Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan says he's "iffy" on whether star cornerback L'Jarius Sneed will return from injured reserve this season, but he's certain Sneed's return window will not be opened when he's eligible to be elevated next week.
"I'm kind of iffy on if he'll be back or not," Callahan told media Friday. "We'll see."
Callahan said the Titans being out of the playoff race isn't a major factor in the uncertainty with Sneed's status. The team is trying to make sure his injury is healed fully and says if that was the case he'd be "ready to roll."
Sneed hasn't played since Week 6 as he's dealt with a quad contusion and strain.
"The injury is very much legit and it's been problematic for him," Callahan said.
Colton Dowell may be back soon
One player who could be getting elevated from the injured list in the coming days is wide receiver Colton Dowell. Dowell has been on the physically unable to perform list the entire season after tearing his ACL last December. He hasn't practiced with the team since the injury but he's in the building nearly every day, per Callahan, and the coach says the Lebanon native could rejoin his teammates in practice as soon as next week.
"I just want to see him," Callahan said. "He had done some really good things, especially as a gunner on special teams last year. A guy that people were excited about from everything I gathered when I got here. I see him all the time. I talk to him all the time. So it'll be good to actually see him play football. I think for his mental state and for him to be in there as many months as he's been rehabbing, I think being back on the grass will go a long way."
Tony Pollard injury update
Running back Tony Pollard hasn't practiced this week as he's dealing with the sort of late-season wear and tear that running backs tend to struggle with. Callahan says the injuries he's rehabbing from aren't new and that Pollard will be one of the players the Titans end up making a game-time decision about for Sunday's contest against Cincinnati.
"He's sort of on that get-to-Sunday program and see how he feels," Callahan said. "I feel pretty good about him, but he's just dealing with all the things that running backs deal with after 15 weeks."
Callahan also said the team will be in wait-and-see mode with linebacker Otis Reese IV, who hurt his ankle in practice this week. He said kicker Nick Folk should be good to go without an injury designation after being listed as limited with a groin injury earlier in the week.
The Titans (3-10) host the Bengals (5-8) at Nissan Stadium on Sunday (noon, FOX).
