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Turron DavenportESPN
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Titans wide receiver Julio Jones will miss at least three games after being placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury Saturday.
After not appearing on the injury report this week for the first time since Week 4, Jones tweaked his hamstring during Thursday’s practice and sat out Friday. He had been dealing with a hamstring injury since Week 3 that caused him to miss three games.
The AFC-best Titans (7-2) play the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Tennessee acquired Jones and a 2023 sixth-round pick from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-round pick. Trading for Jones was supposed to provide a complementary receiver to budding star A.J. Brown.
Jones has caught 21 passes for 336 yards through six games this season. He played 42 snaps in last Sunday’s victory over the Rams — his highest snap count since tweaking the hamstring in Week 3.
The Titans will turn to second-year receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine to step in for Jones. Westbrook-Ikhine has 15 receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns this season. Tennessee also signed rookie wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick to the active roster from the practice squad.
In corresponding moves, the Titans activated cornerback Kristian Fulton from injured reserve and placed safety Dane Cruikshank on injured reserve.
The Titans had already lost NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry for an unspecified length of time due to a right foot injury that required surgery. Sources told ESPN that he’s expected to miss the rest of the season.