Latest Xavier Restrepo decision by Titans front office creates new question they’ll have to answer in Week 13

The Tennessee Titans are poised to host the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 13 in Nashville, and the most talked about practice squad call-up of the year is back for more. The team announced on Saturday afternoon that WR Xavier Restrepo would be a standard gameday elevation for the second week in a row, along with CB Kemon Hall.

The wrinkle in the roster math this week that didn’t exist last time is Elic Ayomanor. He’s not been ruled out, and it presents some potential bad news for another receiver on this team Sunday.

Xavier Restrepo might be taking somebody’s gameday spot

This is Restrepo’s second of three legal standard elevations this season. If the Titans continue to want him on game days after one more call-up, they’ll have to sign him to the active roster. This was a part of the consideration when the Titans made WR Mason Kinsey and then WR James Proche active roster signings from the practice squad after various elevations throughout the year.

In Restrepo’s debut, he tallied 2 catches on 6 targets for 26 yards. That was on just 18 offensive snaps, and watching him operate, he looked like somebody worthy of giving some more experimental run down the stretch to see what he’s got. But what made his first elevation a no-brainer in the first place was the absence of starter and fellow rookie WR Elic Ayomanor. He missed the practice week and was ruled out on Friday ahead of the Week 12 matchup with Houston.

This week, he practiced in limited fashion all three days and is listed as questionable. He told reporters in the locker room that his hamstring was feeling good throughout the week, even though the temperatures in Nashville have dropped.

This initially brought into question whether Restrepo would be given a chance to stack another week, but his elevation means he’ll likely be active. So one of two things has to happen now, assuming Ayomanor won’t be ruled out pregame. Either the Titans go into the Jaguars game with six active receivers—Dike, Ayomanor, Jefferson, Kinsey, Proche, and Restrepo—or one of Proche or Kinsey is going to be a game day scratch.

If Restrepo is WR6 on a crowded day, it’ll be hard for him to get many offensive snaps. That would be unusual for the Titans this year, though. My gut says that one of the former practice squad, current active roster receivers will get bumped down for at least this week. If we’re choosing based on last week, Mason Kinsey is the obvious pick. Proche made some impressive plays and clearly belonged. I’d bet Restrepo takes Kinsey’s spot, and is given at least one game to prove what many walked about from last Sunday saying: Restrepo is better.