Titans part ways with five players among seven roster moves

The Tennessee Titans made a total of seven moves on Sunday afternoon with the deadline for final cuts just a few days away on Tuesday, Aug. 31.

The team announced that it has placed running back Brian Hill on Injured Reserve and center Ben Jones on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Jones is the eighth player on the COVID-19 list, and the ninth placed there since last Monday.

Jones’ placement on the COVID-19 list means he won’t count against the 53-man total should he stay there through the final cuts deadline. Tennessee can carry another player in Jones’ spot until he’s activated.

In addition, Tennessee parted ways with five players, including releasing outside linebacker John Simon and safety Clayton Geathers, and waiving defensive back Nate Brooks, linebacker Cassh Maluia, and defensive lineman Freedom Akinmoladun.

With these moves, the Titans are now down to 72 players on their current roster. They must be down to 53 by Tuesday at 3 p.m. CDT.

The biggest surprise of the moves made was the waiving of Simon. Granted, it wasn’t an earth-shattering kind of surprise, but a surprise nonetheless, as Simon worked fairly high in the outside linebacker rotation.

His departure is a great sign for fellow outside linebackers Ola Adeniyi and Derick Roberson.

Hill’s injury, which happened during Saturday night’s preseason finale versus the Chicago Bears, fully opens the door for running back Mekhi Sargent to make the cut if the Titans carry a fourth back.