The Tennessee Titans’ defense got an early Christmas gift from the Houston Texans at the beginning of December. It was quite a thoughtful gift from the Titans’ division rivals, and it came at the perfect moment.
The Titans have been dealing with a historic amount of injuries this year. They have seen linebackers Rashaan Evans, David Long, Jayon Brown and Monty Rice all miss time for multiple reasons, but right when it was needed most, the Texans turned into the AFC South Santa Claus.
“Ho, ho, ho, here is Zach Cunningham,” said Jack Easterby, probably.
Titans General Manager Jon Robinson was ready and waiting to receive his gift. The Titans claimed Cunningham off waivers the day after he was released and, instantly, it was a match made in heaven.
Cunningham helped the Titans with a major need at the time at inside linebacker, while also providing a long-term, early-down option to play next to Long in the future.
Cunningham only costs the Titans $275,000 the rest of 2021 and has no guaranteed money on his remaining years, barring injury. Now-and-later impact for little financial risk — J-Rob, you sly dog, you’ve done it again.
Why was this player who was released such a gift, though? And why was he released at all?
Well, all the scuttlebutt points towards disciplinary reasons as the primary motivator for the Texans releasing him. Rumors of tardiness to meetings and a lethargic attitude bandied around.
But, let’s be real here, though: he was in Houston where, despite a 4-11 record currently, the wheels seem to be falling off organizationally. Not to excuse poor behavior, but one could understand.
Back to the first question though; why is Cunningham so exciting? It’s simple, really.
He is an incredible blend of explosion and violence. At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, he has great size to go with his physical skills and mindset. He can not only go through you, but around you as well.
Nothing showcases this more than his production. Cunningham led the NFL in tackles in 2020 with 164, and he had 142 in 2019. He isn’t the most adept in pass coverage, but that is not what he will be asked to do in Tennessee. He will be asked to chase and use those gifts to go sideline-to-sideline to make plays.
Through two games with the Titans, that is exactly what Cunningham has done. Evans has been the strong-side linebacker tasked with hammering the point of attack and taking on any lead blockers, while Cunningham ranges over to clean things up.
And when Cunningham arrives, he delivers striking blows that have not only a physical impact, but a mental one as well. He has led the team in tackles both games, but also added an attitude that gels perfectly with what the Titans want to be on defense. He was the perfect fit at the perfect time.
So, as we do every week, let’s step into the film room and see how Cunningham has been putting on a display of explosion and violence.