While the Tennessee Titans have just about every starting spot spoken for ahead of Week 1 this Sunday, both return jobs remain up in the air.
We saw a slew of players try their hand at both jobs during the offseason, but some of those players either aren’t on the team anymore or are on the practice squad. Adding to that, the projected punt returner, wide receiver Kyle Philips, is on injured reserve.
Buy Titans TicketsFellow wide receiver, Kearis Jackson, saw several opportunities in the return game — both punts and kickoffs — in the preseason finale and should be considered the favorite for at least one of those roles.
When asked specifically about punt returner last week, head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t have an answer. I tried my best to find if anyone asked him about kickoff returns, but couldn’t.
Mike Vrabel doesn’t commit to a #Titans’ opening day punt returner.
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) August 31, 2023
Running back Julius Chestnut is listed in the top spot at kickoff returns on the team’s unofficial depth chart, but that has not been updated since final cuts.
Along with Jackson and Chestnut, rookie running back Tyjae Spears, who returned a kickoff in the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears and was mentioned as a candidate by special teams coach Craig Aukerman during the offseason, is likely also in the mix for one of those jobs.
The Titans should be releasing an updated depth chart at some point before the Week 1 game against the New Orleans Saints, so we should know for sure who the returners are ahead of Sunday.
