Nick

Vannett

Vannett, 33, is a journeyman veteran tight end best known for his blocking skills. Starting his career with the Seahawks, he has jumped around the league with the Steelers, Broncos, Saints, Giants, Chargers, Titans, Vikings, and Rams. He signed with the Seahawks in the offseason but was let go in final cuts. The Ravens add Vannett as blocking tight end depth on the practice squad.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider drafted Vannett with a third-round pick back in 2016 before trading him to the Steelers for a 2020 fifth-round pick in September 2019. Vannett has since played for eight more teams, including the Rams in 2025. He will compete for a roster spot in Seattle this summer. The Seahawks correspondingly waived CB Tyrone Broden, who was placed on the physically unable to perform list earlier this week. He could be re-signed by Seattle if he makes it through waivers.

He managed 17 of them on a well-designed flea flicker screen that saw Vannett out in space alone with blockers. Entering his age-32 season in 2025, Vannett will continue trawling around the league in search of bad tight end depth charts. Since entering the final year of his rookie deal in 2019, he has played for the Seahawks, Steelers, Broncos, Saints, Giants, Chargers, and now the Titans. If he shows up, your team has a bad tight end depth chart. We’re sorry, we don’t make the rules here.

Okonkwo also added an end-around carry for 17 yards. He has been Mason Rudolph’s’ favorite target since Rudolph took over as the starter, and that continued against the Jaguars. Okonkwo drew a defensive pass interference on the first Titans pass play of the game and led the team with seven targets. He was wide open on the Titans’ final drive, but Rudolph just missed him on the sideline for what would have likely been a touchdown. Instead, Nick Vannett was the tight end who had an eight-yard score earlier in the game. Okonkwo finishes with a solid 5/42 receiving line, with 17 rushing yards. He is in the back-end TE1 mix against the Texans for those still in fantasy matchups Week 18.

Okonkwo had a quiet day, with just eight yards on four targets. He was dropped for a six-yard loss on a checkdown, bringing down his yardage total. He is the lead tight end, but that does not mean much in the inefficient Titans offense. Fellow tight end Nick Vannett caught 1-of-2 targets for four yards while Josh Whyle caught 2-of-2 targets for 31 yards. None of the Titans’ tight ends should be in fantasy lineups; Okonkwo should be the only one on the fantasy radar.

Vannett got open in the end zone to give the Titans an early 7-0 lead. The 31-year-old has been an afterthought in this Tennessee passing attack, and that should be the case again in Week 10 against the Chargers.

Vannett appeared to make the initial 53-man roster, but he was waived with the Titans putting in a claim for Ali Gaye from the Texans. Vannett could see interest on the waiver wire, and if he goes unclaimed he could be brought back to the practice squad.

No. 2 TE Josh Whyle (concussion protocol) was inactive but Okonkwo still failed to separate from his position group. Conversely, No. 3 TE Nick Vannett caught 2-of-2 targets for 30 yards playing alongside Okonkwo in the first-team offense.

The two sides agreed to terms on Monday although the terms of the contract have not yet been made public. The eight-year veteran came into the league with the Seahawks in 2016, spending time with the Steelers, Broncos, Saints, Giants, and Chargers since departing Seattle. Vannett carries sparse fantasy value even though the Titans have little in the way of depth behind presumed starter Chigoziem Okonkwo.

Vannett had seen sparse usage this seen while playing behind Gerald Everett, Donald Parham, and Stone Smartt, making his absence less of an impact for a showdown with the Ravens. Austin Ekeler should take on all the work he can handle with Dotson and Spiller inactive.