NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans claimed ILB Steve Johnson from Denver and OLB David Bass from Chicago. Additionally, the team traded a 2016 conditional pick to Cleveland for RB Terrance West. To make room on the roster for the three new players, the Titans waived LB Justin Staples, LB Jonathan Massaquoi and TE Chase Coffman. Lastly, the team will place RB David Cobb on injured reserve – designated for return. He will be eligible to return to practice after six weeks and to games after eight weeks.
The Titans also signed seven players to their 10-man practice squad – G/T Will Poehls, G Josue Matias, WR Tre McBride, WR Rico Richardson, RB David Fluellen, TE Tevin Westbrook and S Josh Aubrey.
Johnson (6-1, 237) has three years of NFL experience – 41 games played and seven starts – all with the Denver Broncos. Last year for the Broncos, he started a career-high seven games and totaled 22 tackles, half of a sack and 10 special teams stops. During his three year career, he has posted 27 special teams tackles, two forced fumbles and a blocked punt returned for a touchdown. Johnson originally signed with the Broncos as an undrafted college free agent from the University of Kansas. As a senior captain for the Jayhawks, he led the Big 12 in tackles with 124.
Bass (6-4, 256) joins the Titans after two seasons with the Chicago Bears. While with the Bears, he totaled 20 games played (two starts), 29 tackles, four sacks, one forced fumble and an interception return for touchdown. Bass was a seventh-round selection by the Oakland Raiders in the 2013 NFL Draft. He was waived by the Raiders following training camp that year and claimed by the Bears. Bass played four years of college football for Missouri Western State, where he tallied a school-record 40.5 sacks and earned Division II All-America honors.
West (5-10, 225) was a third-round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2014 and was the team's leading rusher as a rookie. He totaled 673 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 171 carries and tallied 11 receptions for 64 yards and a receiving touchdown. He finished a three-year career at Towson ranked third on the all-time NFCAA FCS career rushing list with 4,849 yards and tied for first on the rushing touchdown list with 84. As a senior, he rushed for 2,509 yards and 41 touchdowns.
