NASHVILLE, Tenn. — It felt like only a matter of time before Joel Wilson had another home in the National Football League.
That day became Monday, Sept. 15, and home became music to Wilson’s ears. The Petoskey native is heading to the Music City.
The Tennessee Titans announced Monday that they signed Wilson to the practice squad, along with offensive tackle Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson. They released tight end Drake Dabney from the practice squad in a correlating move.
Wilson spent the entire offseason and camp with the Chicago Bears and on edge of making the roster. On Tuesday, Aug. 26, the annual NFL cutdown day came with Wilson released by the Bears.
In Tennessee, Wilson may find an easier path to the active roster than in Chicago, with the Titans featuring a young and unproven tight end room.
Following camp, the Titans kept four-year veteran Chig Okonkwo, second-year pro David Martin-Robinson and rookie Gunnar Helm, selected in the fourth round of the 2025 draft. Okonkwo started 11 games last season, finishing with 479 yards on 52 catches.
All three players remain on the active roster, while tight end Thomas Odukoya is also on the practice squad. Okonkwo has caught seven passes for 54 yards through two games, while Helm has three grabs for 25 yards.
Wilson will wear No. 83 in Tennessee, the same number he wore while at Central Michigan.
Undrafted in 2023 out of Central Michigan University, Wilson, 25, originally signed with the New Orleans Saints, before moving on to practice squad stints with the Bills, Packers, Giants and Bears, spending half of last season with Chicago.
During the preseason, Wilson led the Bears with 11 receptions, then added 85 yards and a touchdown, which came in the final preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs. It was the first NFL touchdown for Wilson across three preseason campaigns.
Wilson also made three total tackles while playing on special teams during the preseason.
Wilson found success with the Bears during the offseason, even being singled out by Chicago head coach Ben Johnson during a June press conference following the final day of mandatory minicamp practices.
Johnson highlighted Wilson as an unexpected camp standout.
“He’s got a little savvy in how he moves,” Johnson said. “He’s got a nice route feel about him. The test will really be when we get going in camp how he holds up in the run game and the pass pro game. But so far in the running route section of tight end play, he’s stood out in a positive light.”
The path to the 53-man roster in Chicago always felt like one where the Bears needed to keep four tight ends – something most teams opt not to do.
The training camp roster included sixth-year pro Cole Kmet, 2025 first round draft pick Colston Loveland, along with eight-year veteran Durham Smythe. Stephen Carlson and Jordan Murray were also competing with Wilson for a roster spot.
In 2023, Kmet signed a four-year, $50 million dollar extension with the Bears through the 2027 season and Smythe had a familiarity of working with Ben Johnson during his time with the Miami Dolphins.
Loveland, Kmet and Smythe ultimately made the Bears’ 53-player roster, with Carlson and Murray also waived. Carlson found his way back onto Chicago’s practice squad.
Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Tennessee Titans sign Petoskey native Joel Wilson to practice squad
Reporting by Drew Kochanny, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
