Tag: Harold Landry

Bengals proposed trade idea would be quite the shocker

This Bengals trade deadline idea probably isn’t happening, yet registers as interesting.

From the sounds of it, the Cincinnati Bengals want to shake free of their conservative shell and act as buyers at the NFL trade deadline.

But they probably don’t want to go too wild.

Wild, would be like trading with the Tennessee Titans for former second-round pick and pass-rusher Harold Landry, as proposed by Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano and Matt Verderame:

Cincinnati needs to fix its defense, which ranks near the bottom in myriad areas. While Trey Hendrickson is one of the league’s top pass rushers, the rest of the front has been underwhelming with middling performances from Sheldon Rankins and Sam Hubbard. Acquiring Landry from Tennessee gives the Bengals a 28-year-old edge rusher who doesn’t have any guaranteed money on his deal after 2024.

Coughing up a fourth-round pick, as proposed here, is probably something the Bengals would be willing to do if it means adding a pass-rusher who can help the defense.

But Landry carries a $23.8 million cap hit this season. And while there’s an out built into his contract after the season, he’s on the books for a little more than $24 million cap hits in 2025 and 2026. So, if he were to be the perfect fit, the Bengals would be paying up pretty dearly beyond this year.

This year, Landry has just four sacks after putting up 22.5 over the prior two seasons, too. He’d be effective in the same defense as Trey Hendrickson, of course, but it’s worth noting.

Either way, the theme here is right. The Bengals should be on the hunt for pass-rushing and cornerback help. Something like a mid-round draft pick in exchange for help now and in future seasons — not a rental — would be the ideal balance.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Titans vs. Jets: 3 reasons for optimism in Week 2

The Tennessee Titans take on the New York Jets in Week 2 and here are three reasons for optimism in Nashville.

The Tennessee Titans open their 2024 home schedule on Sunday when they take on the New York Jets at Nissan Stadium.

The Titans (0-1) proved they will be competitive on the field against the Chicago Bears, and now they will look to put together an entire 60 minutes to get Brian Callahan his first win.

The Jets (0-1) are also coming off a disappointing loss in Week 1 and will be looking to get into the win column.

There is a lot on the line and this should be an interesting game. The Titans have three reasons to be optimistic that they can bring this one home.

David Banks-Imagn Images

The defense is as advertised

The Titans’ defense answered a lot of questions Sunday against the Bears, but this week they will have a tougher task against Aaron Rodgers and the Jets.

The Titans’ defense is ranked first in total defense after Week 1 and should present a challenge to the Jets. With veteran talent at every level, the defense should give the Titans a chance in every game.

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Strong ground game

When the Titans looked their best on Sunday, it was when Tony Pollard was the driving force on offense. The Jets defense looked vulnerable against the run against the 49ers.

Between Pollard and Tyjae Spears, the Titans have a dynamic tandem that should be the focus on offense while Levis is trying to establish himself in the passing game. The Jets gave up 180 yards rushing against the 49ers, which is a big reason why they opened the season with a loss.

Syndication: The Tennessean

Harold Landry and the pass rush

Aaron Rodgers is not Caleb Williams, but the same gameplan should be utilized. No quarterback enjoys pressure and Rodgers is no different, especially as he continues to knock off the rust after missing 2023 with an Achilles injury.

The Titans invested heavily in their secondary, and they should trust that unit to hold up until the rush gets home. This could be another big game for Harold Landry, as he has a favorable match-up with tackle Morgan Moses.

The Titans have many reasons to be optimistic, but we will have to wait until Sunday to find out if that optimism was warranted.

[lawrence-related id=150506,150508,150498]

Titans’ Jeffery Simmons, two others unlikely to play in preseason

The Tennessee Titans will likely keep Jeffery Simmons, Harold Landry, and L’Jarius Sneed sidelined during all preseason games.

The Tennessee Titans are coming off their first win of the preseason after topping the San Francisco 49ers, 17-13, at Nissan Stadium on Saturday night.

Outside linebacker Harold Landry and defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons were among those who did not dress for the game, and the Titans are not expecting them to see the field at all in preseason, head coach Brian Callahan said in his media availability on Sunday.

Landry, 28, played in all 17 games, including 10 starts, last season and recorded 70 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 21 quarterback hits, and 10.5 sacks in his first season back from ACL surgery. The Boston College product missed the first week of training camp due to an illness and lost a significant amount of weight, so the Titans are likely erring on the side of caution here.

With Landry out of the lineup, Tennessee is allowing Shane Ray, Jaylen Harrell, Rashad Weaver, and Caleb Murphy to showcase themselves in the preseason schedule.

