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Tennessee Titans News & Rumors

Extension Candidate: Jeffery Simmons

June 27th, 2022 at 9:59pm CST by Ely Allen

It’s no secret that Jeffery Simmons is interested in a new contract. The fourth-year defensive tackle staged a “hold-in” at the Titans’ mandatory minicamp this month. A “hold-in” is where a player attends the required sessions without competing in any of the drills. It’s meant to act as a hold-out without triggering any of the fines that would come along with not attending the required sessions.

Now both Simmons and the Titans’ coaches deny that the “hold-in” has anything to do with any contract issues. Titans head coach Mike Vrabel attributed his lack of participation to “the plan laid out by the team” in order for him to be ready for training camp, according to Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com. Regardless, Simmons and Tennessee are going through the process of determining what the future holds for their union and it will likely require some negotiation.

Tennessee drafted Simmons out of Mississippi State with their first pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. Simmons had a slow start at the pro-level. A torn ACL suffered during draft prep kept him on the reserve/non-football injury list until mid-October of his rookie season. He promptly recorded a sack in his NFL debut, but only finished the season with 2.0 sacks, 4.0 tackles for loss, and 2 quarterback hits.

In his sophomore season, Simmons claimed his role as a full-time starter in the middle of the line, thanks in part to the departure of veteran Jurrell Casey to Denver. In his first full NFL season, Simmons showed improvement in his ability to apply pressure in the backfield with 14 quarterback hits, but struggled to convert those into strong finishes, only totaling 3.0 sacks and 3.0 tackles for loss by the end of the year. He did display a talent for batting balls at the line, a highly sought after trait for defensive linemen, recording 5 passes defensed in his second season.

2021 saw a breakout year for Simmons. Starting all 17 games of the newly-elongated season, Simmons recorded career-highs in sacks (8.5), total tackles (54), tackles for loss (12.0), quarterback hits (16), and passes defensed (6). Simmons was named a Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro.

While this was clearly a great season for Simmons, the best of his career, he still has a ways to go to reach the heights of the best athletic defensive tackles in the league. His pass rushing numbers are nowhere near those of the highest paid players at his position such as Aaron Donald, DeForest Buckner, or Chris Jones. Due to the room he still has to grow, it’s hard to imagine a long-term deal for Simmons reaching the heights of $20MM+ like the players listed above.

When looking at what a long-term deal for Simmons might look like, better comparisons would be players like Javon Hargrave, Cameron Heyward, and Jonathan Allen.

Hargrave had been drafted by Washington two years before Simmons entered the league. Hargrave ended up signing an three-year extension with an average annual value (AAV) of $13MM at around the same point in his career that Simmons is in now. While Hargrave’s best season wasn’t quite what Simmons’ is, Hargrave had put together two consecutively strong seasons that led to a bit of a shorter extension but still rewarded his talent.

Heyward had a few more impressive seasons than Simmons when he signed his four-year deal with an AAV of $16.4MM. The reason why Heyward is still comparable despite his superior output is that he was 31-years-old when he signed his contract. His advanced age likely caused a slight drop in his overall value.

Allen may be the best comparison for Simmons’ current situation. 11 months ago, Allen signed a four-year extension with an AAV of $18MM. Allen was 26-years-old when he signed the deal and had two strong seasons with very similar statistics to Simmons’ best year.

With the combination of Simmons’ production and the fact that he’ll turn only 25 next month, an attempt can be made to try and estimate what an extension for him at this point might look like. Considering that the Titans would probably like to hold on to Simmons and that NFL salaries are constantly inflating, a reasonable extension would look something like a four-year, $76MM contract. More generally, expect a three- or four-year deal with an AAV of $18-19.5MM.

Now a new deal is not immediately necessary. Simmons is heading into his fourth year in the league and, as he was a first-round pick, the Titans had a fifth-year option on his rookie-contract which they exercised back in April. Still, the Titans would like to secure Simmons long-term and Simmons would like to cash in on his best season to date, as he’s only set to make $2.2MM on his base salary this year.

