No Tennessee Titans offseason acquisition made more of an impact during the 2021 campaign than defensive lineman Denico Autry.
Autry, who was signed to a three-year, $21.5 million deal in 2021, provided a boost for Tennessee’s defense, which saw a revival overall but particularly in the pass-rush where the Titans tallied 24 more sacks than they did in 2020.
His nine sacks and 10 tackles for loss ranked second and third on the team, respectively, and his 69.7 overall Pro Football Focus grade ranked fourth among Titans defenders who played at least 100 snaps.
Autry’s impact, which was felt on the interior and on the edge, led to his being named the Titans’ unsung hero of the 2021 season by Nick Shook of NFL.com.
The Titans were the only team in the NFL to have three defenders record eight or more sacks each in 2021. Two of those names — Jeffery Simmons and Harold Landry — might ring a bell, but it’s unlikely the average fan would be able to list Autry without the help of the internet. Those watching the Titans know how important Autry was in his first season with Tennessee, a campaign in which he matched his career high in sacks while posting a 2.2 percent sack rate, the 10th-highest mark among all edge defenders (minimum 400 pass rushes, including the playoffs).
As Shook points out, Autry’s season was a bit overshadowed by the fact that Simmons and Landry played so well around him, but he was just as valuable as those two.
If the Titans can retain Landry, the Titans will once again have one of the best front fours in the NFL in 2022, with Autry, Simmons, Landry and Bud Dupree.
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