With the final preseason game on the horizon, the Tennessee Titans will soon have some tough decisions to make as to who will be on the final 53-man roster.
However, another difficult decision that will be weighing on the team’s mind is trying to decide which starters to dress for the preseason finale.
Obviously, it would be ideal to get everyone out there at least a little bit in order to shake the rust off of not having played in an actual game since last season, but the risk of potential injury far outweighs the reward.
One starter who might see time is outside linebacker Harold Landry, as head coach Mike Vrabel hinted on Sunday, per Jim Wyatt.
“We want to try and get everybody ready for the season, but also try to get them to the season,” Vrabel said. “Harold (Landry) hasn’t played (since his torn ACL last year), and Harold may need to go out there, for example.”
When talking about guys like Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry and DeAndre Hopkins, Vrabel noted that the trio “have played in a lot of football games,” which seems to indicate they won’t suit up.
The Titans head coach also added that he wants to see how his team comes out of practice over the next week from a health standpoint before making a decision on Landry and everybody else.
The Titans’ star pass rusher hasn’t played since the team’s devastating playoff loss against the Cincinnati Bengals back in 2021 after tearing his ACL prior to last season.
Hey @titans fans, how excited are you for five more years of @HaroldLandry sacks? pic.twitter.com/Em2nBdLWYi
— NFL (@NFL) March 10, 2022
While I wouldn’t expect to see a ton of reps from the Boston College product this weekend, I do agree that it would be wise to allow him to shake off the cobwebs with a series or two.
The last thing you want is for him to start the season rusty while also having to go through the inevitable mental barriers that come with a player’s first game off a significant knee injury.
Ideally, it’s preferable for Landry to first go through that in the preseason instead of when the games actually matter.
Now you throw in Arden Key instead of Bud Dupree, and they’re arguably even scarier now
— Shaun Calderon (@ShaunMichaels31) August 8, 2023
Whatever the team decides, it will be nice to see No. 58 back on the field and hopefully wreaking havoc off the edge like he was before getting hurt. If so, this Titans defense has the potential to legitimately be a special group in 2023.