Simmons doesn’t have an agent, but instead refers to a “team” meant to deal with his contract. “I’m not talking to (the Titans) about my contract. I have a team in place that, if it is my contract, they’re going to talk to whoever upstairs,” Simmons told McCormick about the negotiation situation. While his contract “team” handles his potential extension, Simmons will be focused on his on-the-field team.

“My job is to be a leader, be a player and not just on the field but in the weight room, the locker room, or whatever it may be,” Simmons pronounced. “I’m on the plan and I’m sticking with it, and I’ll see you guys in camp.”

AFC Rumors: White, Chaisson, Williams, Cannon

June 24th, 2022 at 9:50pm CST by Ely Allen

After tearing his ACL in late November last season, Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White is a candidate to begin the season on injured reserve, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. This differs slightly from earlier reports this year that White may be on track to start the 2022 NFL season healthy.

White was just halfway through the second year of his four-year, $69MM extension when he suffered the noncontact injury. His absence was a tough blow for the Bills who fell just short of their second-straight AFC Championship game appearance. With White on injured reserve for at least the first four weeks of the season, Buffalo will depend on rookie first-round pick Kaiir Elam. Elam will team up with returning corners Taron Johnson, Dane Jackson, and Siran Neal to anchor a strong Buffalo secondary until White’s return.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC, starting with a couple of rumors from Duval County:

  • Despite his lofty status as one of the Jaguars’ first-round picks from the last couple of years, defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson‘s roster spot is anything but guaranteed, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN. During his two years in Jacksonville, Chaisson has only started 11 games despite playing in all but two. In those two seasons of work, Chaisson only has 2.0 sacks, 6.0 tackles for loss, and 13 quarterback hits to his name. This leaves him in a precarious spot this offseason as he hopes to carve out his role on the Jaguars’ defensive line and prove his worth as the former No. 20 overall draft pick.
  • ESPN’s DiRocco also dove into Jacksonville’s cornerback room, positing that former Rams cornerback Darious Williams is expected to earn the starting spot at nickel for the Jaguars defense. With Tyson Campbell and Shaquill Griffin in place on the outside, Williams should have the inside track to start in the slot. Four-year Jaguars cornerback Tre Herndon has some experience on the inside, as well, and should provide some quality depth and competition for Williams, but Williams was brought in to play and will likely get the opportunity over Herndon to start the year.
  • Running back Trenton Cannon has bounced around a bit during his first four years in the league, spending time with the Jets, Panthers, Ravens, and 49ers. Cannon signed with the Titans in March and is expected to make the eventual 53-man roster due to his return abilities, according to ESPN’s Turron Davenport. On the running back depth chart for Tennessee, Cannon likely sits behind Derrick Henry, Dontrell Hilliard, and rookie Hassan Haskins, but he has extensive experience as a kick returner, serving as San Francisco’s primary return man down the stretch last season. With the Titans’ primary return man from last year, Chester Rogers, currently off the roster as a free agent, Cannon should be able to solidify a roster spot if he can prove his worth as a special teamer.

AFC South Rumors: Jordan, Titans, Shenault, Radunz

June 23rd, 2022 at 7:58pm CST by Ely Allen

After allowing tight end Jordan Akins to walk in free agency, the Texans are expected to turn to second-year tight end Brevin Jordan to lead the position-group in 2022, according to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop.

Pharaoh Brown started the most games of any tight end on the roster last year but mostly serves as the team’s primary run-blocking tight end. Jordan, though, has seemingly passed Brown on the depth chart in the passing game as he looks to make a big leap during his second year in Houston.

Last season, Jordan caught 20 passes for 178 yards and three touchdowns, comparable with Brown’s 23 receptions for 171 yards. Jordan will look to improve those numbers in his sophomore season. The former Miami Hurricane is set up nicely to do so as the newly re-signed Antony Auclair and newly drafted Oregon State rookie Teagan Quitoriano are, like Brown, both well-known for their blocking abilities.

