In what has become an annual tradition under GM Jon Robinson, the Tennessee Titans pulled off a trade right before the season begins, acquiring versatile LB Kamalei Correa from the Baltimore Ravens.
Over his first three years as GM of the Tennessee Titans, Jon Robinson has made no qualms about swinging trades for players who aren’t viewed all that highly by other teams. In 2016, he pulled off an early offseason trade for RB DeMarco Murray and then swung a beneficial trade for OL Dennis Kelly, getting rid of much-maligned WR Dorial Green-Beckham in the process. Last season, Robinson called up the Kansas City Chiefs and gave up a seventh-round pick for interior DL David King. Earlier this morning, Robinson made his annual pre-season trade, acquiring former Baltimore Ravens LB Kamalei Correa for a sixth-round pick.
Correa is a former second-round pick out of Boise State, where he excelled as an outside linebacker with stellar pass-rushing traits. He racked up 19.0 sacks and 30.0 tackles for loss over his final two collegiate seasons and forced five fumbles. He was named MVP of the 2015 Poinsietta Bowl, where he notched two sacks in a 55-7 rout over the Northern Illinois Huskies.
During his time with the Ravens, Correa failed to make much of an impact while being forced to play more inside linebacker than his natural position of EDGE. He was okay while playing inside, but a full-time move to the outside, which seems likely in Nashville, could unlock his potential. With OLBs Derrick Morgan and Harold Landry looking iffy for Week 1, Correa has a real shot to be an early-season contributor.
Correa has some connections to the Titans. He was high school teammates with QB Marcus Mariota in Hawaii and played under DC Dean Pees during their time with the Ravens. Given his ability to play both inside and outside likely enticed Pees and HC Mike Vrabel, who have crafted a defensive scheme that’s based on “front multiplicity and coverage consistency”.