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Tennessee Titans vs Pittsburgh Steelers: Defensive player to watch

By Will Lomas

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 5: Alex Wells #21, Hershey Walton #72, Sharif Finch #56, and Nate D. Smith #35 of the Temple Owls react after an interception by Finch in the third quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions on September 5, 2015 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Owls defeated the Nittany Lions 27-10 (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 5: Alex Wells #21, Hershey Walton #72, Sharif Finch #56, and Nate D. Smith #35 of the Temple Owls react after an interception by Finch in the third quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions on September 5, 2015 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Owls defeated the Nittany Lions 27-10 (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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The Tennessee Titans need someone to step up on the defense.

The Tennessee Titans will be without both starting EDGEs today with Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan both likely out.

You would imagine that means that Tennessee will start Harold Landry and Aaron Wallace at EDGE like they have in the past when Derrick Morgan has rotated out of the lineup.

While that may be the case, there is a larger concern here. Derrick Morgan has a knee injury that may cause him to miss Week 1 of the regular season based on what people have guessed.

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If that is the case then I would expect the Titans to pull Landry out of the game pretty soon, and probably before most other starters.

The next man up at EDGE is Sharif Finch the UDFA from Temple. Honestly, if you take the full body of work from both preseason games he is probably the most impressive non-starter of the preseason.

Not only is this his chance to make the roster, but if he gets some time vs starters opposite Aaron Wallce he could step up and become a real player on this roster.

This team has struggled to find EDGE players in the draft for years. Since Derrick Morgan, look at the EDGEs this team has drafted:

2012: Scott Solomon, Rice 7th round

2013: Lavar Edwards, LSU 5th round

2015: Deiontrez Mount, Louisville 6th round

2016: Kevin Dodd, Clemson 2nd round, Aaron Wallace 7th round

2017: Josh Carraway, TCU 7th round.

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Four of those picks were busts while Aaron Wallace and Josh Carraway still have a chance to be depth players on this team. However Landry and Finch have a real chance to not only make the team but to be 2nd line players.

Next year, the EDGE group is facing some serious turn over with Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan both scheduled to be free agents.

If Finch steps up then a combination of Landry, Finch and Wallace (plus an outside player probably) could round out to be a pretty good top-4 at EDGE with two players making UDFA/7th round money.

If Finch steps up it would be great for the Titans both financially. Let’s say Tennessee goes out and makes a huge splash signing in FA. The top-4 EDGEs would make:

1. Khalil Mack/Demarcus Lawrence/Frank Clark/Ziggy Ansah/Brandon Graham/Jadeveon Clowney/Anthony Barr: $20 million

2. Harold Landry: $1,530,000

3. Sharif Finch: $575,000

4. Aaron Wallace: $742,000

So combined they would make about $22 million per year. Currently the Titans are paying Orakpo/Morgan/Landry/Wallace/Finch about $20 million.

So with a rising cap and with three dirt cheap contracts for EDGE the Titans can have a pretty reasonable cap hit and one of the best young groups of EDGE defenders in the NFL.

That future can only happen if Finch turns out to be a solid 3rd EDGE this season and that all starts today when he should have a chance to get some real snaps against first team offensive linemen.

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