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What is Tennessee Titans mystery man, Brent Urban?

By Will Lomas

CARSON, CA - DECEMBER 22: Melvin Gordon #28 of the Los Angeles Chargers runs the ball during the first half past Brent Urban #96 of the Baltimore Ravens at StubHub Center on December 22, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - DECEMBER 22: Melvin Gordon #28 of the Los Angeles Chargers runs the ball during the first half past Brent Urban #96 of the Baltimore Ravens at StubHub Center on December 22, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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The forgotten man with the Tennessee Titans should have a place on the roster come September.

Remember that time that the Tennessee Titans signed Brent Urban in the middle of the draft? No? Well you aren’t alone.

As we all wait to see if the Titans have one more big move left in them in free agency, we should probably talk about the addition to the defensive line that GM Jon Robinson did make.

Brent Urban had a career year last year thanks to a huge uptick in snaps, but for this I went back to watch his 2017 film to see what exactly he did in the Dean Pees defense.

Urban is a long (6’7) defensive lineman that Pees liked to line up anywhere in a 1-tech, 3-tech and even on the outside against the OT in some situations. However, no matter where he played you got the same thing.

He is going to play with length and everything seems to come off of his initial contact with the offensive lineman. If he gets a good push he seems to continue and try to get into the backfield and be disruptive.

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If he gets stymied on his initial rush he finds the eyes of the quarterback and try to get his hands in the passing lanes.

Pretty standard stuff, but that is what the tape shows. He isn’t really anything special, but he also could walk into training camp as the third best defensive tackle on the team behind Jurrell Casey and Jeffery Simmons.

According to PFF, last year Urban played in every game last year and ended up with 562 snaps. That is great because it is similar to what the “non-Jurrell-Casey” DTs played last year. DaQuan Jones finished with 587 and Austin Johnson finished with 399.

In those snaps, here is what PFF credited them with:

Urban: 23 tackles, 22 QB hurries, 15 stops (TFLs and tackles near the L.O.S.) and 1 sack

Jones: 14 tackles, 9 QB hurries, 21 stops, and 0 sacks

Johnson: 4 tackles, 3 QB hurries, 13 stops, and 1 sack

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So comparing him to the other options he looks like the best pass rusher of the group in terms of pressuring the QB. He is fine, but nothing special as a run stopper statistically and probably projects best to a sub package player or someone who is pulled out on run downs.

If the Titans could cut ties with Jones or Johnson and get any cap space pack I am sure they would have already done it given their production over the last two years. However, as it stands it really isn’t enough money back (if any) to make any other move so they are kinda stuck.

Guessing what the plan is for Urban, I would imagine that the Titans plan is this.

1. Play him on passing downs until Jeffery Simmons is healthy, then probably cut him.

2. If another DT is injured along the way then that DT can go to IR and Urban can stay on the roster.

3. Assuming all DTs stay healthy, but the Titans need more size on the outside vs the run then he can be used as a hybrid front defensive lineman.

I don’t think he will play 75% of the snaps, but I also think that he is the clear short term upgrade over Austin Johnson. Heading into camp I would think that he is going to play 400-600 snaps, and will probably flash but he will be the Titans “other” defensive lineman when Harold Landry, Cam Wake and Jurrell Casey are on the field in pass rush situations with four down linemen.

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