Where does Tennessee turn next after losing Dylan Lewis for the season?
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Volunteers are just four weeks into the 2026 season, and yet the injury bug has already begun to plague them.
After losing safety Edrees Farooq for the season in training camp was followed by season-ending injuries to special teamer Joakim Dodson and star tight end Ethan Davis, the injuries continue to pile up for Tennessee.
While running back Javin Gordon has already missed the past two games with a leg injury, now offensive guard Wendell Moe Jr.’s status is in the air.
After sustaining an injury against Texas, Moe never returned, and his presence as an elite run-blocker was clearly missed, as the Volunteers would go on to average just 1.59 yards per carry.
Unfortunately for Tennessee, the defense continues to be ravaged by injuries as well.
It was announced Monday that defensive back Dylan Lewis will miss the remainder of the season with a foot injury.
This marks the second season-ending injury to a safety this season, stretching the Tennessee secondary remarkably thin.
Though the Volunteers boast tremendous depth at cornerback, with Ty Redmond and Tre Poteat III being supported by transfers Qua Moss and Kayin Lee, the safety position is less secure.
Perhaps the most important piece for Tennessee becomes Dejuan Lane, who joined the Volunteers in the offseason as a transfer from Penn State.
Needing no acclimation to the Jim Knowles defense, Lane has made an early impression on Rocky Top, as he totaled three passes defended, to go along with a pick six in the Volunteers’ win against Georgia Tech.
He has also totaled eight tackles, proving his ability as an open-field tackler in the defensive backfield.
Pairing Lane with Michigan transfer T.J. Metcalf allows the Volunteers to add to an already elite secondary, though without notable depth, the Volunteers are now one injury away from utter disaster.
The only other Volunteer safety with notable SEC experience is Sidney Walton, who came to Tennessee last season as a three-star recruit from Moody High School in Moody, Ala.
The good news for Tennessee, though, is that Walton’s skill set is similar to that of Dejuan Lane.
Though he lacks the turnover creation ability that Lane possesses, he is more than capable as an open-field tackler, and will likely serve as a supporting presence for a Tennessee linebacker corps that is yet to address their tackling struggles from a season ago.
Luckily for the Volunteers, Lewis will still have three seasons of eligibility following the 2026 season, allowing for flexibility at the safety position down the line.
For now, though, Tennessee will look to Lane, Metcalf, and Walton to fill the void left behind by Farooq and Lewis.
