Titans’ Sweat Placed on IR, Missing Four Games Due to Injury

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans will be without starting defensive tackle Jeffery Sweat for at least four games after placing him on injured reserve Saturday. Sweat suffered an ankle injury during the team’s season-opening loss to the New York Giants.

The 6-foot-4, 366-pound lineman missed last week’s game against the Buffalo Bills and was a limited participant in practice throughout the week. He had already been ruled out for Week 3’s matchup against the Indianapolis Colts after missing practice on Friday.

In addition to Sweat, the Titans will also be missing three other starters: right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere, right guard Daniel Munyer, and cornerback Kristian Fulton, all inactive for the game against the Colts. Last season, with both Sweat and fellow defensive lineman Jeffrey Simmons on the field, the Titans’ defense allowed an average of 4.3 yards per carry, ranking as the 10th fewest in the league.

However, when either Sweat or Simmons are absent, the team’s defense struggles significantly. Without both players, the average jumps to 5.2 yards per carry, the highest mark in the NFL. The Titans have struggled on defense, especially against the run, which poses a concern as Colts running back Jonathan Taylor once rushed for 218 yards against them in their last matchup.

To address Sweat’s absence, veteran defensive tackle D.J. Reader will take on additional responsibilities. The Titans elevated defensive tackle Kene Nwangwu from their practice squad to fill the gap left by Sweat. In addition, linebacker Monty Rice was also elevated to the active roster as part of standard gameday practices.

With right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere out due to a hip injury, the Titans will continue to utilize Carter Ojukwu as their starter on the right side. Ojukwu’s promotion to the active roster avoids the three-game elevation limit for practice squad players, indicating the Titans plan to use him extensively in the coming weeks.