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One of the bigger needs the Tennessee Titans had to address this offseason was along the defensive line, and they did just that by striking a deal with Denico Autry.
A former Indianapolis Colt, Autry has shown prowess as both a run defender and pass rusher during his career, and he’s the perfect player to help take pressure off fellow defensive lineman, Jeffery Simmons.
The 30-year-old has totaled 20 sacks, 32 QB hits and 26 tackles for loss the past three seasons. His career-high mark in sacks was nine back in 2018, and he finished the 2020 campaign with 7.5, which would have led the Titans.
He also brings versatility as a player who can lineup at both defensive end and nose tackle for the Titans. No matter where he lines up, Autry is an upgrade over either Jack Crawford or DaQuan Jones in both facets.
As far as the money is concerned, it’s an ideal breakdown for the Titans, a team strapped for cash this offseason.
Autry’s three-year, $21.5 million deal ($9 million guaranteed) will carry a cap hit of just $3.53 million in the first year, leaving wiggle room for Tennessee to make other moves.
While his cap hits will jump to $8.65 million in 2021 and $9.25 million in 2022, the Titans can get out of the deal relatively unscathed after Year 2 thanks to a dead cap number of just $2 million (full details here).
What makes this signing even better is that it weakens the group upfront of Tennessee’s division rival, the Indianapolis Colts, who were in contention to re-sign their defensive lineman but ultimately couldn’t match the structure offered by the Titans, per The Athletic’s Stephen Holder.
Don't love the Colts' decision to let DL Denico Autry walk to Tennessee, but here's the skinny: The Colts, per NFL source, did try to match. Tennessee beat them out with their structure, which gave Autry more security in Year 2 of the deal. Important for a 30-year old player.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) March 15, 2021
With what Autry brings to the table, combined with the salary breakdown and the fact that the Titans have poached him away from the Colts, there’s nothing to dislike about this move.
Grade: A+
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