Tennessee
Ernest Jones, ‘shocked’ by Rams trade, may be Tennessee Titans final piece in defense’s rebuild
Ernest Jones IV got off the Los Angeles Rams team plane on Saturday with no idea of what was about to happen.
“I’m just going to be completely honest: I was shocked. We got off the flight from Houston and then I got told that I would be traded,” Jones said Wednesday. “No bad blood. There wasn’t even any contract talks. We never even talked numbers. It was just ‘All right, y’all aren’t extending me, I’ll play this year out.’ I was under the impression I was going to finish this year in L.A. and then I’d move on. But you know, it happened earlier.”
What happened earlier was the Tennessee Titans traded a fifth-round pick in exchange for Jones and a sixth-round pick, adding depth to an inside linebacker room that sorely needed it. Just three days after being informed he’d be traded, Jones landed in Nashville — at 8:42 p.m., as he remembers it — and about 18 hours later he was practicing as a member of the Titans.
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In Jones, the Titans add a player who can stuff against the run and create havoc as a blitzer. His 145 tackles were the 11th-most in the NFL last season, and his 37 quarterback pressures were the most recorded by any inside linebacker. He joins a revamped room that also features former first-round pick Kenneth Murray Jr., who the Titans signed in March, and draft picks Cedric Gray and James Williams, as well as returning starter Jack Gibbens.
Murray’s starting job appears to be safe after the Jones acquisition. Gibbens’ job may not be.
“Ernest has to come in and earn the spot,” Titans general manager Ran Carthon said. “He hasn’t been here. It’s up for (Jones and Gibbens) to figure it out.”
Jones was a full participant in Titans practice Wednesday. He says he worked in all the individual drills and got a few reps in team activities, but that was his first exposure to the Titans’ system. He didn’t have a chance to study the team playbook before practice, and says the Titans are trying to “feed (him) in slow” as opposed to pushing him with too much too quickly. This approach tracks with the way the Titans handled safety Quandre Diggs’ acclimation process after signing him in early August, waiting a couple weeks before installing him in the starting lineup.
Jones didn’t practice much for the Rams this offseason, but he says that had less to do with any pain or discomfort he’s feeling due to a lingering knee issue and more to do with the Rams managing his health. “When they told me not to practice,” Jones said, “I didn’t practice. That was that.”
MORE TRADE THOUGHTS: What Malik Willis trade means for Tennessee Titans and quarterback picture
Now the priority for the Titans is getting Jones, and the linebacker room at-large, ready for Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. Gray is heading to injured reserve with a designation to return because of a recurring nerve injury that’s limited him in camp. Garret Wallow and Chance Campbell, the Titans’ No. 2 options at the start of training camp, are both on season-ending injured reserve. Backups Luke Gifford and Otis Reese IV are both recovering from time spent in the concussion protocol.
Jones is both the last piece in an offseason-long rebuild of the Titans defense that’s also included adding Diggs, Murray, cornerbacks L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie and defensive linemen Sebastian Joseph-Day and T’Vondre Sweat as potential starters and an added question mark for a defense trying to figure out what it’ll look like when the season begins on Sept. 8.
None of this was in the plans for Jones, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t in good spirits.
“If you look from top to bottom, there’s some really good ballplayers on that side of the football,” Jones said. “I’m really excited about what we can do when we go out there and put it all on tape. That gets me excited coming into this building.”
ESTES: Tennessee Titans winning Super Bowl? It’s as likely as AJ Swann winning Heisman
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A bill moving through the Tennessee Legislature could reshape how pharmacies do business in the state, with CVS warning it could lead to widespread store closures.
The Tennessee Senate has passed legislation that would change the way pharmacies can operate. The proposal has been dubbed “the CVS bill” because it directly impacts the drugstore chain.
Under the bill, drugstores would no longer be allowed to negotiate prices directly with insurance providers or government programs. Instead, a third party would be required to step in.
The bill is now under debate in the House. CVS says the change would force more than 100 of its pharmacies to close across Tennessee, but lawmakers disagree.
Tennessee football star Jermod McCoy is the player who will likely hear his name called first from the Tennessee program in the upcoming NFL Draft. There are many teams he would fit well, but these three teams are the teams I believe he is the best fit with at this moment.
1. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are in need of a cornerback in the draft class, and they are likely to spend one of their first two picks on one. They are selecting at No. 12 and No. 20 in the draft as of now, and McCoy could hear his name called. He would be joining a decent group of cornerbacks, but he would be an immediate starter, likely alongside a later selection that they make with a cornerback.
It would be shocking if the Cowboys pass on him if they select at 12 and he is still on the board. McCoy would be an immediate starter and would be someone who could shut down a whole side of the field for the Cowboys early in his career.
2. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins is one of the better fits for Jermod McCoy, and it would make the most sense, as the Dolphins could use almost every position after a major haul of their players. They are in a major rebuilding phase and drafting at No. 11 leaves many to believe that McCoy could be in play.
McCoy would likely be their No. 1 cornerbakc the day he got to the franchise, and would have the chance to dominate the way he did in his one season on the field with the Vols. This selection would depend on who drops out of the first ten selections. If he is one of the better players remaining (highly likely) he very well could hear his name called at pick 11.
3. New York Jets
The New York Jets have the chance to be very good when it comes to the draft, as they are drafting at both No. 2 and No. 16. I believe they will be looking to get a cornerback with their No. 16 pick, which would make a lot of sense considering they had to get rid of Sauce Gardner.
McCoy would be the perfect replacement, as they could find themselves in one of the better situations on the defensive side of the football. He can shutdown a side of the field, and I would bet that he would be a great fit with the Jets because of that exactly.
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Tennessee
Nashville Sounds and Autism Tennessee partner to host inclusive Beyond the Label Day for local children
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — At a ballpark built for noise, there is space for something quieter.
During the Nashville Sounds’ “Beyond the Label Day,” kids are learning, playing and experiencing baseball in a way that works for them. Autism Tennessee volunteers stepped in to guide kids through sensory play designed to calm and focus.
From spinning toys to textured fidgets, these tools help turn overwhelming moments into manageable ones. Children engaged with the activities, pointing out shapes like a circle, noticing items like candies, and expressing how nice the experience was.
Adam English, general manager of the Nashville Sounds, said making space for everyone is the goal, even as the stadium announcer calls another Sounds strikeout.
“It’s important for us to raise awareness about autism, but also just make sure that First Horizon Park is an inclusive place for everybody” English said.
The Sounds stadium even has a sensory room for families at every game.
“There’s huge baseball fans that sometimes shy away because of loud crowds and we want to make sure every game out here available” English said.
For Autism Tennessee leaders like Jessica Moore, days like this are about more than awareness. They are about belonging.
“Typically events like this can be super overwhelming… so this is just a way for people to feel like they can come and still be successful” Moore said.
What are your thoughts on making sports venues more inclusive for all fans? Watch the video to see the sensory room in action, and share your experiences with me at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim Rafferty and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
Checking in on Cole: Gallatin rallies around teen battling brain tumor with prayer vigil
Austin Pollack brings us an update on a remarkable young man facing great odds, and his family has one simple request: pray for Cole. I believe in the power of prayer and hope you’ll join me in lifting up Cole and his family.
– Carrie Sharp
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