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After taking a step forward in his second season, Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons is being projected as the team’s breakout player in 2021.
Simmons was a disruptive force for Tennessee in 2020, totaling three sacks, 14 QB hits, five passes defensed and 49 combined tackles, three of which went for a loss — and we believe he’s just getting started.
To make his previous season more impressive, Pro Football Focus revealed that Simmons was the highest-graded second-year defender with a mark of 83.9.
With all that in mind, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport believes Simmons will have a breakout campaign in his third season.
When Pro Football Focus offered end-of-season grades for every second-year defender in the league, it was Simmons who sat atop the list (h/t Mike Moraitis of Titans Wire).
And frankly, that just scratches the surface of what Simmons can do. The youngster still hasn’t had anything resembling a normal offseason. The first was wiped out by a knee injury. The second was wiped out by the COVID pandemic.
With Bud Dupree drawing attention from blockers off the edge and Simmons finally able to properly prepare for a season, a breakout seems more like an eventuality than a possibility.
Perhaps the best thing going for Simmons in 2021 is the extra help he’ll have, both next to and behind him.
The additions of outside linebacker Bud Dupree and defensive lineman Denico Autry won’t just improve the pass rush, but they’ll also help take pressure off of Simmons, who saw double and triple teams last year.
If Simmons can be freed up for more one-on-ones, it’s exciting to think about how dominant he can be.