NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Titans will be without starting safety Kenny Vaccaro for the next few weeks, according to head coach Mike Vrabel.
Vaccaro injured his elbow while trying to tackle Philadelphia Eagles running back Wendell Smallwood with 59 seconds left in the first half of Tennessee's 26-23 overtime victory on Sunday.
"Kenny is going to have to miss a few weeks. I don't think we will go outside of the building to look for a safety," Vrabel said. "We will look at who we have here and look at the practice squad. That means Dane [rookie safety Dane Cruikshank] will have to be ready to go and B.T. [safety Brynden Trawick] and everybody else."
Losing Vaccaro is a blow to the aggressive Titans defense that swarms to the football. Vaccaro left the field visibly in pain and went straight to the locker room with the trainers. He returned to the sideline without his shoulder pads on and a sling supporting his right arm.
Before his injury, Vaccaro had 17 tackles, along with one sack and an interception. Vaccaro was signed during training camp when incumbent starter Jonathan Cyprien tore his left ACL and was placed on injured reserve.
Veteran safety Kendrick Lewis played 47 snaps against the Eagles as the primary replacement for Vaccaro. Cruikshank came in late in the fourth quarter after Lewis had to miss a few plays due to what appeared to be a left leg injury that occurred as he tackled Eagles receiver Alshon Jeffery at the Titans' 19-yard line.
If the Titans turn to the practice squad to replace Vaccaro, rookie safety Damon Webb is an option. He and Tennessee's defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs have a history together dating back to their time at Ohio State.
Starting linebacker Wesley Woodyard was also knocked out of Sunday's game. Woodyard left with a shoulder injury after he and Vaccaro collided as they were tackling Eagles tight end Zach Ertz early in the first quarter. Woodyard only played two snaps and spent the rest of the game on the sideline with a baseball cap on.