What made re-signing Teair Tart an easy decision for the Titans
NFL general managers have had a busy week as the quarterback carousel is officially underway. While avoiding the QB market, Tennessee Titans General Manager Jon Robinson has had an active 24-hour span of his own. Robinson and the Titans have re-signed four players this week including OLB Harold Landry, DT Teair Tart, QB Logan Woodside, […]
NFL general managers have had a busy week as the quarterback carousel is officially underway. While avoiding the QB market, Tennessee Titans General Manager Jon Robinson has had an active 24-hour span of his own. Robinson and the Titans have re-signed four players this week including OLB Harold Landry, DT Teair Tart, QB Logan Woodside, and WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in a flurry of moves.
Landry is the biggest fish in the pond as the Titans inked the edge rusher to a five-year deal worth $87.5M on Tuesday night. To bring further continuity to a defensive line unit that was easily the most improved position group in 2021, the Titans announced a one-year extension for Tart.
Undrafted out of Florida International University, Tart played seven games during his rookie campaign in 2020 after bouncing up-and-down from the active roster and practice squad. However, last offseason Tart took a major leap as head coach Mike Vrabel declared the 6’2” 304lb run stopper as an offseason award winner.
In 2021, Tart played in 11 games, starting in 10 of those and registering 16 tackles and two TFLs in his second season in the league. Playing behind Jeffery Simmons and Denico Autry, Tart was able to carve out a role for himself in run defense.
In fact, with Tart on the field, opponents averaged 4.0 YPC versus 4.5 yards YPC without him lined up in the trenches, per Sports Info Solutions. At this point in his career, Tart is considered to be the most valuable depth piece on the interior defensive line that the Titans currently possess.
Although the Titans pass rush finished the regular season with 43 sacks (T-9th), it was the team’s run defense that consistently blew up offensive game plans. Tennessee finished the season ranked second in rush defense (84.6 YPG) having barely been bested by the Baltimore Ravens, who allowed just two fewer rushing yards on the year.
With Bud Dupree and Denico Autry also returning next season, the sky is the ceiling for the Titans’ front four. The expectation is that the offseason will give Dupree time to fully recover from his nagging injuries, allowing him to return to his form that earned him a five-year $82.5M contract last May.
The Titans still have numerous holes on the current roster that must be addressed through the NFL Draft and free agency, which officially begins on March 16th. By inking both Landry and Tart, Robinson clearly knows what he needs to do in retaining what has become one of the premier defensive lines in football.
Featured image via Steve Roberts – USA TODAY Sports
