Tag: Jayon Brown

Tennessee Titans 2020 season review: Inside linebacker

Looking back at the Titans’ inside linebackers from 2020.

The Tennessee Titans’ defense as a whole was incredibly disappointing during the 2020 campaign, and one position that saw some lackluster performances was at inside linebacker.

Rashaan Evans was expected to take the next step to becoming a top-notch inside linebacker in 2020, but instead he took a step in the opposite direction. Evans’ specialty is supposed to be defending the run, however he didn’t do much to help a Titans run defense that was worse in 2020 than it was in 2019.

Not only was his play disappointing, Evans was also a penalty machine, leading the Titans with eight, which was five more than he had in his first two seasons combined. Despite all that, he still finished with a higher Pro Football Focus grade in 2020 (53.7) than he did in 2019 (49.9).

Jayon Brown, who was in a contract year, saw his season end early after 10 games due to an elbow injury. Even when he was healthy, Brown didn’t play up to the standard we’ve come to expect, as evidenced by his PFF grade of 66.4, the lowest of his career.

A normally steady hand in coverage, Brown surrendered a completion rate of 72.4 percent, a QB rating of 115.3, 436 yards and five touchdowns when targeted, all of which were career-worsts.

One of the positives at the position was 2019 sixth-round pick, David Long, who filled in for Brown after he went down to injury. While Long struggled in coverage, he was always around the ball and showed great speed and instinct, two qualities he flashed during his rookie campaign.

David Long to be ‘large part’ of Titans’ plans with Jayon Brown out

David Long stands to see a significant increase in playing time with the Titans when he returns.

With Tennessee Titans inside linebacker Jayon Brown out for the season with an elbow injury, the team will need one of its reserve players to step up big time in his absence.

Of course, the first name that comes to mind is 2019 sixth-round pick, inside linebacker David Long, who flashed near the end of last season when called into action due to injury.

The only problem is that Long is currently on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, but Titans head coach Mike Vrabel did say on Friday that he’s ‘cautiously optimistic’ that the second-year pro will be activated in time for Sunday’s contest against the Indianapolis Colts.

Adding to that, Vrabel also said he told the West Virginia product that he will be a “large part” of Tennessee’s plans on defense moving forward.

Should Long not suit up, the Titans could turn to inside linebacker Will Compton, who took the snaps after Brown exited last week.

Long has played just 20 snaps through eight games this season, but we did call on the Titans to give him more of an opportunity right before going on the COVID-19 list with inside linebacker Rashaan Evans struggling.

Long will have immense shoes to fill with Brown on the shelf, but if he can play at the same level he did in last year’s playoffs, the Titans will be better off than most teams would be in a similar situation.

Titans designate 3 to return, add 2 to IR in flurry of roster moves

Brown and Sambrailo both suffered serious injuries in Week 11.

The Tennessee Titans made a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday and have paved the way for the return of some injured players, including punter Brett Kern.

The Titans have added Kern and cornerbacks Kristian Fulton and Tye Smith to the “Designated for Return” from Injured Reserve list, which opens up a 21-day window for Tennessee to activate them to the 53-man roster.

And with those moves, the Titans also parted ways with punter Trevor Daniel and defensive back Greg Mabin, both of whom were added to the 53-man roster last week.

As some players prepare to return, two players were added to IR in inside linebacker Jayon Brown and left tackle Ty Sambrailo. Both players were injured during the Week 11 win over the Baltimore Ravens.

Brown suffered an elbow injury that will reportedly end his season, and Sambrailo will “most likely” be done for the season with his ailment, although it hasn’t been revealed exactly what it is.

The practice squad saw some changes, also. The team has officially added quarterback DeShone Kizer and kicker Sam Sloman, but let go of punter Ryan Allen and kicker Giorgio Tavecchio.

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Report: Titans’ Jayon Brown out for season with elbow injury

This is a devastating blow for the Titans.

