Titans’ Jordan Wilkins named a cut candidate by ESPN
After Derrick Henry went down with a serious foot injury, the Tennessee Titans inked multiple backs to help fill the void, at first signing guys like Adrian Peterson, Dontrell Hilliard and D’Onta Foreman.
Then, in December, the Titans brought in former Indianapolis Colt Jordan Wilkins, adding him to the practice squad as an emergency back.
Unfortunately for Wilkins he wasn’t needed on offense, as Foreman, who is no longer with the team, took control of the backfield and Hilliard assumed the role as the No. 2 behind him.
Wilkins did end up getting into one game for Tennessee, but played only on special teams, seeing 13 snaps in the Week 18 win over the Houston Texans.
Looking ahead to this coming season, Wilkins is hoping to secure a spot on the 53-man roster, but is on the outside looking in going into training camp.
And that’s something ESPN’s Turron Davenport agrees with, as he named Wilkins a cut candidate for the Titans.
Wilkins signed with the Titans in hopes of locking down the backup role to Derrick Henry after D’Onta Foreman inked with the Panthers. But Tennessee has a logjam at running back, with Dontrell Hilliard, Hassan Haskins and Trenton Cannon as the favorites to land roster spots. Wilkins doesn’t have the special teams prowess Cannon has and isn’t the same threat out of the backfield as Hilliard. Haskins is a big back who brings physicality when Henry isn’t on the field and is a natural pass-catcher. Wilkins needs to have an outstanding training camp to win a roster spot.
The Titans have a pair of locks at the position in Henry and Hassan Haskins, who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. Also, Dontrell Hilliard is a near-lock in our minds after what he did in 2021.
If the Titans decide to carry three backs, there won’t be any room for Wilkins. If the Titans carry a fourth, Wilkins figures to lose out against Trenton Cannon, who provides extra value with his special teams prowess.
As Davenport rightly points out, Wilkins will have to really shine at training camp in order to make the 53-man roster. His best bet to stay in Nashville will be to latch on to Tennessee’s practice squad after getting cut.
