Titans' Defensive Line Places Low In Recent Ranking

The Tennessee Titans have some good players on their defensive front, but not enough to be one of the league's best.

Jan 22, 2022; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans defensive end Jeffery Simmons (98) and Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Harold Landry (58) celebrate after a sack during the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals during a AFC Divisional playoff football game at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports / Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

For a team in a retooling phase, the Tennessee Titans' defensive front stands out as one of the roster's greatest strengths.

Of course, the star of the show up front is Jeffery Simmons, a two-time Pro Bowler and one of the top interior defenders in the league. Alongside him are Harold Landry and Arden Key, two very solid edge rushers in their own right. Then there's a chorus of depth options such as Sebastian Joseph-Day, Rashad Weaver and second-round rookie T'Vondre Sweat.

Despite all the talent up front, it seems that some aren't sold on the Titans' defensive line. Tennessee's unit came in at just No. 21 on a recent ranking of each team's defensive line by Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson.

"Jeffery Simmons is an outstanding player on the interior, but he lacks the help around him," Monson writes. "Arden Key and Harold Landry are solid players who will rack up pressures but aren’t true difference-makers, each posting a PFF grade under 70.0 in 2023.

"Mammoth rookie defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat is an exciting prospect, as his tape flashes special potential, but he is still an unknown."

It feels a bit harsh to rank the Titans so low given the players they have up front, but the reality of these rankings is that someone has to be lower down. In this case, the Titans having just one arguable game-changer in Simmons caused them to rank lower than some may expect.

Still, arbitrary rankings don't definie how strong a unit is, and as the Titans head into the new era, they will surely lean on their defensive line a great deal.

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