Tennessee Titans Wednesday Injury Report: Cunningham Gearing Up to Face Former Team
NASHVILLE – Zach Cunningham is able to return to action in good enough health to face the Houston Texans. At least that’s how it looks.
Cunningham participated in full practice Wednesday for the Tennessee Titans. The inside linebacker was participating in a full workout for the first time since his injury to his elbow in Week 3 against Las Vegas. The issue caused him to miss three games and the final part of the victory against the Raiders.
He still was listed on the week’s first official NFL injury report, which included 13 players for Tennessee (more than twice the number for Houston), but his progress toward good health was notable development, particularly since his primary replacement, Dylan Cole (hamstring) and the other starter at inside linebacker, David Long (groin) were limited participants. Other notable Titans included quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s ankle, defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons’s ankle, center Ben Jones’ knee and Bud Dupree’s outside linebacker (hamstring). Tannehill, Simmons and others did not participate. Jones and Dupree, who have recently been released from a hip injury suffered, were not able to participate.
Cunningham joined Titans in December after being claimed off waivers. He had apparently escaped Houston. A second-round pick by the Texans in 2017, he was a starter for four-plus seasons, and he led the league with 163 tackles in 2020 after having signed a four-year, $58 million contract extension prior to the season.
Houston put him on the bench twice and suspended him once after he violated 2021 team rules before releasing him. According to reports, he repeatedly was late for meetings and failed to show for a mandatory COVID-19 test.
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Cunningham started the final four games for Tennessee last season and capped that stretch with a nine-tackle performance against the Texans. To date, that remains his high for regular-season game with the Titans (he had 10 stops in the playoff loss to Cincinnati).
In two-plus games this season, Cunningham registered 15 tackles, one quarterback pressure and one pass defensed.
The complete Titans-Texans injury report for Wednesday:
TENNESSEE
Did not practice: FB Tory Carter (neck), DT Jeffery Simmons (ankle), QB Ryan Tannehill (ankle) and OLB Rashad Weaver (back). Limited participant LG Aaron Brewer, ILB Dylan Cole and LS Morgan Cox (ankle), RG Nate Davis(foot), OLB Bud Dupree and C Ben Jones (knee), respectively. Full participant: ILB Zach Cunningham, (elbow), and ILB Joe Jones, (knee).
HOUSTON
Did not practice: DL Maliek Collins (chest), WR Nico Collins (groin), WR Brandin Cooks (not injury related) and DL Jerry Hughes (not injury related). Limited participant OL Kenyon Green and OL Justin McCray. Full participant: none.
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