Titans Add D'Ernest Johnson, Waive Dominic Richardson as RB Room Re-shapes

The Tennessee Titans signed running back D’Ernest Johnson on August 19, completing a roster move that underscores the team’s focus on adding reliable depth with both rushing and receiving value. The corresponding transaction is a waiver of running back Dominic Richardson, a decision that tightens the outlook for Tennessee’s backfield rotation heading deeper into training camp.

In the team’s official announcement, the Titans highlighted Johnson’s production across his NFL career. Johnson has appeared in 103 career games and has carried the ball 228 times for 1,014 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. He has also contributed as a receiver, recording 53 catches for 465 yards.

Those figures matter for roster planning because they describe a player profile that can fit multiple game scripts. A running back who can contribute in the passing game offers a coordinator a wider menu, particularly in third-down situations and when the offense needs extra flexibility in personnel groupings.

Johnson’s receiving usage is also notable in the way the Titans framed his overall résumé. By pairing his rushing totals with his catch production, the move indicates that Tennessee views him as more than a pure late-down handcuff. Instead, the team appears to be targeting a functional swing role, one that can influence how the offense attacks from both traditional runs and routes out of the backfield.

The transaction also included the waiver of Dominic Richardson, meaning Richardson will now look for a new opportunity elsewhere. Waiving a player typically reflects a need to create space on the roster for a different skill set or simply to align with the coaching staff’s current evaluation of depth.

For the Titans, the practical outcome is a refreshed backfield look. The signing gives Tennessee another veteran body with a documented two-way track record, while the waiver creates a spot that can be used for roster balance as camp and the early-season phase of roster decisions approach.

What to watch next is how Tennessee deploys Johnson within the RB rotation. With his mix of carries and receptions already established at the league level, his usage in team periods, practice run designs, and passing-game reps will offer a clearer indication of the role the coaching staff intends him to play this season.