Here are a few more rumors from around the AFC South, starting with a rumor out of Nashville:

  • In a report on the future of Titans linebacker David Long Jr., Terry McCormick of Titan Insider made an interesting claim that, after claiming linebacker Zach Cunningham off of waivers from the Texans in December, Tennessee didn’t feel pressed at all to re-sign former first-round pick Rashaan Evans. This may be mainly due to how Tennessee values the inside linebacker position. Evans, now with the Falcons, had started 39 games, only missing one week of football in his first three seasons, when the Titans declined his fifth-year option. Evans’ best season came in 2019 with his stats falling slightly in 2020. An injury-affected 2021 season sealed his fate in Tennessee as they let him walk in free agency.
  • After bringing in wide receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones on big money deals, ESPN’s Michael DiRocco reports that Jacksonville still has wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. in their plans. Shenault has stayed consistent over his first two years in the league catching 58 balls for 600 yards as a rookie and 63 passes for 619 yards in his second season. The big difference was in his touchdown totals as he went from five touchdown catches in 2020 to zero in 2021. The Jaguars also like to use Shenault sparingly in the running game, which might be where Shenault’s role lies in the future: as a dual-threat offensive weapon alongside running back Travis Etienne. If not, he’ll be competing for snaps with Kirk, Jones, and Marvin Jones Jr. in the receiving game.
  • According to Turron Davenport of ESPN, rookie offensive lineman out of North Dakota State Dillon Radunz is expected to earn the starting right tackle job in Tennessee. While the position group still has some question marks, the second-round rookie is set to bookend the line opposite veteran Taylor Lewan. This leaves Jamarco Jones, Ben Jones, Nate Davis, Aaron Brewer, and others to compete over the three inside positions over training camp and the preseason as the Titans look to cement their offensive line.

Titans, S Amani Hooker Discuss Extension

June 23rd, 2022 at 5:55pm CST by Ely Allen

Tennessee has a number of players that they are interested in extending over the next season and, according to Terry McCormick of Titan Insider, the Titans have already had discussions with fourth-year safety Amani Hooker. 

Hooker was a fourth-round pick out of the University of Iowa in 2019. He spent his rookie season cutting his teeth as a star on special teams. In year two with the Titans, Hooker worked as a sub-package player, earning more playing time and four interceptions as a result.

Hooker started the 2021 NFL season as the team’s starter at strong safety before a Week 1 groin injury sidelined him for the next five weeks. He returned and became the fourth-leading tackler on the team despite only playing in 12 games. Hooker meshes well with free safety Kevin Byard to form one of the more formidable safety duos in the league. The Titans would certainly like to keep the two together.

Another 2019 draft pick looking to stick around is linebacker David Long Jr. Long was a sixth-round draft pick that served as a reserve linebacker and special teamer his rookie season before filling in for an injured Jayon Brown in the playoffs. In an extremely similar path to Hooker, Long earned more playing time as a substitute before ultimately earning a starting role in 2021. Long was the team’s second-leading tackler despite only appearing in 10 games last season.

The Titans will likely continue pursuing new deals for Hooker and Long in the next few weeks, but the team, as a general rule, tends not to do any contract negotiations during the season. So if any further progress is made, it will likely occur between the start of training camp and Tennessee’s home opener on September 11.

Jets Looked Into A.J. Brown Trade

June 20th, 2022 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The wide receiver the Jets did end up with, Garrett Wilson, will be linked to a number of higher-profile pass catchers for a while. Because the Jets completed a thorough tour of the wideout trade market this offseason.

They made an offer that included the No. 10 overall pick for Deebo Samuel, were on the doorstep of a Tyreek Hill trade and were in the mix for Amari Cooper. The Jets also called the Seahawks on D.K. Metcalf. Rounding out this cycle, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes the team also looked into an A.J. Brown deal.

