Four Tennessee Titans made Pro Football Focus’ list of the 101 best players in the NFL during the 2021 season, but some of them aren’t who you’d expect.
Before we get to the meat and potatoes, here’s how PFF put together its list:
• This list is based solely on 2021 play. Past or future play is not accounted for. This isn’t about class or talent; it’s about performance throughout the 2020 NFL season.
• This list is created with an “all positions are created equal” mantra. So, you won’t see 32 quarterbacks heading the list, even though that is the game’s most valuable position. Instead, we take a look at how guys played relative to what is expected from their position.
• Unlike PFF’s awards, the 101 factors in the postseason, so some players who won PFF awards may find themselves jumped in the 101 by rivals who had a playoff run worthy of a change in ranking.
Making the cut for the Titans was safety Kevin Byard (No. 17), quarterback Ryan Tannehill (No. 45), safety Amani Hooker (No. 49) and wide receiver A.J. Brown (No. 83).
No, that is not a misprint with Tannehill, who had just seven other quarterbacks ranked in front of him.
Right off the bat, the glaring omissions are outside linebacker Harold Landry and defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, both of whom deserved to make the cut way before Tannehill.
Also bear in mind, PFF notes these rankings factor in playoff performance. In the Titans’ lone postseason game, Tannehill threw three picks, while Landry and Simmons combined for 4.5 sacks (Landry had 1.5, Simmons had three).
That further boosts the case for Landry and Simmons, but also further hurts Tannehill’s. Here’s the reasoning behind putting Tannehill on the list, from PFF’s Sam Monson.
“Tannehill’s play definitely fell off when Derrick Henry was hurt, but the relationship between his performance was much more tightly associated with his receivers also getting hurt. Overall, he proved that he is still very much capable of an excellent year independent of Henry in the offense. Tannehill recorded a 77.4% adjusted completion rate and played better than his box score statistics would indicate.”
After sorting through the mess of Landry, Simmons and Tannehill, we turn our attention to Hooker, who quietly had a great season, as Monson points out.
“The Titans had two elite safeties this season, with Hooker joining Kevin Byard in the top 50 on the PFF 101. Hooker posted impressive grades across the board but did his best work in coverage. He broke up four passes and made two interceptions while allowing just 9.5 yards per catch when he was in primary coverage. He spent the majority of his time as a deep-lying free safety and did very little wrong all season.”
Byard is the least of a surprise on this list, of course, and while A.J. Brown had a down year in terms of his statistics, that can be blamed on injury.
When healthy, Brown was his typical dominant self and would have easily cracked the 1,000-yard mark for a third-straight season had he not gotten hurt.
We’d also like to shout out center Ben Jones, who was Tennessee’s best offensive lineman in 2021, and arguably one of the best in the NFL. Like Landry and Simmons, he was a notable omission from this list.
