Jeffery Simmons said Wednesday that the Titans' new defense fits his game, even as the team prepares to cap its linemen at 60% of the snaps. The All-Pro tackle sounded energized by a scheme under Robert Saleh that is built to attack, not just absorb blocks.
That matters now because Tennessee is trying to change the way its defense plays after finishing 3-14 for a second straight season, and Simmons is central to whether the overhaul works. He had a career-best 11 sacks last season and remains the kind of player opponents have to account for on every snap.
Simmons put it plainly: “That’s my game.” He added that he likes to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage, the place where a defensive tackle becomes the problem instead of the answer. For a player who has built his reputation on staying on the field and forcing offenses to adjust, the new approach asks him to do that work in shorter bursts.
Saleh wants veteran players to attack opposing offenses rather than spend the game fighting through double-teams, and he said the payoff should come late, when fresh legs matter most. The idea is simple enough. Rotate enough to keep the front fast, then hope that in the fourth quarter the opposing offensive line has been worn down. That is also where the friction sits. Simmons prides himself on being available, but the Titans plan to limit him and the rest of the defensive line to 60% of the snaps.
The team has spent heavily to make that plan possible, trading for Jeremiah Johnson II, signing John Franklin-Myers and Solomon Thomas, and drafting Keldric Faulk in the first round after trading back into it. It also added Alontae Taylor, Cor'Dale Flott, Joshua Williams and Tony Adams, and took Anthony Hill Jr. in the second round. The depth is meant to support the scheme, but it also means Simmons will not be asked to carry the front the way he once did.
There is another layer to his offseason. Simmons had his right elbow cleaned up after being unable to straighten his arm fully for well over two and half years, and he wore a brace during games. He said his goal is to make sure he is in the best shape of his life, which sounds like the right answer for a player who may have to be more explosive in fewer snaps.
Saleh has pointed to San Francisco's 2019 switch from a six-technique and a more old school 4-3 front as a model, one that helped produce a defense that finished third in fewest yards allowed per game and second against the pass before reaching the Super Bowl. Tennessee is not there yet, but the plan is clear enough: use Simmons as a force, not a workhorse, and trust the rotation to make the last quarter belong to the Titans.