Simmons missed the final five games of the 2023 NFL season with a knee injury. The 27-year-old had 44 tackles, including 10 for loss, 11 quarterback hits, and 5.5 sacks through 12 games.

Add cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to the list of players who are not expected to see the field in preseason as well.

The 27-year-old has been on a management program since the Titans acquired him from the Kansas City Chiefs and signed him to a long-term extension. Sneed has been limited in his training camp sessions thus far.

The former fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft has accumulated 303 tackles, 10 interceptions, and 40 passes defensed through his first four seasons.

With Sneed and Chidobe Owuzie (calf) out, rookie cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. has been turning heads in training camp through his physical play and ability to break up passes.

Tre Avery, Gabe Jeudy-Lally, and Tay Gowan have also taken advantage of more playing time.

The Titans will hold joint practices with the Seattle Seahawks ahead of their Week 2 preseason matchup on Saturday.

[lawrence-related id=148779,148771,148639]

WATCH: Titans’ LB Harold Landry returns to practice

Harold Landry is back!

Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Harold Landry participated in practice for the first time this training camp on Tuesday after missing the start due to an illness.

Following Saturday’s practice from Nissan Stadium, head coach Brian Callahan noted that Landry was likely to return this week.

The 28-year-old is coming off a big year in which he accumulated 70 tackles, including 14 for loss, 21 quarterback hits and 10.5 sacks while playing in all 17 games, including ten starts.

Here are some of Landry’s highlights in the Titans’ first padded practice on Tuesday:

 

 

 

Titans linebacker Harold Landry expected to return this week

The Titans are expected to get their top edge rusher back this week.

The Tennessee Titans should get a big piece of their defense back this week for the second week of training camp.

Head coach Brian Callahan said after Saturday’s practice at Nissan Stadium that linebacker/edge rusher Harold Landry should return for the second week.

Landry hasn’t practiced yet as he’s been dealing with an undisclosed illness.

Tennessee’s defense has looked strong early in training camp. Anchored by a strong interior led by Jeffery Simmons, Sebastian Joseph-Day, and rookie T’Vondre Sweat, the Titans have an opportunity to have a special defense in 2024. In addition to selecting Sweat in the NFL draft, Tennessee brought in cornerbacks L’Jarius Sneed, Chidobe Awuzie, and safety Jamal Adams this offseason.

Of course, Landry is Tennessee’s top edge rusher. Last season, Landry finished with 10.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and 21 quarterback hits.

3 Titans named to ‘All-Overpaid Team’ ahead of 2024 season

Three Titans players were recently named to an “All-Overpaid Team” for the 2024 season.

In a recent article naming some of the most overpaid players at each position in the NFL, the list was littered with Tennessee Titans.

According to Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer, wide receiver Calvin Ridley, outside linebacker Harold Landry and safety Amani Hooker all made his “All-Overpaid Team” for 2024.

Let’s take a look at what Iyer said about each.

Calvin Ridley:

The Titans used a recent first-rounder on Treylon Burks, still employ DeAndre Hopkins, and also signed Tyler Boyd this offseason. They’re hoping Ridley will rebound after posting only a few flashes for divisional-rival Jacksonville following his one-year suspension. Also of note is the fact Ridley already will be 30 in December.

Harold Landry:

Landry has raised his sack totals with a combined 22.5 the past two seasons, but he doesn’t provide too much more consistently.

Amani Hooker:

The Titans make the cut again here, as they have fallen off at this position since the prime of Kevin Byard.

At the time of his signing, Ridley’s deal could be considered an overpay, but that’s typical when signing the best player at a position in free agency. Further, he addressed a major need for Tennessee.

Since signing, Ridley’s annual average has fallen from 10th to 14th at the position, according to Over the Cap, so his deal continues to look better and better.

The extension Hooker got back in 2022 was always difficult to justify. That’s not to say he’s a bad player, but his inability to stay healthy has always been an issue. He hasn’t played a full slate of games the past three seasons and has missed 17 games in that span.

Hooker’s annual average ($10 million) ranks 12th among safeties, so it isn’t an egregious overpay.

The jury is really still out on Landry’s contract. After securing his deal in 2022 following a career-best campaign, Landry suffered a torn ACL and we know that it takes a player to full return to form.

However, Landry still managed to tally 10.5 sacks in 2023 as he got better and better as the year progressed. We’ll really know for sure if Tennessee made a mistake or not in giving Landry big money after 2024.

Harold Landry named Titans’ most overpaid player

In an article listing the most overpaid player for every team in the NFL, Harold Landry was the choice for the Titans.

In an article listing the most overpaid player for every team in the NFL, outside linebacker Harold Landry was the choice for the Tennessee Titans, according to Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon.

