When you're standing around the water cooler at work talking about the Tennessee Titans defense these days, you're probably discussing the L'Jarius Sneed trade, new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, or even the selection of T'Vondre Sweat in the 2024 NFL Draft.
It's all about what's new, fresh, and what could help the Titans improve as a defense from the team's league average marks of 2023.
But let's not forget that the improvement of returning players can also be what takes a team to the next level...and while he may be quieter than most defensive stars, Harold Landry III is a player worth watching and discussing in 2024.
Harold Landry III
Landry had his career breakout season in 2021 when he recorded 12 sacks in 17 games. That earned him a five-year, $87.5 million contract extension from the Titans in the ensuing offseason, but an ACL tear would keep Landry sidelined for all of 2022.
In 2023, Landry's slow return to form was made into a very big deal. There was a lot of attention on the former second-round pick and a lot of pressure to perform up to his contract. When Landry recorded just one sack in his first five games of 2023, it was concerning.
But Landry closed the 2023 season with 9.5 sacks in the final 12 games of the year. He once again reached double-digits in sacks despite the slow start and seemed to only improve as the year went on. The further removed Landry got from his knee surgery, the more he seemed to look like his old self. It is for that reason that I don't believe he's being talked about enough this offseason.
In many ways, Landry is Tennessee's silent assassin. Unlike Jeffery Simmons, fellow edge rusher Arden Key, and other pass rushers around the NFL, Landry doesn't speak much. He's not a trash talker. He does not put himself out there in front of the media. He avoids drawing attention to himself. And as a result, there is very little discussion surrounding him.
With Landry, you feel his impact more than you hear his impact. He's not a vocal leader, but he always puts in his work and leads by example. Landry's teammates and coaches talk about him more frequently than he talks about himself.
It is rare that I speak with Landry in the Titans' locker room after a practice or game. And yet somehow it feels like he might be one of Tennessee's most important players this season. Whether positive or negative, whether it's heard about or not, Landry's impact on the 2024 Titans is going to be felt. If he doesn't return to form, Tennessee is really going to be lacking pass rushers and the defense will suffer. But if he's the guy he was in 2021, or dare I say...even better? The Titans could have their best defense in years.
With a healthy Simmons up front, the additions of T'Vondre Sweat and Sebastian Joseph-Day to the interior defensive line, and a secondary that should thrive in press coverage, it wouldn't surprise me to see Landry have the best season of his NFL career. Matter of fact...I'll call my shot now and say he sets a new career-high in sacks in 2024.
A lot of it rides on Landry's shoulders. That's worth talking about and I'm surprised it hasn't been a bigger topic of conversation.
