The Tennessee Titans have finally found a strong pass rush that they can keep together.
According to a person speaking on behalf of The Associated Press, the Titans reached an agreement Tuesday night to extend Harold Landry III’s contract for Pro Bowl linebacker Harold Landry III. This was hours after Landry III declined to use the franchise tag.
Landry agreed to a $52.5 million guarantee and a five-year extension for $87.5 million. After Landry posted 12 sacks, which was a record for him, and earned his first Pro Bowl nod, the deal will keep him from the free-agent market.
The Titans’ linebacker was the most productive in terms of sacks for three consecutive seasons. His 31 sacks in the first four seasons were the best in the league. Since 1982, individual sacks were officially made an NFL statistic. Jevon Kearse had 37 sacks.
Landry has played in 52 consecutive games, which is the sixth-longest streak of NFL defensive players. Landry and Cameron Hayward, both from Pittsburgh, are the only NFL players to have at least 250 tackles, 30 total sacks, and two interceptions in each of the last four seasons.
Landry was taken by the Titans in the second round of 2018, at No. 41 overall from Boston College.
With 43 sacks, Tennessee’s defense was ninth in the NFL. It also had the only NFL unit with three players who had at least eight sacks by 2021. Denico Autry had nine and Jeffery Simmons, a Pro Bowl lineman, had 8 1/2.
After attempting Jadeveon Crlowney and Vic Beasley, the Titans had only 19 sacks for 2020. Clowney was placed on injured reserve for the season, and Beasley was released that season with zero combined sacks.
Autry and Bud Dupree were signed by the Titans as free agents in March. Autry’s career-high in sacks was matched by Autry’s steal. Autry is currently under contract through 2023 while Dupree still has four seasons.
Jon Robinson, Titans general manager, said that it was fun to see how the pass rush came together at the NFL Combine last week.
Robinson stated, “But it’s a balance between trying to keep that thing together and working through Harold’s contract and you know being conscious of players that have kind of come down the pike also that we want to keep there as long as possible.”
Simmons will be entering his fourth season. However, the Titans have the option to pick up the fifth year option for No. This spring, Simmons was the 19th overall pick. Simmons was also nominated for his first Pro Bowl nomination.
