Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons is entering his third season in the NFL and the expectation is that he’ll take that next step and build off the flashes of being a star player he has shown thus far.
Pro Football Focus’ Ben Linsey appears to be high on Simmons, also, as he ranked the Mississippi State product and former first-round pick at No. 13 on his list of the 32 best interior defensive linemen in the NFL.
Simmons is one of the top ascending interior defenders in the league after posting an 83.9 PFF grade in 2020 that ranked 11th at the position. He showed signs of that kind of play as a rookie in 2019, but a debut that didn’t come until Week 7 limited his impact during that campaign. Now, Simmons is in good shape to continue his upward path in 2021 on a defensive front that added Bud Dupree and Denico Autry this offseason.
In 2020, Simmons saw plenty of double and even triple teams throughout the campaign, limiting his ability to impact the interior pass rush. To make matters worse, nobody around him was able to take advantage.
Simmons will have a lot more help around him in 2021, though, as the additions of defensive lineman Denico Autry, who did not make this list, and outside linebacker Bud Dupree should free him up for more one-on-ones.
While the Titans are solid upfront with Autry and Simmons, the team still has a question mark along the defensive line after the departure of DaQuan Jones to the Carolina Panthers.
As it stands, Tennessee will have to rely on 2020 UDFA Teair Tart and 2020 fifth-round pick Larrell Murchison to take over those snaps in three defensive lineman sets.
Two free agents we’ve suggested the Titans should consider to fill that void are Jurrell Casey and Sheldon Richardson, both of whom made Linsey’s list. Casey was ranked at No. 24 and Richardson landed at No. 31.
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