The Tennessee Titans have had a big question mark at the linebacker position the entire offseason, and concerns over the position have only grown in the past few days.
Head coach Brian Callahan gave a pair of bad injury updates on his linebackers on Monday, with Callahan revealing that linebacker Chance Campbell, who had been sensational all offseason, is out for the year with a torn ACL.
Adding to that, fourth-round pick and linebacker Cedric Gray, who missed all of the preseason with an injury, has a nerve-related issue in his shoulder and there is no timetable for his return.
The Titans are set to start Kenneth Murray and Jack Gibbens, but neither one of those players are certain to get the job done. And, the Titans have question marks behind those two, with guys like Otis Reese, Luke Gifford and James Williams likely to serve as the backups to start the season if Gray can't go.
Luckily, there is a good option out there available on the trade market if the Titans want to bring in outside help. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Los Angeles Rams have granted linebacker Ernest Jones IV permission to seek a trade after the two sides couldn't come to an agreement on a contract extension.
“We had communication with his representation, there’s been some dialogue with teams and that’s kind of where it’s at," head coach Sean McVay said of Jones. "These are parts of the profession and they’re not fun parts, but they are real parts that you have to acknowledge. Ernest is a pro in every sense of the word."
A former third-round pick of the Rams in 2021, Jones has started 33 of the 47 games he's played in during his career, including 15 in 2023, when he wore the green dot and was a team captain.
He also managed to take a big leap last year, posting career-best overall (82.1), run defense (90.0) and pass-rush grades (78.2), according to Pro Football Focus.
Jones, who tallied 145 tackles and 4.5 sacks in his third season, is a plus in coverage, as evidenced by his 62.5 grade in that department. For reference, that grade was better than what Murray (54.4) and Gibbens (61.3) posted.
Not only would the addition of Jones beef up the linebackers room, he would also immediately become a starter and serve as an excellent complement to Murray. And, he could prove to be a long-term solution, as he's only 24.
