The Tennessee Titans’ defensive line wasn’t as dominant as it has been in years past during the 2023 campaign, mostly because of a drop-off in run defense.
After sporting the best unit in the league the past two seasons, the Titans fell to No. 13, which certainly isn’t bad but not what we’ve been accustomed since 2021.
Denico Autry was the biggest bright spot upfront, with the veteran tallying a career-high 11.5 sacks in his aged 33 season, which more than made the case that Tennessee should be interested in bringing him back.
Jeffery Simmons was solid once again for the Titans, but health was an issue for the Mississippi State product, who saw his season end early due to a knee injury that sidelined him over the final five games.
Prior to that, Simmons had a shot to break his career-high sack total (8.5) after tallying 5.5 sacks in the 12 games he played. Big Jeff remains one of the elite players at his position in the NFL and only injury can stop him.
Fellow starter Teair Tart was an asset against the run, per usual, but he was clearly unhappy with his contract situation from the jump, which likely caused some internal strife and ultimately led to him being let go.
Going into the 2024 offseason, the Titans have some work to do upfront. We’ll talk about that and more in our latest offseason preview.
Note: Contract information is courtesy of Over the Cap.
Under contract
Under contract: Jeffery Simmons, Quinton Bohanna, TK McLendon, Keondre Coburn, Shakel Brown
Simmons is the only one out of this group who is both locked into a roster spot and starting role. The other four will have to fight to stick with this team.
My favorites to emerge out of this group are two of the Titans’ 2023 UDFAs, McLendon and Brown, although I wouldn’t expect anything more than a depth role for either one.
McLendon spent most of the year on the practice squad before getting a promotion in November. From there, he averaged 14.4 snaps over the seven games he played and showed some flashes.
Brown missed the entire campaign after he was placed on season-ending injured reserve during camp. However, the Titans were obviously high on him coming out after giving the defensive lineman one of the biggest UDFA deals in the league last year.
Bohanna was drafted in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys and lasted just two seasons before getting the boot. He didn’t do much in his limited opportunities with the Detroit Lions and Titans in 2023.
We saw even less from Coburn, who failed to make it out of October with the Kansas City Chiefs after they drafted him in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft.
If they survive through training camp, the best Bohanna and Coburn can hope for are depth roles.
Pending free agents
Pending free agents: Denico Autry, Kyle Peko, Jaleel Johnson, Ross Blacklock, Marlon Davidson
The biggest name on this list by a country mile is Autry, who was nothing short of spectacular over his three seasons in Nashville.
Normally, a rebuilding team like the Titans would hesitate to bring back a soon-to-be 34-year-old, but Autry is breaking the mold after showing he has plenty left in the tank. If the price is right on a short-term deal, Tennessee should bring him back.
As for the other four, they are depth options, at best.
A 2020 second-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons, Davidson stands out the most because of his age (25) and the fact that he flashed over five games with the Titans. Autry aside, he tops the list of players from this group Tennessee should bring back.
His public spat with the team notwithstanding, Johnson was a decent addition last season but is by no means a lock to come back. He’d be a solid veteran option to compete for a depth spot in training camp.
Blacklock saw 63 snaps in three games with Tennessee. I’d be willing to give him a longer look in training camp to see if he can turn his career around but I wouldn’t blink twice if he isn’t re-signed.
Peko had some good moments with the Titans in 2021, but his return in 2023 was not good. He’s the only one of the aforementioned players I wouldn’t even consider bringing back.
Biggest needs
Biggest needs: Defensive end, nose tackle
Assuming the Titans stick with a 3-4 defense, defensive end and nose tackle are two starting spots unaccounted for currently.
The Titans can fill their need at defensive end by re-signing Autry, but it remains to be seen how much the veteran wants to return to a rebuilding team at his age.
However, Autry did say he’s interested in coming back, and the interest should be mutual, assuming the price and contract length are right. If the Titans can get him back on a reasonable one or two-year deal, it’s a no-brainer.
Nose tackle is on the opposite side of the spectrum, as the Titans don’t have anyone they can re-sign to solidify that spot, thus the draft or free agency are the best routes.
Tennessee does have the option to swing for the fences at one of both of those spots with a ton of cap space available.
The best and most expensive free-agent options to fill the voids along the interior are the Kansas City Chiefs’ Chris Jones, the Baltimore Ravens’ Justin Madubuike, the Miami Dolphins’ Christian Wilkins, the Seattle Seahawks’ Leonard Williams and the Cincinnati Bengals’ D.J. Reader.
I don’t think there’s any shot Jones makes it to free agency, but he’s the best option by far of any interior lineman slated to hit the open market.
Keep an eye on Madubuike and Reader, as both have connections to current Titans coaches (defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson and head coach Brian Callahan, respectively). Reader can fill the void at nose tackle, while Madubuike has the versatility to line up at both spots.
Two cheaper options that would still be solid additions are the Indianapolis Colts’ Grover Stewart and the Houston Texans’ Sheldon Rankins, both of whom can play the nose.
Of course, the 2024 NFL draft is another avenue to fill one or both of these needs, but I don’t anticipate the Titans using a top-40 pick on either.
It isn’t impossible, but chances are the Titans won’t find a Year 1 starter on Day 3 or later (Tennessee doesn’t have a third-round pick as of now), which is the earliest I see the team potentially making a selection of an interior defender.
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