Titans open camp with starters JC Latham, Amani Hooker on PUP list

The Titans opened training camp with right tackle JC Latham and safety Amani Hooker on the physically unable to perform list, an early hit to continuity on both sides of the ball. The designation kept both starters under contract and in camp, but out of practice until they are medically cleared, and it immediately pushed depth-chart battles forward before Tennessee took a preseason snap.

Latham, a 2024 first-round pick from Alabama, had become a fixture on the offensive line after starting 13 games at right tackle last season. As a rookie, he made 17 starts at left tackle, giving the Titans a young cornerstone at a premium position. Hooker, a 2019 fourth-round pick, started 16 games last season and finished with 81 tackles and one sack. Losing both at the start of camp stripped Tennessee of a projected starter on the edge of the offensive front and another in the back end of the defense.

The move also signaled caution from the Titans as they began work at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville. PUP is often used to buy time for injured players without severing their place on the roster, and in this case the signal was that Tennessee was not interested in rushing either starter back into drills. Paul Kuharsky posted that Latham and Hooker were “short term injuries” and “expected to be on the field soon.” Ian Rapoport wrote that both “should be back on the field soon as they recover from spring injuries.”

That timeline matters because camp is where timing, communication and conditioning are built. Latham’s absence affects pass protection and line cohesion, where one missed rep can alter the way a unit sets protections and handles stunts. Hooker’s absence has a similar effect in the secondary, where safety communication often sets the tone for coverage checks and run support. Every practice they miss gives backups more time to work with the first unit and gives coaches a longer look at reserve options in live camp settings.

The roster churn around camp reinforced that reality. Around the same time, Tennessee signed tackle Zachary Thomas and released lineman Ryan Hayes, another reminder that injuries at the start of camp can open jobs quickly. For the Titans, the immediate concern was not only recovery, but how long the team would have to answer key questions at right tackle and safety without two established starters on the field.