In recent days, there has been plenty of movement for the Tennessee football roster now that the season has come to an end. Following the loss to Ohio State in the first round of the College Football Playoff, multiple players have indeed let head coach Josh Heupel know they won't be back in 2025.
You can add two more players to the list, with both of them being tight ends. That'd be Hunter Staes and Charlie Browder. This stings a bit from a depth standpoint, but neither player put up huge numbers this past campaign. Staes' departure is the most surprising of the two, as he's one and done with UT after transferring in from Notre Dame.
BREAKING: Tennessee TE Holden Staes has entered the transfer portal. pic.twitter.com/r2RYortNKX
— Vol Report (@AllVolReport) December 26, 2024
Tennessee TEs Holden Staes and Charlie Browder have entered the transfer portal
In 2024, Staes appeared in all 13 games for the Vols, posting 15 receptions for 131 yards and one touchdown. He spent the previous two years of his college career in South Bend making plays for the Fighting Irish.
As for Browder, the 6-7, 260-pounder appeared in only four games this past season. He started his career at UCF, but then joined the Vols in 2022. He didn't record any catches for Heupel's offense this campaign.
Again, from a depth standpoint this might hurt a little, but does this mean that good news is going to be on the way with fan-favorite TE Miles Kitselman? With the new JUCO rules being put in place, the door has opened for Kitselman to potentially return to Knoxville for one more season.
Should that end up being the case, it'd be a major win for Heupel and his staff. Kitselman, led the way for the TEs room with his 22 receptions for 301 yards and four touchdowns in '24. With Staes and Browder not returning in 2025, perhaps it's a hint that Heupel and his staff are confident that Kitselman will be back, but nothing is known for sure there yet.