Milan alum Avery Williamson makes Titans' roster

Avery Williamson made the cut this weekend.

After the Tennessee Titans' final preseason game Thursday night against Minnesota, the team began announcing players being cut throughout the day Friday and early Saturday.

Williamson, who played high school football at Milan and college ball at Kentucky before being selected by the Titans in the fifth round of the NFL Draft in May, never had his name called.

Until it was called Saturday evening with the other 52 players who made the team's regular season 53-man roster.

"They didn't tell me that I was on the roster," Williamson said. "I just looked it up and sent a picture of me on the roster out on Instagram, and I had about 20 text messages in about 10 seconds right after that."

Making the team was the culmination of months of work within the team's offseason training camps and during the preseason, in which he was the team's sixth leading tackler with 11 total takedowns, six of them being solo tackles.

Williamson said it was an interesting dynamic to the NFL preseason that sets it apart from those he's been through before where everybody that showed up for camp at Milan and Kentucky were on the team as long as they didn't quit.

"It was different being out there and pretty much competing for a job with the other guys out there," Williamson said. "If there are guys that have been in the league three or four or even 10 years that are on the bubble, then I come in breathing down their necks working for the same spot they're working for.

"But I just tried to be professional about it – go in, do my work, learn as much as I could each day, try to get better then go back the next day and do it again. And that's how everybody was because we all know this is a business."

Williamson said he didn't really have a backup plan if the Titans hadn't selected him.

"I'd hope another team would pick me up and I'd go play in another city," Williamson said. "But you never know if that would've happened either.

"I'm just glad to have a spot with the Titans, and I'm glad to be here working to get better."

Now the schedule during the week for Williamson is reporting for work at 7:20 a.m. each day and working until 5 p.m.

Williamson is listed as a linebacker and will try to move up the depth chart at that position, but he could also be present on most special teams squads.

"I played all special teams except kickoff return," Williamson said. "And since there are only 53 guys on the team now, they may move me there, too.

"It's wherever I'm needed I'm there because I'll do what they need me to do."

Williamson and the Titans start the season Sunday at Kansas City at noon on CBS.

Brandon Shields, 425-9751