Don’t sleep on Titans LB Garret Wallow and his 53-man roster chances
One lesser-known Titans linebacker could throw a wrench into a crowded position room
When discussing the Tennessee Titans’ off-ball linebackers for this coming season, the focus centers on Kenneth Murray, Jack Gibbens, and Cedric Gray. Understandably so. Murray was a free-agent addition, Gibbens appears to be a returning starter, and Gray is a rookie fourth-round pick.
From there, most Titans fans discuss the likes of Otis Reese IV and James Williams. Reese IV is entering his sophomore season after flashing down the stretch of the 2023 campaign as an undrafted free agent, and Williams is a rookie seventh-rounder that’s transitioning from safety to linebacker.
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Garret Wallow is a veteran linebacker that deserves more attention. You may not even recall that he’s on the roster. The Titans initially signed Wallow off the Houston Texans’ practice squad on December 20, three days after losing to the Texans in overtime.
Wallow then featured in Tennessee’s final three regular-season contests. He totaled 48 snaps in a rotational role, totaling six tackles and three stops. Pro Football Focus credited Wallow with rock-solid tackling grades of 73.3 and 78.2 against the Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars in Weeks 16 and 18. His overall defensive grade was in the acceptable mid-60s-range for all three of his performances.
Wallow can flat-out play. The former TCU Horned Frogs defender totaled 287 tackles, 32.5 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks across three college football seasons (2018-2020) as a starter. Wallow then posted an impressive Relative Athletic Score of 8.13 during the pre-draft process.
Wallow entered the league as a fifth-round pick of the Texans in 2021. Several members of Mike Vrabel’s 2023 staff were familiar with him, including linebackers coach Bobby King, and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly. Their departures shouldn’t have a large impact on Wallow’s 53-man roster chances.
Murray, Gibbens, and Gray are locks for Brian Callahan’s 53. Are we entirely sure Reese and Williams should feel as secure? Reese must continue building on the momentum from last season, and Williams was one of the final selections in the 2024 NFL Draft, one that is undergoing a position change. That hardly guarantees him a 53-man roster spot.
