Titans Sign Former First-Round Pick To Practice Squad


Takkarist McKinley was once a high profile, first-round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons, going No. 26 overall back in 2017, and while he's no doubt had a solid NFL career, he has struggled to stay healthy over the past few seasons, as 2020 and 2021 saw him appear in just eight games for Atlanta and the Cleveland Browns. During his first three years in the league, McKinley logged 16.5 sacks for the Falcons, but since that point, his struggles have seen him go from a valuable piece of a defensive line to a potential depth piece, and today, his NFL career was re-ignited.

The Tennessee Titans, who have dealt with several injuries along the front seven this off-season have signed McKinley to the practice squad, and given his experience in the league, if he can stay on the field, it's hard to imagine a world where he doesn't become a valuable part of this team going forward. 

The Titans suffered a shock loss to the New York Giants in Week 1, and given the talent on this team, they should be competing for a Wild Card spot and the AFC South crown, and while McKinley isn't going to push them over the edge, his signing is going to go a long way for a team that has been ready to make a long playoff run for a few years now. 

Photo Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports