With both Fernando Carmona and Jackson Slater headed to injured reserve, Tennessee promotes Garrett Dellinger and Michael Carter to navigate a suddenly depleted offensive depth chart.
As we know, Tennessee Titans right guard Fernando Carmona is set to be out for the next few weeks with an ankle injury.
Carmona went down with the injury just a couple of plays into the Titans' opening drive of the game in Week 3. The Titans would've had the ball earlier, if it hadn't been for Chimere Dike's fumble on the opening kickoff after the New York Giants deferred.
Instead, the Titans had to wait for the defense to get a stop to finally get their first possession on offense.
Carmona went down, and based on how his teammates reacted, it didn't look good. Jackson Slater came in and finished out the game, but it was later revealed that he had sustained a significant foot injury.
On Tuesday, Titans insider Jim Wyatt revealed that Carmona and Slater were both going to the injured reserve, meaning that they will miss at least the next four games.
Wyatt also reported that the Titans were elevating guard Garrett Dellinger and running back Michael Carter to the active roster from the practice squad.
This is a brutal injury for Carmona and Slater.
Carmona won the starting right guard job in the preseason after beating veteran Cordell Volson. Slater was finally going to get his chance to play meaningful minutes for the Titans are not starting in a single game during his rookie season.
Dellinger joined the Titans last year.
He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens out of LSU in the 2024 NFL Draft. He didn't make the 53-man roster and was waived, joining the Cleveland Browns' practice squad.
Dellinger was elevated to the active roster for one game towards the end of last season and was then waived.
The Titans claimed him off waivers. He was set to become an exclusive-rights free agent and re-signed with the Titans instead.
Now, he's going to have a chance to start for the Titans at right guard.
Carter is in his first season with the Titans but is familiar with head coach Robert Saleh. The two were together at the New York Jets from 2021-23. Carter played a little over half a season with Saleh in 2023 before joining the Arizona Cardinals.
The other option that the Titans have to fill right guard is new arrival Atonio Mafi. Mafi joined the Titans on Sept. 11 off waivers.
Mafi started his NFL career with the New England Patriots after they drafted him in the 2023 NFL Draft. He played in 17 games with five starts on the offensive line but was then waived during roster cuts the following year.
He joined the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad and was elevated to the active roster for three games in 2024. He was re-added to the practice squad later that year and was waived by the Colts.
Mafi had a stint on the Las Vegas Raiders' practice squad last year. He was elevated to the active roster for three games with two starts
Mafi has more experience than Dellinger, but the former LSU product has had more time with the team than he has. So far, those are the options the Titans are going with through this rough stint.
Additionally, the Titans have signed offensive lineman Nick Broeker, defensive back Jakob Robinson and linebacker Owen Pappoe to the practice squad. Broeker spent last season with the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Broeker gives the Titans another option to use on the offensive line if they want to call him up. Pappoe was with the Titans earlier this year after being claimed off waivers and then waived again recently to make room for Erick Hallett.
Robinson was with the San Francisco 49ers last year and was waived during final roster cuts in August.
We'll have to wait and see who the Titans decide to start to face the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4.