Going into the draft, Titans bigwigs continued to say their No. 1 wideout was not available. Extension talks and pro-extension sentiments were bandied about. That all fell apart on draft day, when the Titans decided a future with Brown — in a market affected by the Hill and Davante Adams trades — was not worth what it could cost to secure it. Tennessee sent Brown to Philadelphia for first- and third-round picks, leading to the Eagles’ monster extension (four years, $100MM, receiver-high $56MM fully guaranteed) and the Titans obtaining the No. 18 overall choice.

Prior to the Brown deal being announced, the Jets offered the 49ers the No. 10 pick. But that deal would have included San Francisco’s No. 61 selection going to New York. The 49ers stood pat, leading this complex Jets process to Wilson, whom Cimini notes the team had rated ahead of No. 8 overall pick Drake London. Gang Green’s offseason receiver frenzy nearly involved trading up to No. 9, in an effort to ensure no one traded ahead of the wideout-fixated franchise, but saw the Seahawks hang onto their pick and draft a tackle (Charles Cross).

This all clears the way for Wilson, whom Cimini notes the team will be prepared to use outside and in the slot. The 6-foot, 183-pound rookie will be expected to grow into the Jets’ No. 1 receiver, and although he lacks the proven ability of the players the team chased, the addition of the ex-Buckeyes talent rounds out a productive offseason for the AFC East squad at this spot. The team’s decision to re-sign Braxton Berrios gives it a top four of Wilson, Corey Davis, Elijah Moore and Berrios.

Whereas the others the Jets chased are tied to monster contracts or likely soon will be, in Samuel’s case, Wilson also comes at a rookie-deal price through at least 2024. The Jets have the ability to keep him on this pact through 2026. The Jets’ additions of C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin stand to help out Zach Wilson as well, after recent seasons did not see much production from New York’s tight end position.

Titans RB Derrick Henry Open To Extension

June 18th, 2022 at 12:40pm CST by Ben Levine

We heard last month that the Titans were interested in extending Derrick Henry. Well, it sounds like the star running back is open to an extension, as well. Speaking to Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky, Henry said he’d be interested in signing another deal with Tennessee.

[RELATED: Titans Considering Derrick Henry Extension?]

“It’s always good to get a promotion at your job,” Henry said. “A promotion is always good. I’m trying to work through that but I’m currently still under contract. If that’s what the future holds, then yeah, that’d be great.”

Back in 2020, Henry inked a four-year, $50MM deal that would keep him on the Titans through the 2023 campaign. In terms of average annual value, the deal ranks fifth at the position (behind Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, Ezekiel Elliott, and Dalvin Cook). While he’s coming off a significant injury, Henry has otherwise been healthy throughout his NFL career, so an extension could help him climb that AAV leaderboard. At the very least, a new extension could garner Henry some addition guarantees while carving out some extra space for the Titans.

Henry was prolific in both the 2019 and 2020 seasons, and he carried that production over to 2021. Through the first eight games, the RB compiled 1,091 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns. While his yards per carry was way down (5.4 in 2020 to 4.3 in 2021), he was on track to have a career year in the receiving game. A foot injury knocked him out for the final nine games of the regular season, and while he managed to return for the Titans playoff loss, most of his offseason focus has been on his health.

“I’m doing a lot of footwork, making sure that I am finding my toes, he always tells me that when I am working out, just so I am balancing my foot,” Henry told Kuharsky. “I feel good, I am running hills, doing restricted running, all those types of things to make sure I am ready.” 

Latest On Titans WR Treylon Burks

June 17th, 2022 at 11:23am CST by Sam Robinson

Considering the player the Titans gave up to acquire the pick that became Treylon Burks, the first-round wide receiver represents not just a long-term investment but one pivotal to Tennessee’s 2022 season. So far, the Titans have not seen too much of Burks.

Tennessee, which traded A.J. Brown to Philadelphia for a package headlined by this year’s No. 18 overall pick, saw its Brown heir apparent miss OTAs time and then miss all of the team’s minicamp. Mike Vrabel did not provide a reason for Burks’ unavailability this week.

