NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Demond King, the cornerback the Titans acquired on Monday to help a beleaguered secondary, will play for them Sunday against the Bears despite not practicing all week.
Because of COVID-19 protocols, King was limited to Zoom meetings with the team through the practice week and only joined the team Saturday when the team's work amounts to a light walk-through.
Photo courtesy Los Angeles Chargers
Mike Vrabel said Friday there was a big determination to be made about how effectively King could plugin without having done real work with the rest of the secondary and defense. [Unlocked]
"Here's where my thought is: if you had an edge rusher that you said, ‘Hey, line up on the righthand side and go beat the tackle and go win,’ that would be one thing," Vrabel said. "Now you're involved in coverage, which involves other people and checks.
"We have to be comfortable with that, and that's not fair to him to be able to ask him to do everything that maybe the guys (that) have been here are doing. That may change (Saturday) when we’re able to see him and talk to him and truly evaluate what he knows. So, that's the thought process."
Ultimately the Titans decided King would fit despite minimal work with his new teammates. Circumstances certainly factored in. The Titans' thinness at the position dictated the trade that sent a sixth-rounder to Los Angeles in the first place.
Adoree' Jackson didn't practice Thursday or Friday and all indications are he will not be activated out of his three-week return window.
Jackson's facing a Wednesday deadline, but he can be activated off of IR and still be inactive weekly until he's ready if he needs more time to return from the knee injury he suffered the week before the season opener.
Vrabel said the injury is not something that will cost the team's top cornerback the season.
Kristian Fulton (knee) is on IR and also absent from the secondary currently.
Against Chicago Sunday, the Titans will go with Malcolm Butler, King, Tye Smith (if he can play with a shoulder injury that has him listed as questionable), Kareem Orr and seventh-round rookie Chris Jackson at cornerback.
Special teams ace Chris Milton is a corner but the Titans do not look to him for defensive snaps.
They could also dip into the practice squad, where Breon Borders and Maurice Smith reside.
[Update 3:45 pm CT: The Titans made their Saturday moves. Adoree Jackson was not activated, Tye Smith went on IR and Breon Borders was elevated from the practice squad.]
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