The Tennessee Titans have suffered a huge blow, as inside linebacker Jayon Brown is reportedly out for the season with an elbow injury he suffered during the team’s Week 11 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Brown suffered a dislocated and fractured elbow after landing awkwardly on it during the second quarter following what was a clipping penalty on Ravens guard, Ben Powers.

This is a devastating loss for the Titans, as Brown is one of the better coverage linebackers in the NFL and is a big part of Tennessee’s defense.

Brown, who is in the final year of his rookie deal, will become a free agent at the end of this season.

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Titans’ Jayon Brown finally getting respect as premier off-ball LB

Jayon Brown is getting plenty of respect from Pro Football Focus.

Tennessee Titans inside linebacker Jayon Brown has flown under the radar outside of Nashville even after putting together impressive seasons in each of the past two years.

However, Pro Football Focus’ Ben Linsey recently compiled a list of the top-25 off-ball linebackers in the NFL today, and Brown made the cut at No. 10.

Brown is not a player who comes up all that often when discussing the league’s best linebackers, but he deserves a spot in the conversation. That comes down largely to the ability he has shown in coverage. He has sported a top-20 coverage grade at the position in each of the past two years — reaching as high as sixth in 2018. No linebacker who has seen at least 50 targets in coverage since 2018 has allowed a lower yards-per-target mark than Brown’s 5.6. It’s a number that highlights both his ability to limit the big play and his ability to make plays on the ball when the opportunity presents itself. He’ll continue to man the position with teammate Rashaan Evans heading into next season.

Brown has emerged as a star on the Titans’ defense since being taken in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

In each of the past two campaigns, Brown has finished second and third on the team in tackles, and he achieved the latter placement in 2019 despite missing two games.

But the most impressive thing about the UCLA product’s play has been his ability in coverage. Since 2018, Brown’s PFF grade in that area ranks fifth among all linebackers in the NFL.

While Brown’s value to the Titans is clear, his future remains up in the air.

The 25-year-old is in the final year of his rookie contract in 2020. At this point, it would be shocking if the Titans don’t keep Brown around for the long haul, and it would be wise for them to extend him sooner rather than later in order to avoid a potential bidding war in 2021.

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Titans’ David Long: Rashaan Evans, Jayon Brown stepping up as leaders

Jayon Brown and Rashaan Evans are stepping up as leaders for the Titans.

One of the themes of the Tennessee Titans’ 2020 season will be players stepping up as leaders after the team lost some key veterans during the offseason.

Two players who appear to be doing just that are inside linebackers Jayon Brown, who is going into his fourth season, and Rashaan Evans, who is entering his third.

After practice on Sunday, 2019 sixth-round pick and inside linebacker, David Long, explained how Evans and Brown are becoming leaders and helping out with the rookies.

Going into Year 2, Long says he’s trying to build off the experience he gained after getting some significant playing during the playoffs. Long saw 87 snaps over three contests, mostly due to Brown being injured.

Long’s relationship with inside linebackers coach Jim Haslett seems to be strong early on, as the second-year linebacker called the veteran coach “my guy.”

With an impressive trio of Brown, Evans and Long, the Titans look to be solid at the inside linebacker position for 2020.

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Titans’ Jayon Brown focused on 2020 season, not his contract situation

Jayon Brown isn’t focused on his contract situation ahead of the 2020 season.

It’s no secret the Tennessee Titans have gotten some solid play from linebacker Jayon Brown, who enters a contract year in 2020.

Over three seasons with the Titans, Brown has recorded 227 total tackles, (144 solo, 12 for loss) 8.5 sacks, 18 passes defensed, two interceptions and one touchdown.

Last season, Brown registered 93 total tackles (57 solo, three for loss) one sack, eight passes defensed and one interception in 14 games.

And all that production has come on a meager rookie contract of $2.6 million over four years. We’ve seen players across the NFL making more than that who haven’t even begun to touch the linebacker’s level of performance.

