Three Tennessee Titans stars missed practice earlier this week

The Tennessee Titans are practicing for the first time since their Week 5 bye, but some players will be taking it easy to start the week.

Titans coach Brian Callahan told reporters that the team will not allow wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, cornerback L'Jarius Sneed or defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons to practice today in order to give all three some rest.

Hopkins, 32, has been all but bubble-wrapped so far this season after suffering a knee injury in training camp. The Titans have been particularly cautious with him even though he has yet to miss a game due to his knee injury. The Titans are simply making sure their star receiver is healthy as the team heads into the later portions of the season.

The same goes for Sneed, who also struggled with a knee injury during training camp. Sneed, 27, played in all four games for the Titans before the bye week, but the team wants to make sure its star cornerback is healthy for the long haul. Considering co-starter Chidobe Awuzie is on injured reserve with a groin injury, Sneed's health becomes even more important.

Simmons is the player with the most to lose among the three, considering he just suffered an elbow injury that kept him out of the Titans' Week 4 win over the Miami Dolphins. The defensive line is thin when it comes to depth, so it's incredibly important that Simmons is healthy throughout the season. The fact that the Titans are only giving him a break and not because of an injury is a good sign that he can return this weekend.

The Titans hope to have all three of their stars back when the Indianapolis Colts come to town for their Week 6 rivalry game.

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