Javian Hawkins signs with Tennessee

Former Louisville running back Javian Hawkins, who was waived on Tuesday by the Atlanta Falcons, signed with the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He will likely be competing for the number three running back spot on the depth chart behind Derrick Henry and Darrynton Evans. In two preseason games with Atlanta, Hawkins rushed 10 times for 48 yards and had one reception for two yards.

His main competition to carve out a role and make the roster appears to be with Brian Hill, Jeremy McNichols, and Mekhi Sargent. Hill is entering his fifth season and is coming off a career year with the Atlanta Falcons where he rushed 100 times for 465 yards and one touchdown. McNichols, who is currently on the COVID-19 list, has nine rushes for eight yards this preseason. Sargent is another undrafted rookie out of Iowa. In their latest preseason game, Hill rushed 10 times and Sargent 16 times, so those two seem to be the main ones battling for that third spot behind Evans, or even trying to pass him up.

The Titans third and final preseason game will be Saturday at 7:00 against the Chicago Bears. If Tennessee wants to really see what they have in Hawkins, expect to see him get plenty of opportunity to show what he can do. Final cuts for the 53-man roster will come sometime after this weekend’s games.

Hawkins rushed for 822 yards in seven games for Louisville in 2020 before opting out for the rest of the season. He was not selected in the 2021 NFL Draft, but signed with Atlanta soon after the draft ended.

For the time being, Hawkins will be reunited in Tennessee with another former Card, Dez Fitzpatrick.