But Brown isn’t focused on the money and is instead keeping his eyes on an upcoming season where the Titans have lofty expectations.

So, how much does Brown deserve to make when 2021 comes around?

He’s likely in for another strong season considering that his numbers have only gone up by the year, which will put him in a great position to land a lucrative, long-term deal.

Whether or not he gets a contract extension from the Titans before the start of the 2020 season remains to be seen, however the Titans would be better off locking him up sooner rather than later in order to avoid him hitting the open market in 2021.

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Titans’ Jayon Brown passes physical, removed from PUP list

Jayon Brown dealt with multiple injuries last season, but it isn’t clear if either were the cause of his placement on the PUP list.

The Tennessee Titans placed inside linebacker Jayon Brown on the Physically Unable to Perform list (PUP) at the start of training camp on July 28, but the team announced on Wednesday that he has since passed his physical, prompting his removal from the list.

Brown dealt with multiple injuries last season, including groin and shoulder issues. He missed two games during the regular season with the former, and the latter led to him missing the Divisional Round game against the Baltimore Ravens.

It isn’t clear if either of those injuries were the cause of his being placed on the PUP list, though.

Despite missing time, Brown put in another solid season in 2019 and finished third on the team in tackles. He’ll once again be an integral part of Tennessee’s defense in 2020 and is one of the elite coverage linebackers in the NFL.

There’s a lot riding on this season for Brown, who is in the final year of his rookie deal and will be trying to put his best foot forward in order to secure a long-term contract down the road, whether it’s with the Titans or another team.

Of course, Tennessee could decide to extend him prior to the coming campaign, but the uncertainty surrounding the 2021 salary cap could force the Titans to stand pat on, as general manager Jon Robinson has suggested in the past.

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Watch: Titans’ Derick Roberson rocks colorful camp outfit

Derick Roberson first flashed his fashion sense last season.

Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Derick Roberson doesn’t shy away from looking fashionable, and this training camp outfit he was rocking is the latest example of that.

In a video shot by inside linebacker Jayon Brown, Roberson showed off his colorful sweatsuit, which the team believes is an early favorite for the “best camp fit” — and it’s hard to disagree.

We first got a look at Roberson’s fashion sense last season, when he showed up to Kansas City for the AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs wearing this epic outfit.

Roberson wasn’t just fashionable at the end of last season, he was also productive. In the Titans’ final two regular season games, Roberson notched three sacks, including two against the New Orleans Saints’ elite offensive line in Week 16.

The 2019 UDFA then parlayed that success into playing time during the playoffs, where he posted three QB hits in three postseason contests. While he didn’t notch a sack, the fact that he saw snaps at all in such high-leverage games speaks to the trust he earned from the coaching staff.

Roberson enters 2020 with a great chance to make the Titans’ roster and take on a reserve role. However, if he can continue to show he has the ability to bother opposing quarterbacks consistently and can improve against the run, he could work his way into more playing time.

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Titans’ Jayon Brown to start training camp on PUP list

The Titans did not disclose Jayon Brown’s injury.

Tennessee Titans inside linebacker Jayon Brown will be placed on the PUP list to start training camp.

Head coach Mike Vrabel revealed the news during a Zoom call with the media on Tuesday, per John Glennon of Broadway Sports, but did not disclose the injury Brown is dealing with.

As we posted earlier, Vrabel and the team also revealed that the team’s 2020 first-round pick, Isaiah Wilson, landed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, which means he either contracted the virus or had contact with someone who did.

This is obviously not a great start to training camp for the Titans, particularly in the case of Brown, as he’s a key player in the team’s defense.

Brown played in 14 games last season, but was forced from a few of those games early and missed two others because of a groin injury. He also missed the team’s Divisional Round game against the Baltimore Ravens.

If Brown is unable to come off the PUP list before the start of the season, he’d be forced to miss the first six games.

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