Cyprien has torn ACL, Titans may look at Eric Reid
Tennessee safety Johnathan Cyprien will miss the season with a torn left ACL, and coach Mike Vrabel says veteran Eric Reid is among the safeties the Titans want to look at as a potential replacement.
Cyprien left practice Wednesday after hurting his left knee during a noncontact play. He grabbed at his knee and then walked to the locker room with trainers, waiving off a cart. Cyprien, who signed a four-year deal last season, started 10 games after dealing with an injured hamstring.
“Devastated to tell you that after checking him out, he tore his ACL and he’ll be out for a year, which is tough for me as is a new head coach to watch guys work hard, extremely hard, in the offseason and care about the team and play hard and do everything that we’ve asked them to do and then not get a chance to experience the NFL season this year,” Vrabel said Thursday. The Titans have Kendrick Lewis, 30 and with his fourth NFL team, and Demontre Hurst among the other options at safety on the roster. Reid and Kenny Vaccaro, who played the last five seasons in New Orleans, are among veteran safeties currently unsigned.
Vrabel said the Titans have looked at Reid.
“I know we’re in the process of talking and trying to bring him in,” Vrabel said. “(GM) Jon (Robinson) and I will continue to discuss that and see where it goes. Yes, it’s a guy we evaluated and we’ll probably try to talk to his rep and see how many guys we can bring in here for a workout.”
Reid, one of the players who kneeled during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality, has been out of work since playing out his contract with San Francisco. Reid, 26, started 69 of 70 games with 10 career interceptions.
Reid said in March that he does not plan to protest during the anthem this season if signed by a team. He filed a claim this spring arguing he was unsigned as a result of collusion by NFL owners, and the NFL Players Association filed a non-injury grievance on Reid’s behalf in May.
The Titans already have All-Pro Kevin Byard at the other safety spot, with Logan Ryan, Adoree Jackson and free agent signee Malcolm Butler at cornerback for a unit that has its sights set on being the NFL’s best secondary. Ryan said at least the Titans have time to adjust.
“It tests our depth, but some of that’s been well-documented that we feel like we have good depth so it’s going to show it ...,” Ryan said. “This didn’t happen the day before the first game. It’s giving us time to work out the kinks. They might move me around a little bit and allow me to do more things in the secondary if need be and get more of our guys on the field.”