Titans place Walker on injured reserve
As feared, Delanie Walker is going to miss a significant chunk of time.
The Titans placed their three-time Pro Bowl tight end on injured reserve Monday after Walker suffered a gruesome ankle injury in the Titans’ 27-20 marathon loss Sunday to the Dolphins in Miami.
Titans coach Mike Vrabel called it a “leg injury” and said Walker would have surgery in the next few days. ESPN reported it was a broken ankle with ligament damage and that Walker is not expected to play again in 2018.
The Titans would not give a time frame for Walker’s return.
Walker went down awkwardly as safety TJ McDonald tackled him late in the fourth quarter. His right leg snapped back, and his ankle buckled before he began to writhe in pain.
Trainers immediately tended to him. Moments later, with a towel draped over his head, Walker was carted off the field with his right leg in an air cast.
“Disappointing because he puts a lot into it,” Vrabel said. “He plays hard. Been a productive player for us and somebody that I was excited to coach and be with. Hopefully we’ll see where he’s at after surgery and then re-evaluate his potential return.”
A sixth-round draft pick in 2006 by the San Francisco 49ers, Walker signed a two-year extension with the Titans in July worth $17 million. It runs through 2020, when Walker will be 36.
Jonnu Smith is now thrust into a critical role. The second-year tight end started 13 games last year and had 18 catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie.
Smith said he’s spoken with Walker since his injury.
“He was telling me, ‘Do you,’” Smith said. “He knows what I’m capable of doing. To hear it coming from him means a lot.”
Titans add tight end MyCole Pruitt
Also on Monday, the Titans signed tight end MyCole Pruitt to their active roster. Pruitt had been on the Texans’ practice squad.
A fifth-round selection by the Vikings in the 2015 NFL draft, Pruitt has 12 catches for 102 yards in 21 games of NFL experience with the Texans, Bears and Vikings.
The Titans also have tight ends Luke Stocker and Anthony Firkser on their 53-man roster.
Reach Erik Bacharach at ebacharach@tennessean.com and on Twitter @ErikBacharach.