National Football League

Injuries have derailed Titans, and they’re not good enough to overcome them

Updated Dec. 21, 2022 4:32 p.m. ET

Since last season, when the Titans were forced to use an NFL-record 91 players, coach Mike Vrabel says a lot has changed with the team's dealing with injuries and keeping players healthy.

The training camp schedule is less rigorous. All injuries are tracked — when they happen and how they occur, noting repeat offenders. Director of sports performance Frank Piraino even works with players during the week to get them to 90% speed so games aren't a shock to the body.

Despite these changes, and many others, Tennessee remains in injury hell — and it's not good enough to overcome them.

Through 14 games this season, the Titans (7-7) have already used 80 players. According to SpoTrac, Tennessee leads all teams with total players on injured reserve this season (28) and the second most on IR currently (17). In regards to players' 2022 contractual value, the Titans have the fourth most in total cash commitment on IR ($20.2 million), and the fifth most in current cap dollars ($37.2 million) and percentage of the 2022 salary cap (17.8) on IR.

"It's where we're at right now," Vrabel said Monday. "We'll continue to evaluate and try to get everybody as healthy as we can."

Ahead of their Christmas Eve showdown against the AFC South rival Texans (1-12-1), the Titans' initial injury report Tuesday reads like a CVS receipt. 18 players are listed, including 12 starters with injuries (star running back Derrick Henry didn't participate in Tuesday's walk-thru for non-injury related reasons).

Among them is quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who re-injured his right ankle in the first quarter of Sunday's loss to the Chargers. His status in a critical week for the team is in doubt.

"He'll work extremely hard to get back and find a way to make the game like he always has," Vrabel said. "We're never going to question his toughness or his willingness to get back and help us win."

Injuries are synonymous with football. They're unavoidable in a physical game.

Back-to-back seasons of injury ridiculousness, though, have left Titans players baffled, too.

"I don't really know the formula behind it, what we can do better to not get injuries," All-Pro safety Kevin Byard said Sunday. "I don't know. It's just very unfortunate."

Despite the health woes last season, the Titans still managed to earn the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed for the first time in 13 years (though they bowed out quickly with a stunning divisional-round loss to the Bengals).

But the 2022 Titans are not nearly as good and are far less talented, in the fight of their life with the Jaguars (6-8) for the AFC South after blowing a massive division lead amid their four-game losing streak.

Depending on injured players is playing with fire, but the sad state of the Titans mandates it. The way its season has unfolded, Tennessee will need every player that's injured and eligible to return back to avoid a disastrous end to 2022.

It's because the Titans have struggled against great teams, even at full strength. They're 1-6 against teams that currently have winning records, and that one win — at the Commanders (7-6-1) in Week 5 — came down to a goal-line interception with nine seconds left.

It's because of the Titans' offense, riddled with issues of personnel and playcalling. Tennessee has the worst late-game offense in the league. Through Week 15, the Titans are dead last with 75 points and a minus-83 point margin in the second half and overtime combined, according to TruMedia.

So it's good news that first-round rookie Treylon Burks, their most dangerous wide receiver, was a full participant in Tuesday's walk-through, a sign he's trending toward playing Saturday. He's been in concussion protocol since taking a big hit in the end zone on a touchdown reception in Week 13 against the Eagles.

Defensive lineman Denico Autry, the team's best pass rusher (seven sacks in 10 games), may also have a chance to play. He returned to practice last week from a knee injury suffered against the Packers in Week 11.

And if the Titans activate starting linebacker Zach Cunningham, who was designated to return to practice last week, they can bring one more player back from IR this season.

"We need everybody that we can get," Vrabel said. "Try to get everybody that we can get back healthy."

On Monday, Vrabel was asked about the challenge of sustaining the ‘next man up' mentality when it's several men up every week.

His response: the Titans have choice but to deal with it.

"You kind of have to put somebody in (the game)," he said. "Whether that's (cornerback) Greg Mabin. Whether that's (linebacker) Jack Gibbens. Whoever that is throughout the roster. Just trying to get guys that know what to do and be able to play fast and give ourselves a chance."

A chance in a season that doesn't look so promising anymore.

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Ben Arthur is the AFC South reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.