Final preseason snaps loom as roster pressure intensifies. Discover which bubble players, including a former local college star, face the chopping block before Sunday’s looming deadline.
The Tennessee Titans have their final preseason game just one day before the NFL deadline to make roster cuts.
Every NFL team must trim its 90-man roster down to 53 players by 5 p.m. CT on Sunday. Fringe players to make the roster have one more chance to impress this Titans coaching staff and show why they belong.
The Titans wrap up the preseason with the Chicago Bears at Nissan Stadium on Saturday night. Robert Saleh is still using the starters for at least the duration of the first half. He said that the plan is for them to be on the field for anywhere from 20 to 25 plays in the first half.
With the deadline coming up, I went through and thought of players I think are the most likely choices to be cut and end up not making the roster.
I picked four Titans players who I think are going to be searching for a new NFL team after Sunday.
Here are my picks:
QB Hendon Hooker
You could feel the excitement in the air on social when the Titans announced that they were signing former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker to the roster.
After Hooker's career ended at Tennessee, the Detroit Lions took a chance on him. He was still recovering from the ACL tear he sustained late in his senior season and didn't make his NFL debut until late in the 2024 season.
He came in for Jared Goff during a blowout victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Hooker has never really gotten the chance to start, and he won't with the Titans either, sadly. Even if the Titans keep more than three quarterbacks, I think Hooker would be more likely to be on the practice squad than the active roster.
It was hard to pick between Hooker and Will Levis as the most likely cut candidate. I think Levis has a better shot at making the roster than Hooker does.
WR Bryce Oliver
The Titans have had a trend of taking a chance on undrafted free-agent wide receivers in recent history.
There have been Mason Kinsey, Xavier Restrepo, and Bryce Oliver. The Titans added two more UDFA receivers to the 90-man roster: Hank Beatty and Tyren Montgomery.
Things look very different in the receiver room compared to last year. Oliver had a chance to play with the lack of quality depth there.
At the beginning of last season, Cam Ward's starting receivers were Calvin Ridley, Van Jefferson, and Tyler Lockett. Jefferson underperformed and was out of the starting lineup. Then, Lockett was traded at the deadline.
After that, the starting receivers were Ridley, Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike. Oliver played in three games last year.
Now, there's Wan'Dale Robinson, Ridley and Carnell Tate in position as the starters. Dike and Ayomanor are probably going to be the first names called off the bench. Lance McCutcheon and K.J. Osborn are now in the mix, too.
It's going to be very hard for Oliver to make this roster with how crowded things are at receiver.
CB Keydrain Calligan
Now, let's look at two defensive cut candidates.
Keydrain Calligan joined the Titans last year after previously spending time with the Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts.
Calligan played in two preseason games for the Seahawks and was later signed to the Colts' practice squad.
So far, he's played in zero regular-season games, which is why I don't see him making the roster.
On top of that, the cornerback room is getting crowded. Alontae Taylor, Cor'Dale Flott, and Marcus Harris are going to start. Joshua Williams, Mario Goodrich, Corey Mayfield Jr., Jalen McMurray, and Erick Hallett are all competing for a spot.
Calligan doesn't have the NFL experience that some of those guys do.
LB Dorian Mausi
Dorian Mausi is another former undrafted free agent who joined the Titans.
He first came into the league after signing with the Minnesota Vikings in 2025. He was later waived and was claimed by the Titans.
He played in 17 games for the Titans last year, but mainly on special teams. Realistically, that's probably his only hope of making this roster.
With James Williams Sr. having a good training camp, and Mohamoud Diabate and Anthony Hill Jr starting to come into their own, Calligan is going to have a tough hill to climb.
If he does make the roster, special teams coordinator John Fassel will have something to do with it.
