The Extra Point: Titans Defense has a Good Former Alabama Player too, Rashaan Evans

It's a make-or-break year in Tennessee for the former Crimson Tide linebacker, who led his team in penalties during the 2020 NFL season.

There's Derrick Henry and there's Julio Jones. 

But there's another former Alabama player who starts for the Tennessee Titans, and he's pretty good as well: Linebacker Rashaan Evans.

The 22nd-overall pick in 2018 has been a full-time starter for the last two seasons. He led the Titans in tackles with 111 in 2019. That total fell to 96 last year for the Pro Bowl and All-Pro hopeful. Instead, he led the team in penalties.

A bounce-back season is important as the team rejected his fifth-year option of his rookie contract. The Titans also selected Monty Rice in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, who could make Evans expendable, but the team maintains it hopes to resign Evans to a contract extension despite some of its salary-cap issues. 

“Extremely confident and comfortable with Rashaan," head coach Mike Vrabel said back in May. "He comes in and tries to make a daily impact on our football team in virtual meetings. He's learning. We're doing some things that continue to change that position and I think he's excited about that."

Evans, though, is considered one of the team leaders on defense, and is surrounded by a lot of Southeastern Conference talent. 

Of the 11 expected starters, six are from the SEC: Evans (Alabama), defensive linemen Jeffery Simmons (Mississippi State) and Denico Autry (Mississippi State), cornerbacks Jackrabbit Jenkins (Florida before finishing at North Alabama) and Kristian Fulton (LSU), and outside linebacker Bud Dupree (Kentucky). 

Dupree is sidelined and on the Physically Unable to Perform list.

“When you’ve got those type of guys on defense, it’s kind of like an understanding amongst each other,” Evans said. “We know the type of physicality it takes to be a really good defense. We know the understanding of the type of accountability that each individual has to have in order for you to be a great defense.”

Overall, Evans has 260 career tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, three sacks and one defensive touchdown (vs. Kansas City in 2019).

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