–Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews, unhappy with his limited role since returning from a knee injury, has asked the club for and apparently will be granted his release.
The news was first reported by Austin Stanley of TitanInsider’s sister site, AtoZSports.com. Matthews was absent from Wednesday’s practice for what head coach Mike Vrabel termed, “personal reasons.”
Matthews, who caught 118 passes the previous two years, missed much of the team’s offseason work with an Achilles injury and then had his knee scoped in early August, causing him to land on the physically unable to perform list throughout the greater part of training camp.
During that time, Matthews, whose contract was set to expire in 2019, negotiated a one-year extension with the club that would keep him in Tennessee through next season. He negotiated that deal by himself, as he parted ways with his long-time agent Steve Caric a short time before that.
Matthews told TitanInsider in an exclusive interview last week about not being happy with his role since returning from the injury. He indicated in the interview that he felt he was 100 percent healthy, and when asked about his playing time in the first two weeks of the season, he replied, “I don’t know. Not enough, in my opinion.”
“I’ve been the leading receiver for two years,” Matthews told AtoZ. “Then all of a sudden I’m barely playing and not even starting. Using my injury as the scapegoat. Look at number of snaps and targets.”
Matthews had 36 snaps in the opener in Miami and 28 in week two against Houston. He had 31 snaps against Jacksonville, giving him 95 for the season. He has been targeted six times.
He has lost playing time to a trio of young receivers – Corey Davis, Tajae Sharpe and Taywan Taylor. His primary role this season was to fill in as a punt returner on a couple of occasions when regular return man Adoree’ Jackson has been dinged up with injuries.
–Add Titans linebacker Brian Orakpo to the list of NFL players who are not fans of the league’s policy on roughing the passer calls.
“It’s definitely frustrating. As a pass rusher myself, it’s frustrating to watch these penalties being called, especially the ones where it’s on the sack,” Orakpo said. “I think Clay (Matthews) had one where he sacked the quarterback, and they still called it. Those are the ones that are completely outrageous to me. But it’s a new league and it’s a new era. The young guys are going to get used to it, but it’s something that the old guys are going to have to get used to, and are going to have to adjust.”
The Titans have picked up a new slogan for 2018, called “For the Boys.” Left tackle Taylor Lewan is one of the originators of the phrase.
“This whole team, we play for each other. We play for the boys, and I think it’s something everybody can get behind,” Lewan said.
Head coach Mike Vrabel even kidded Lewan about the slogan after there was video of the Titans left tackle throwing up on the sideline before the game in Jacksonville. Vrabel said he sent Lewan a text, asking if that was “for the boys?”
Lewan on Wednesday said, “That was definitely not for the boys. I was not feeling so hot actually.”
There was some concern that the vomiting might have been related to Lewan’s concussion that caused him to miss the week before. But he insisted that was not the case.
BY THE NUMBERS: 1 — The Titans have one touchdown pass in three games this season – an 18-yard play from Blaine Gabbert to Taywan Taylor.
