Rice Quickly Added to Active Roster

NASHVILLE – Monty Rice had three weeks to convince coaches that he was ready and able to contribute to the Tennessee Titans defense.

He did not need nearly that long.

The second-year inside linebacker was removed from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list and added to the active roster on Saturday, which means he will be available to play Sunday against the Washington Commanders. He filled a spot created when rookie wide receiver Treylon Burks was placed on injured reserve with a toe injury.

Rice, a third-round pick in the 2021 draft, missed all of the offseason and training camp as he recovered from an Achilles injury that ended his rookie season last November. He appeared in eight games (four starts) and made 30 tackles including a team-high 10 against New Orleans in his second start, before he was injured.

Rice was designated for return to practice this week, which opened a three-week window during which he could be on the field and practice but not count against the active roster while coaches evaluated his fitness and his understanding. Apparently, they liked what they saw in this week’s three workouts.

“I think he looks good,” defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said prior to Thursday’s practice. “He’s moving around good. Fresh legs. He’s been working on his own with … the training staff to get back, going through different drills.”

The Titans (2-2) will be without starting inside linebacker Zach Cunningham for the second straight game when they face the Commanders (1-3). Dylan Cole started in Cunningham’s place last week at Indianapolis and split time with Joe Schobert.

Joe Jones, a depth player at inside linebacker and a key contributor to special teams, is also out this week because of injury.

Cole and Schobert are available again (Schobert is a standard elevation from the practice squad for the second straight week), and Rice’s return gives coaches the full complement of players at that position. Whether Rice is ready to play meaningful snaps on defense or simply fill Jones’ special teams role (he made six special teams tackles as a rookie) remains to be seen.

“I think he had a good understanding – schematically – of what we were asking him to do (when he got on the field),” Bowen said. “It’s just going to be about taking it from the meeting room to the field and all the little details and techniques that come with truly being able to execute a call. That’s something he’s going to have to continue to work at.”