Why the Titans must re-sign Harold Landry this offseason
The Tennessee Titans have a handful of difficult decisions to make in the offseason with players on expiring contracts. The biggest fish in the pond is undoubtedly outside linebacker Harold Landry, who ranks 11th in the NFL in sacks over the past three seasons (26.5) and is coming off of his best year yet, totaling […]
The Tennessee Titans have a handful of difficult decisions to make in the offseason with players on expiring contracts. The biggest fish in the pond is undoubtedly outside linebacker Harold Landry, who ranks 11th in the NFL in sacks over the past three seasons (26.5) and is coming off of his best year yet, totaling a career-high 12 sacks in 2021 and earning his first Pro Bowl nod of his career.
Landry was a stalwart on what many across league circles considered to be the best front four in the NFL. His relentless effort to get to the quarterback helped transform the Titans’ defense from a historically bad unit in 2020 to the sixth-ranked scoring defense just one year later.
Edge rushers are a hot commodity in today’s NFL. As the NFL continues to trend in the direction of a pass happy, quarterback friendly league, the value on pass rushers has never been higher. And with QBs in the AFC of the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and now Joe Burrow – to name a few – it is no shock that there is such a premium placed on players whose sole responsibility is to disrupt those passers.
While Landry’s second contract won’t be anywhere near the record-setting extension the Pittsburgh Steelers gave EDGE T.J. Watt last offseason worth $112m over four years, he is expected to find himself somewhere around the $20m mark annually. In fact, Spotrac calculates Landry’s market value to be just over $17m per year on a four-year contract worth just north of $68m.
General Manager Jon Robinson and Vice President of Football Administration Vin Marino will certainly have to do some salary cap gymnastics to clear enough cap space to be able to afford paying Landry. While it’s not as simple as delivering Landry a blank check and asking him to sign on the dotted line, it would be head scratching to let the team’s most dominant pass rusher walk out of the door just a year removed from finishing 30th in the NFL with just 19 sacks as a team.
As it stands currently, Spotrac’s Cap Tracker has the Titans 27th in the NFL in cap space for the 2022 season. Like every team, Tennessee is expected to have some roster turnover this offseason. Big decisions loom on the horizon over players like Rodger Saffold, Janoris Jenkins, and perhaps even Taylor Lewan with just one year remaining on their current contracts as the Titans look to save money wherever they can afford to.
The Titans will also have to make a decision on free-agent center Ben Jones, along with some of the less expensive role players such as defensive back Dane Cruikshank, wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and outside linebacker Ola Adeiniyi.
Featured image courtesy of Christopher Hanewinckel – USA TODAY Sports
