Former Titans defensive coordinator takes a shot at his old team
The Atlanta Falcons signed former Tennessee Titans linebacker Rashaan Evans earlier this offseason. Evans, a former first-round pick out of Alabama, wasn't resigned by the Titans after the 2021 season. It wasn't a surprise that Tennessee let Evans walk, considering the Titans declined to pick up his fifth-year option after the 2020 season. On Thursday, […]
The Atlanta Falcons signed former Tennessee Titans linebacker Rashaan Evans earlier this offseason.
Evans, a former first-round pick out of Alabama, wasn't resigned by the Titans after the 2021 season. It wasn't a surprise that Tennessee let Evans walk, considering the Titans declined to pick up his fifth-year option after the 2020 season.
On Thursday, Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees spoke to reporters about Evans.
Pees, who served as the Titans' defensive coordinator in 2018 and 2019, told reporters he didn't know why Tennessee let Evans go.
"I don’t know why Tennessee let him go and quite frankly I don’t care, but I’m glad they did," said Pees (via Maria Martin).
Evans was expendable in Nashville thanks to the play of Zach Cunningham and David Long.
The former Alabama standout wasn't a bust with the Titans — his 2019 season was solid — but he didn't quite live up to first-round expectations.
Evans struggled at times in coverage, earning a 49.1 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus this past season (Evans ranked No. 63 among all linebackers in coverage). As a result of the lackluster season, Evans signed a one-year "prove it" deal worth $1.7 million with the Falcons. He's essentially hoping to reset his market in 2022 by playing under the defensive coordinator that helped him shine in 2019.
Two things can be true — it was time for the Titans to move on from Evans and the Falcons may have found a bargain in the veteran linebacker. Sometimes a change of scenery is needed and maybe that's all it will take for Evans to reach his potential.
Either way, the Titans will be just fine without him in 2022.
Featured image via Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
