How the Titans are rubbing salt in the wound for AFC South rival
The Tennessee Titans didn't make any super splashy moves on offense during the first wave of free agency. That being said, they did add pass rusher Arden Key. Key was a solid contributor for the Jacksonville Jaguars a season ago, totaling 4.5 sacks. He has 11 total sacks over the past two seasons. Edge rush […]
The Tennessee Titans didn't make any super splashy moves on offense during the first wave of free agency. That being said, they did add pass rusher Arden Key. Key was a solid contributor for the Jacksonville Jaguars a season ago, totaling 4.5 sacks.
He has 11 total sacks over the past two seasons. Edge rush depth was a need for the Titans, and they addressed that with Key. He will slot in as a potential starter alongside fellow edge Harold Landry III.
The move is meaningful for the Jaguars as well, though. Their pass rush was a weakness last season, and now, they will have to replace Key's production. Kevin Patra of NFL.com doubled down on this sentiment, ranking the Jags' edge rush as one of the top ten roster holes in the NFL.
The Jaguars lost a chunk of their pass rush with Arden Key signing in Tennessee this offseason. To date, they haven't replaced his production with a veteran presence. Jacksonville is banking on 25-year-old Josh Allen returning to Pro Bowl form and 2022 No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker finding his footing after an up-and-down first season that saw him register 3.5 sacks. K'Lavon Chaisson, Jordan Smith and fifth-round rookie Yasir Abdullah are the top depth options. Coach Doug Pederson has noted the club could look to add a low-cost veteran later this summer to help round out the group. Jacksonville produced solid pressure last season, but tallied 35 just total sacks in 2022, tied for seventh-fewest. To take the next step in 2023, the Jags' defense needs to go from getting pressure to getting the QB on the ground. — Patra
Allen, overall, had a disappointing year for Jacksonville. Walker showed flashes as a rookie, but he'll have to step up in a big way. As for the Titans, it was a smart signing on multiple levels. They grabbed veteran presence on their defensive line, and they weakened an important position group for a division rival.
© Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK
