NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee outside linebacker Harold Landry III tore an ACL in practice, leaving the two-time defending AFC South champion Titans without their reigning sack leader for the season, a person with direct knowledge of the injury told The Associated Press on Thursday.
ESPN reported Landry tore an ACL during practice Wednesday, which was closed to reporters after the first 20 minutes. The person confirmed the report to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Titans are not commenting on the injury.
Later on Wednesday, the Titans canceled Thursday’s scheduled practice for meetings and conditioning with no media availability. The team is off through Sunday.
Two-time All-Pro safety Kevin Byard called Landry one of the hardest workers he knows.
“We’ll hold it down for you this season, brother,” Byard wrote on social media. “I know you’ll come back stronger!
Landry was coming off the best year of his career with 12 sacks to earn his first Pro Bowl nod. That earned the 41st pick overall out of Boston College in the 2018 draft a five-year extension worth up to $87.5 million with $52.5 million guaranteed.
He helped the Titans tie for ninth last season with 43 sacks led by Landry. Tennessee was the only NFL team with at least three different players with at least eight sacks each. Landry had started every game for three straight seasons.
The defending two-time AFC South champs open the season Sept. 11 by hosting the New York Giants.
They do have outside linebacker Bud Dupree on the other side who got his own big deal in March 2021. Dupree said in June that he spent the 2021 season recovering from the torn ACL he injured in December 2020 and didn’t feel like himself until the Titans’ divisional playoff loss when they had nine sacks.
Tennessee also has linebacker Rashad Weaver, who broke a leg in the third game last season. He was the Titans’ fourth-round pick out of Pittsburgh where he was a consensus All-American.
The Titans used an NFL-record 91 players during the 2021 season, most ever for a non-strike season, with 26 placed on injured reserve. The number of players allowed to return from injured reserve is limited to eight this season.
The Titans did announce some roster moves, signing veteran wide receiver Josh Gordon to the practice squad along with tight end Kevin Rader. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Gordon has 4,284 yards receiving and 21 touchdowns over seven seasons with Cleveland, New England, Seattle and most recently Kansas City.
Gordon played in 12 games for the Chiefs last season with five catches for 32 yards and a touchdown.
Tennessee also moved receiver Cody Hollister to the roster while placing second-year receiver Racey McMath on injured reserve. McMath is eligible to return during the season. Tennessee also released receiver Reggie Roberson and tight end David Wells.
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