The Tennessee Titans lost a key pass-rusher this offseason in Denico Autry, who flew the coop and joined a division rival in the Houston Texans.
Making that loss even more difficult to take is the fact that the Titans did not adequately replace him, which means the rest of the edge rushers on the roster must step up in 2024.
The Titans are returning Harold Landry, Arden Key and Rashad Weaver but are going to need more from all three. But Weaver isn’t a sure thing to answer the bell, and the Titans have a lack of reliable depth overall.
One injury to Landry or Key could spell huge trouble for Tennessee’s pass-rush, which is troublesome considering the caliber of quarterbacks the Titans will face in 2024.
We know Landry and Key will make the cut, and Weaver has a great shot to earn a spot given what the Titans have at the position.
But things are no doubt murky behind those three. Here’s how we see things shaking out at outside linebacker once the Titans make final cuts in late August.
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Landry got off to a slow start last season, which wasn’t a surprise considering he was coming back from a torn ACL. However, he rounded into form as the season progressed and ultimately finished with 10.5 sacks, the second-most of his career.
In his second year back from the injury, Landry figures to be even better in 2024, which is good news because his role on this team is as important as ever with the question marks behind him.
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Key didn’t have the breakout campaign many expected, but his six sacks were the second-most of his career.
With Denico Autry gone, the Titans need another edge rusher to consistently step up. Key has to prove he can be an every-down player rather than a rotational pass-rusher.
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Weaver has been thoroughly disappointing over three seasons. After tallying 5.5 sacks over the first half of the 2022 campaign, Weaver hasn’t recorded another one since.
However, with Autry gone, Weaver should get more opportunities to play in 2024. That will be a golden opportunity for him to get his career back on track in what is a contract year for him.
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Rush is the biggest surprise on this list, although his inclusion isn’t us just throwing you know what against the wall to see if it’ll stick.
Rather, Rush is here because, by all accounts, he had a strong showing during the offseason program. Of course, he’ll have to cement himself in training camp, but right now he’s on track to grab a roster spot.
Syndication: The Tennessean
In terms of grabbing a roster spot, nothing is ever guaranteed for a seventh-round pick. But Harrell is in a good spot in Tennessee because of the lack of reliable depth options this team has. For now, he makes the cut out of training camp.
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