protocol), and S Xavier Woods (hamstring) were the others.
Dike practiced fully with a bruised chest. Okonkwo was limited with a foot.
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