Like most positions on the roster, the Tennessee Titans are going to look different at the linebacker spot in 2024.
One of the Titans’ 2023 starters, Jack Gibbens, is returning but he’s not a lock to keep that job after an up-and-down campaign in which he failed to cement himself as the long-term solution.
On top of that, Tennessee lost Gibbens’ starting mate, Azeez Al-Shaair, who signed with the Houston Texans in free agency after serving as one of the Titans’ best defenders in 2023.
The only significant move Tennessee made at the position in free agency was the signing of Kenneth Murray, who will man one of the starting spots. The team also added Cedric Gray in the 2024 NFL draft.
Gibbens, Gray and Otis Reese are the top competitors for the starting job next to Murray. Here’s how we see things shaking out with that competition and the rest of the spots on the linebacker depth chart.
Kenneth Murray (starter)
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Murray is a lock to make the 53-man roster and have a starting role, but he is not expected to wear the green dot like Al-Shaair did last season.
Jack Gibbens (starter)
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Gibbens is the only returning starting linebacker from last year’s team and has a good shot to keep his starting role considering the players he’s competing against have little to no experience.
Also helping Gibbens’ cause is the fact that he’s capable of wearing the green dot. He should be considered the favorite to start next to Murray, but he isn’t guaranteed to keep the job the entire season.
Cedric Gray (backup)
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Gray was the Titans’ fourth-round pick in April and has all the tools to be a three-down linebacker in the NFL thanks to his athleticism and coverage skills.
However, there’s no telling how much he’ll be able to contribute in his first season. He’ll try to carve out a role for himself — and quite possibly a starting role — in training camp.
Even if he doesn’t grab a starting job out of the gate, Gray could work his way into it during the season.
Otis Reese (backup)
Syndication: The Tennessean
Reese was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023 but only played in seven games last season. Reese did, however, show glimpses of being an impact player near the end of the season and is in the mix for a starting role in 2024. At the very least, Reese will be a solid backup.
Luke Gifford (backup)
Syndication: The Tennessean
Gifford was plagued by injury during his first season in the two-tone blue, which forced him to miss six games. He played just eight snaps on defense and 259 on special teams.
Gifford’s spot on this roster isn’t locked in, but his combination of experience and special teams prowess gives him a great shot.
