Replacing Elliott, and What Comes Next at Defensive Tackle

The Titans cut Jordan Elliott five games into his tenure after a practice altercation that reportedly escalated toward a firearm — a situation the organization moved on quickly and, by all accounts, unanimously. Head coach Robert Saleh said publicly he'd encourage other teams to sign Elliott, which is notable: the release was about the incident, not the player. The NFL is reviewing the matter separately.

That's the off-field piece. The on-field piece is a mid-season hole at defensive tackle. Keldric Faulk leads the depth chart there, with Oluwafemi Oladejo and Nazir Stackhouse behind him. Whether that's enough snaps and enough push against Cleveland's interior in Week 7 is a real question. Coverage has already flagged three candidates who could help fill the vacancy, though none have been signed as of this writing.

The timing is awkward. Calvin Ridley is listed as questionable for Week 7, so the Titans are potentially short on both sides of the ball heading into a game they need. They're 1-5, three games back of the last wild card, with 11 left. There's still math. But losing a defensive tackle to a conduct release while a receiver is banged up is not the week you want to be sorting through the waiver wire.

My read: the interior depth was thin before Elliott arrived, and it's thinner now. The front office will need to add someone before the Browns game, or lean heavily on what's already in the building. Neither option is comfortable.