Gagnon writes that Landry is “good but not great” and that he’s tallied sack numbers that “make him look like a more impactful player than he is.”

Here’s Gagnon’s entire write-up:

Good not great, and with sack numbers that make him look like a more impactful player than he is. The 27-year-old has had one standout season out of five, and he’ll cost an average of just under $24 million against the cap in the next three seasons. 

After signing a five-year, $87.5 million deal during the 2022 offseason, it’s been hard to truly gauge just how much Landry has been worth it.

After all, he suffered a torn ACL prior to the first season of his new deal, and spent the second campaign trying to round back into form from it, which he appeared to do down the stretch.

Landry finished with 10.5 sacks, the second-most of his career. Also bear in mind, he got the contract coming off a season in which he had a career-high 12 sacks.

Knowing all that, it’s really unfair to call him overpaid quite yet — but if not Landry, then who?

On the lower end, you could go with either cornerback Caleb Farley or wide receiver Treylon Burks, both of whom are making first-rounder salaries but haven’t done much of anything. However, neither one costs very much, as Farley accounts for a cap hit of $4.2 million in 2024, and Burks is $3.9 million.

In terms of the big-salary players, an argument can be made for safety Amani Hooker, who has failed to play an entire slate in each of the past three years.

Hooker, who accounts for a cap hit of $9.3 million in 2024, was awarded with a three-year, $30 million deal in 2022. Since then he’s missed eight and four games the past two seasons. Before that, he missed five games in 2021.

Since signing his deal, he has just two picks and 10 passes defensed in that span, including one interception and seven passes defensed in 2023, which was the first year of his new deal.

That said, Hooker has been one of the bright spots for the Titans in their secondary when on the field and has been one of the lone sources of turnovers (he has two forced and recovered fumbles since 2022).

However, the bar has been quite low to stand out in the Titans’ secondary the past few seasons, so that isn’t saying much.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Titans OLB Harold Landry’s highlights from 2023 season

There were few better stories on the 2023 Titans than outside linebacker Harold Landry.

There were few better stories on the Tennessee Titans in 2023 than that of outside linebacker Harold Landry.

After signing a massive five-year, $87.5 million contract extension with the Titans in 2022, Landry suffered a torn ACL before the start of the season and was forced to miss the entire campaign.

He was able to return in 2023 but got off to a slow start, which was to be expected. However, Landry really began finding his footing in the second half of the season, tallying 5.5 sacks over the final six games.

His best showing came in Week 14 against the Miami Dolphins, when he registered three sacks in the upset victory. Landry ultimately finished with 10.5 sacks, the second-most in a single season of his career.

Looking ahead to 2024, Landry will once again play a key role on the Titans’ defense, and if he can carry over the momentum he finished with last season, Landry is a good bet to break his 12.5-sack mark that he reached in 2021.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Titans offseason preview at OLB: Pending free agents, biggest needs

In our latest offseason preview for theTitans, we take a look at the outside linebacker position.

The Tennessee Titans saw a solid year from their outside linebackers group, which was led by Harold Landry and Arden Key. However, things certainly could’ve been better.

As expected, Landry got off to a slow start in his return from a torn ACL, but the fact that he played as well as he did down the stretch was great news for his outlook. Ultimately, he finished with 10.5 sacks, the second-most of his career.

Key proved to be a serviceable starter with six sacks, the second-most of his career, but he wasn’t as consistent as we would’ve hoped for. If not for a six-week stretch with zero sacks, he would’ve had a career year.

Despite his flaws, Key is good enough to roll with once again in 2024.

Beyond those two, there wasn’t much to talk about. Trevis Gipson and Caleb Murphy barely played, and Rashad Weaver was very disappointing. Gipson’s one sack was the only one to come out of that trio.

In our latest offseason preview, we take a look at the outside linebackers who are under contract and pending free agents, and we go over Tennessee’s biggest needs at the position and how they should approach it.

Titans’ top-20 cap hits going into the 2024 offseason

The Titans’ top-20 cap hits for 2024 ahead of free agency.

After an offseason in which the Tennessee Titans had limited funds to work with, the team is now loaded with cap space going into the 2024 offseason.

According to Over the Cap, the Titans have $68.1 million to work with, which is the second-most in the NFL behind only the Washington Commanders.

The Titans will be able to open up even more cap space if they decide to cut some players who are under contract. We recently went over who some of the biggest candidates are that fit the bill.

When it comes to Tennessee’s biggest cap hits for 2024, four of the players in the top 20 are pending free agents who still count against the cap because of void years added to their contracts.

Of course, this list will change once free agency comes and goes, but for now this is the list of the Titans’ top-20 cap hits going into the offseason.

Note: Contract figures are courtesy of Over the Cap.