Titans place Rodger Saffold on COVID list, Taylor Lewan to miss Week 16 with back injury

The Titans’ two most experienced offensive linemen will miss Thursday night’s game. Rodger Saffold landed on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, while Tennessee also ruled out Taylor Lewan due to injury.

A 2019 free agent addition, Saffold has been the Titans’ left guard starter in 44 of a possible 47 games over the past three seasons. He practiced fully on Monday and Tuesday but will be scratched for Week 16.

Lewan is down because of a back injury. The Titans’ longtime left tackle did not practice this week. This will be the eighth-year blocker’s third absence this season. Lewan finished last season on IR, missing 11 games.

This will certainly add to the Titans’ issues on offense. They have been without Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown and Julio Jones for most of the past month and change. However, Brown has a chance to come back to face the 49ers on Thursday. The Titans designated him for return from IR earlier this week. Jones, despite leaving another game early because of his recurring hamstring issue, does not have an injury designation and will suit up against San Francisco.