NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee right tackle Jack Conklin will start the season on the active roster after the Titans waived 35 players and placed two others on injured reserve to reach the NFL's 53-man limit.
The Titans announced their roster moves Saturday, a couple hours before the league's afternoon deadline.
Conklin tore his left ACL on Jan. 13 in a divisional playoff loss in New England, and he spent the preseason on the physically unable to perform list, raising questions about how much of the season he might miss. By not starting the season on the PUP list, the tackle will be available whenever he's deemed ready to play instead of sitting out the next six weeks.
"I would just say that Jack is progressing and doing well," Vrabel said Friday.
Veteran Dennis Kelly filled in at right tackle for Conklin through the offseason and preseason. But the starting job is Conklin's after he was the eighth draft pick overall in 2016 out of Michigan State before having an All-Pro rookie season . Conklin is just the fifth player to start his first 32 games as a draft pick of this franchise since 1999.
The Titans open the season Sept. 9 at Miami.
Coming off a second straight 9-7 season and the team's first playoff victory in 14 years , the Titans currently have four undrafted rookies on the roster. Cameron Batson of Texas Tech is the sixth wide receiver and is joined by offensive lineman Aaron Stinnie of James Madison, linebacker Sharif Finch of Temple, and defensive end Matt Dickerson of UCLA.
The Titans waived offensive lineman Xavier Su'a-Filo, a veteran signed this offseason to add experienced depth .
They also waived quarterback Luke Falk, who had been the fourth and final member of Tennessee's small draft class . The QB from Washington State played the Titans' final preseason game, a 13-3 loss to Minnesota, and Falk was 13 of 24 for 114 yards. But the Titans also added veteran Blaine Gabbert to back up Marcus Mariota.
Tennessee placed receiver Devin Ross and punter/kicker Austin Barnard on injured reserve. The Titans also waived undrafted rookie linebacker Robert Spillane, who led the team and ranked seventh in the NFL with 24 combined tackles this preseason.
