Jerome

Baker

The Browns needed some experienced linebacker depth and have found it in the form of 28-year-old Baker. A 2018 third-round pick of the Dolphins, 2024 was Baker’s first season outside Miami. He ended up making five appearances for each of the Seahawks and Titans, arriving in Nashville via an October trade. He’s essentially a warm body, but signing in March as opposed to April or May boosts his 53-man roster odds.

Baker was dealt to the Titans last season in a trade with the Seahawks and wound up appearing in five games for them. He appeared in a combined 10 games last season while making eight starts and has started 90 of the 104 games he’s appeared in during his career. Baker totaled 61 tackles, two sacks, and two TFLs last season. He’s typically been used as a passing-downs linebacker because of his speed.

With RB Tony Pollard (ankle) active, the Titans’ main inactive concerns lie on the defensive side of the ball. Roger McCreary (shoulder) was downgraded to a limited practice on Friday and will miss his second straight game. Jerome Baker (neck) returned to practice this week, but will also miss another game. The Titans defense has a tall task against the super-powered Bengals offense for Week 15.

The Titans’ inactives list contains multiple injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Though CB Chidobie Awuzie (groin) is returning and DT T’Vondre Sweat (shoulder) is active, CB Roger McCreary is out with a shoulder injury. Linebackers Kenneth Murray (hamstring) and Jerome Baker (neck) are also out for Week 14 against the Jaguars.

“That was tough to watch and really unfortunate but he was playing well,” Callahan said after Gibbens rode a cart off on Sunday in a cast. It’s possible this injury lingers into next year. A 2022 UDFA, Gibbens had made 14 and 15 tackles the last two games as a starter and carried a 83.2 PFF grade. Jerome Baker, who came over in the Ernest Jones trade with the Seahawks, picked up as Tennessee’s other inside linebacker next to Kenneth Murray.

The Titans, in fire sale mode amid another lost season, are clearly looking to acquire future draft picks. They dealt Jones to the Seahawks after trading for him in the summer. Jones will join a Seattle defense graded by Pro Football Focus as the NFL’s 15th best unit. Baker, in his seventh NFL season, had 30 tackles and two tackles for a loss this season in Seattle.

Seahawks S Julian Love (thigh) is also questionable, though multiple defenders appear ready to return. LB Jerome Baker (hamstring), LB Uchenna Nwosu (knee), EDGE Leonard Williams (ribs) and LB Derick Hall (hip) enter the game without injury designations.

Williams is one of five Seahawks front-seven defenders who have been unable to practice on both Thursday and Friday this week. The Seahawks play on Monday night. Rookie DT Byron Murphy II (hamstring) is expected to miss multiple weeks and LB Uchenna Nwosu (knee) has yet to take a regular season snap, although he was spotted wearing pads on Wednesday, before the official practice week began. LB Jerome Baker (hamstring) and LB Boye Mafe (knee) also remain sidelined.

Baker surely would have liked to suit up against his former team but the Seahawks are evidently playing things conservatively. Baker joined practice in a limited capacity on Thursday and his Friday status has yet to be released. He has a good shot at suiting up for Week 4 against the Lions.

Mafe led a lengthy injury report for the Seahawks front seven. He was a new addition with a knee injury and would be a crucial missing part after starting the season with two sacks in two games. LB Uchenna Nwosu (knee) remains out with an MCL sprain while LB Jerome Baker (hamstring) and DE Leonard Williams (knee) also did not participate in practice. The good news is that LB Derick Hall (hip) was limited and LB Tyrel Dodson (shoulder) and DT Jarran Reed (knee) were full participants. It is still early in the week, but Mike Macdonald’s defense hopes to get back key contributors before Week 3 against the Dolphins.