Burks was slowed during OTAs and later missed practice time due to asthma. While Titans wide receivers coach Rob Moore praised Burks’ progression in their offensive system, via The Tennessean’s Ben Arthur, his unspecified minicamp absence does provide a bit of an early concern.

Earlier this offseason, SI.com’s Albert Breer noted weight issues have followed Burks for a bit. Listed at 225 pounds, Burks, according to some teams ahead of the draft, played in the 240s at points during his Arkansas career and was over 230 during some of his pre-draft workouts. While the big-bodied target obviously played well enough to warrant a top-20 selection, nearly hitting 1,000 yards in 2020’s COVID 19-shortened season and surpassing 1,100 as a junior in 2021, the SEC standout does enter the NFL with some uncertainty.

The Jon Robinson-era Titans have not shied away from first-rounders with potential red flags. They hit on 2019 first-rounder Jeffery Simmons, who was coming off an offseason ACL tear ahead of his rookie season. Simmons has become one of the NFL’s top interior defensive linemen. But the team missed badly on 2020 first-rounder Isaiah Wilson, who was off the Titans’ roster by 2021 after a three-snap rookie season. Caleb Farley missed Tennessee’s offseason program and some of training camp last year, due to the two back surgeries he had undergone. Farley, who suffered a torn ACL during his freshman year at Virginia Tech, went down due to another ACL tear three games into his rookie season.

Tennessee cut Julio Jones after what turned out to be a misfire — one that cost the team a second-round pick. Recent trade acquisition Robert Woods, obtained for just a 2023 sixth-round pick, is coming off a torn ACL he sustained in November. The Titans do not have much in the way of notable investments at receiver behind Burks and Woods, though former UDFA Nick Westbrook-Ikhine showed some promise last season. This amplifies the importance of their Woods-Burks duo producing. Training camp will be a key step for both.

Latest On Titans DL Jeffery Simmons

June 16th, 2022 at 8:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Jeffery Simmons is attending Titans mandatory minicamp, but he’s not participating in any drills. While the player is clearly staging a “hold-in,” neither Simmons nor the Titans coaching staff will attribute his on-field absence to contract issues.

The Titans picked up the former first-round pick’s fifth-year option, so Simmons still has two years remaining on his rookie pact. He’ll earn a base salary of $2.22MM this upcoming season before getting that fifth-year jump, which is at $10.75MM. Curiously, Simmons doesn’t have an agent; instead, he has a “team” that deals with his contract.

“I’m not talking to them about my contract. I have a team in place that, if it is my contract, they’re going to talk to whoever upstairs,” Simmons said (via Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com). “Vrabs doesn’t handle contracts. My job is to be a leader, be a player and not just on the field but in the weight room, the lockerroom, or whatever it may be. I’m on the plan and I’m sticking with it, and I’ll see you guys in camp.”

While Simmons could be hinting that his team is negotiating a new contract with the organization, Mike Vrabel also said the defensive lineman’s absence doesn’t have anything to do with contracts. Rather, Simmons is “following the plan laid out by the team” that would have him ready for training camp, per McCormick.

The 2019 first-round pick had a breakout season in 2021. After collecting only five sacks through his first 24 games, Simmons finished the 2022 campaign with 8.5 sacks. He added 54 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 16 QB hits.

Dillon Radunz Concentrating On RT

June 14th, 2022 at 11:58am CST by Sam Robinson
  • Previously mentioned as a potential left guard option, Titans 2021 second-round pick Dillon Radunz is now concentrating on the right tackle battle. With Radunz and rookie third-rounder Nicholas Petit-Frere matching up outside, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com notes former UDFA Aaron Brewer and ex-Seahawks backup Jamarco Jones are vying for the left guard gig (Twitter link). The Titans must replace cap casualty Rodger Saffold and free agency defection David Quessenberry — their latest right tackle stopgap — up front this year. Both 2021 starters are with the Bills now.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/13/22

June 13th, 2022 at 7:48pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves around the league:

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

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