Titans place QB Ryan Tannehill, LB Bud Dupree on IR, promote 3 to roster

The Tennessee Titans placed quarterback Ryan Tannehill, OLB Bud Dupree and LB Zach Cunningham on IR, the team confirmed on Thursday. Tannehill, Dupree and Cunningham will miss the remainder of Tennessee’s season. When it rains, it pours.

There were some rumors that Tannehill was attempting to return for Tennessee’s Week 18 do-or-die season-finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars. This move ends that possibility. The Titans are starting Josh Dobbs at quarterback against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, our Justin Melo was first to report. It will either be Dobbs or Malik Willis against the Jaguars next weekend.

Dupree has been injury prone since arriving in Tennessee. This likely his ends his tenure as a Titan. The Titans could save approximately $10 million against the 2023 cap by releasing Dupree this offseason, per Spotrac.

Cunningham is another likely cap casualty. The Titans could save approximately $9.250 million by releasing Cunningham, per Spotrac. Hopefully David Long Jr. is activated off IR for Week 18. Long and Monty Rice could form a solid duo in Cunningham’s absence.

The Titans also promoted OLB Sam Okuayinonu, RB Jonathan Ward and ILB Andre Smith to their 53-man roster from the practice squad. Okuayinonu is an undrafted rookie free agent from Maryland. Ward and Smith will replace Derrick Henry and Cunningham against the Cowboys.

The Titans also elevated DL Jayden Peevy and OL Zack Johnson from the practice squad to the active game-day roster.