Tennessee’s early start to clearing cap space now includes Randy Bullock as well. In addition to cutting Taylor Lewan and Robert Woods, the Titans are releasing their kicker.
The Titans had re-signed Bullock on a two-year, $4.68MM deal in April 2022. The team will create just more than $2MM by moving that contract off its payroll. Between its three Wednesday cuts, Tennessee will create $28.9MM in cap space. While more work will be ahead for new GM Ran Carthon, the Titans are now just more than $4MM under the cap.
Bullock, 33, had been the Titans’ kicker for the past two seasons. Making 85% of his field goal tries last season and 84% in 2021, Bullock stabilized Tennessee’s wayward kicker situation. In 2019 and 2020, the Titans used a host of kickers. Their 2019 season made the kicker spot a crisis point, and Stephen Gostkowski wrapped his career after the ’20 campaign. Bullock came in and contributed, but he will look to do so elsewhere in 2023.
A former Texans draftee back in 2012, Bullock has now kicked for six NFL teams. The Titans initially signed him after a four-plus season Cincinnati stay. The Texas A&M product missed five of his field goal tries from 40-49 yards in 2021 and only attempted three 50-plus-yarders during his two-year Tennessee stay, making two (both from 51 yards out). Bullock did not miss an extra point last season.
The Titans may have an in-house replacement lined up. They gave Caleb Shudak a reserve/futures contract last month. Shudak kicked in only one game last season, as a Bullock injury replacement, and missed most of the slate due to injury himself. But the young specialist may have an opportunity to win the job in 2023. Shudak, 25, should be expected to face competition for the gig.