JC Latham Hits PUP List and the Titans’ Offensive Line Just Got a Lot More Complicated

The Tennessee Titans reported to training camp on Thursday and already the injury report is making noise. Offensive tackle JC Latham has been placed on the physically unable to perform list, which means the team’s cornerstone blocker isn’t ready to go. Safety Amani Hooker joins him on the PUP list, so it’s not just one headache for head coach Robert Saleh. It’s two.

Latham’s situation is the bigger concern by a long shot. The Titans drafted him seventh overall in 2024, and he stepped in immediately as a reliable run blocker. That’s a big deal for a team that just drafted quarterback Cam Ward in the second round. You don’t want your young QB running for his life before he’s even settled into the offense. But that’s exactly the kind of problem this creates.

What the PUP List Actually Means for Latham

Here’s where it gets tricky. Latham is on the active PUP list for now, which means he can be activated whenever he’s healthy. If he’s not ready by the end of training camp, he’d slide to the reserve/PUP list. That would force him to miss at least the first four games of the regular season. And even then, his return depends on the Titans opening his practice window. Same deal for Hooker.

The team hasn’t said what Latham is dealing with, which is typical this time of year. But the fact that he’s not practicing at all suggests it’s not a minor tweak. You don’t sit your first-round tackle for no reason.

Saleh Has Veteran Options but No Sure Things

Saleh isn’t walking into this blind. The Titans brought in Andre James this offseason, an eighth-year veteran who has starting experience. Austin Deculus is also in the mix, entering his fourth season. But neither of those guys is Latham. And the rookies — Rasheed Miller from Louisville and Aamil Wagner from Notre Dame — are raw. They might develop into something, but asking them to hold down a starting job in Week 1 is a gamble.

The Titans are in a weird spot. They’re trying to build something new with Ward at quarterback and Saleh calling shots. Latham was supposed to be the anchor on that offensive line, the guy who keeps Ward clean and opens holes in the run game. Now that plan is on hold, and it might not be back for a while.

For a team that’s still figuring out its identity, this is not the kind of uncertainty you want walking into camp.