NFL Analyst Puts Harsh Label on Titans LBs

The Tennessee Titans linebackers are unproven, but they hope to change that this season.

Tennessee Titans new free-agent linebacker Kenneth Murray fields questions at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, March 14, 2024. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Tennessee Titans have had mountainous changes at the linebacker spot this offseason, and they have a new group of players at the position hoping to make a name for themselves.

ESPN writer Mike Clay labeled the Titans linebackers as the "shakiest" in the NFL.

"Azeez Al-Shaair (who led the team in defensive snaps last season) departed for Houston this offseason, so Tennessee signed Kenneth Murray Jr. -- a 2020 first-round pick who didn't work out for the Chargers -- as a replacement. Murray is a downgrade, and the depth behind him doesn't move the needle much. Former UDFA Jack Gibbens was a serviceable running mate for Al-Shaair last season, and the team will need some production from fourth-round rookie Cedric Gray," Clay writes.

Losing Al-Shaair won't be an easy adjustment for the Titans, considering he was one of the top tacklers in the league in 2023. He signed with the division rival Houston Texans and he'll have two chances to face his former team this season.

While Murray is considered a "downgrade" by Clay, there are many in the building who feel he can be a good fill-in for Al-Shaair.

"He's very active, hard to block," head coach Brian Callahan told reporters. "He's really physical. He sees it, and he hits it. We've had some trouble, especially early on."

Murray is expected to be the lead linebacker in a defense led by coordinator Dennard Wilson, who was last with the Baltimore Ravens. While Wilson specializes in defensive backs, he worked alongside Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith, arguably the best linebacker duo in the league last season.

That's not to say Murray should expect to be just like Queen or Smith, but he's getting a new set of eyes from a coaching standpoint, and it could lead to something successful.

There's a lot up in the air when it comes to the Titans defense, especially at the linebacker position, which is why Clay's designation is valid. However, for as much reason as there is to be pessimistic, there's the same amount on the other side of the coin.

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