What Titans April Fools Roster Moves mean
Daniel Kucin Jr./AP
On April Fools’ Day, the NFL suddenly became extremely active, with teams signing depth pieces all around the league, but no team was as prominent as the Tennessee Titans. On Wednesday, the team made four free agency moves to help improve their depth for the season and compete for jobs. Let’s take a deep dive into all four players and what they can bring to the organization.
Hendon Hooker, Quarterback
Hendon Hooker is back in Tennessee! The former Volunteer signed with the Titans as the fourth quarterback on their roster. The former second-round pick now gets the chance to compete to be the backup to Cam Ward; however, he will likely fall to the practice squad after the team cuts down to a 53-man roster in August.
If this tells the fanbase one thing, though, it is that the Will Levis era in Tennessee is over. Rumors of trading him and giving him a fresh start elsewhere have been spread all offseason, and now the team has brought in more talent that will likely serve as the emergency quarterback for the team this season. Levis will likely be traded before or on draft night.
Hooker showed lots of promise in college, where he led Tennessee to its best season in recent memory before tearing his ACL late in the season in a loss to South Carolina. The team peaked as the number one-ranked team in the country and had 11 wins as Hooker found himself named the SEC offensive player of the year. The potential in him was high, but his injury stunted his career. If it comes down to it, the team can do far worse than Hooker as a third string.
K.J. Osborn, Wide Receiver
K.J. Osborn was a fifth-round pick in 2020 who was a serviceable weapon for the Minnesota Vikings for a three-year span. In that time, he put up about 1850 yards and 15 touchdowns while being behind both Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen on the depth chart.
His career would hit a sharp downward trajectory after his contract expired. He signed a deal with the Patriots in 2024 but would only appear in 7 games before being released in December. He would be claimed by the Commanders, but did not make much of an impact. He spent 2025 as a practice squad member of the Atlanta Falcons.
Osborn had a moment in the league to show what he was capable of, but overall, he is nothing too special. He can be a good depth receiver for the Titans if he makes the team, and if not will likely find himself on the team’s practice squad.
At the very least, the Titans are bringing in competition at the wide receiver positions. This may mean this is the last we see of players such as Bryce Oliver, Xavier Restrepo, and Mason Kinsey.
Lance McCutcheon, Wide Receiver
Osborn was not the only receiver the team would bring in, as shortly after, the Titans signed Lance McCutcheon.
McCutcheon had announced the plan to retire earlier in the offseason, but ended up deciding against it and signed a one-year deal with the Titans. After being an undrafted free agent in 2022, McCutcheon has bounced around practice squads, playing for the Rams, Texans, Jets, and Steelers. He made an appearance on the Titans’ practice squad in October and would spend a good amount of time with the team.
McCutcheon is not a player who moves the needle for the Titans. He will likely not survive after the preseason and will be lucky to even find himself back on the team’s practice squad.
He is more competition at the very least, and if he doesn’t impress, then he may help elevate other receivers around him. If he does pull a miracle and make the team, then the Titans have another depth piece on their hands.
Michael Carter, Running Back
The final of the team’s four moves was bringing in running back Michael Carter. Carter has been prominent more recently than any of the other signings, as he has supported 30+ carries in all five of his seasons in the NFL, which isn’t a lot, but it shows his ability to play.
He was drafted in the fourth round by the New York Jets in 2021 and would spend 2 and a half seasons with the team, putting up over 1000 yards total. He would get released by the team and then be claimed by Arizona, where he spent the last two and a half years.
Carter has the ability to both carry the ball and receive it out of the backfield. He is versatile and will make a solid depth piece in case of injury to the Titans’ starters. He is also competition to players such as Kalel Mullings and Julius Chestnut, who also sit low in the depth chart.
SHARM’S POV:
Brody did a great job with this piece, but this is Sharm checking in, and I want to add one more nugget to the Carter signing. I firmly believe Jeremiyah Love is still in play for the Titans at pick 4; this doesn’t change that.
Written by Brody Rupert
Contributor for SharmSports