Paul Kuharsky: Tennessee Titans not interested in Ndamukong Suh
By Will Lomas
The Tennessee Titans appear to be done signing big names this offseason.
The dream was fun while it lasted, but it looks like the Tennessee Titans will not be pursuing free agent DT, Ndamukong Suh.
According to Paul Kuharsky the Titans aren’t interested in Suh primarily because he isn’t a “scheme fit” in their defense. In the radio spot I linked above, he even goes as far as to say that Tennessee really wasn’t that interested in him last year in retrospect.
There was a lot of smoke about the Titans going after the All Pro, with the decision ultimately coming down to L.A. vs Nashville as the final destination. However, he notes that there was never even a report that GM Jon Robinson had offered Suh a contract.
So maybe the Titans were never interested in Suh, whether that was because of a money issue or just his penchant for penalties. However, this thing about a scheme fit really caught my attention.
Last year he primarily played in the A-gap with some flexibility to bump out in certain packages. So by saying that, the assumption is that the Titans don’t think he would be a significant upgrade over what they have there currently.
Here is where that rubs me the wrong way, didn’t Tennessee just draft Jeffery Simmons with the 19th pick in the draft? The dream scenario or Simmons is that he becomes Suh, they have the same responsibilities on tape.
The response I keep coming up with is that the 1-tech in the Pees defense may be asked to hold blocks and set things up for other people, more than try to make plays themselves. But the thing about that is, if that is your plans with Simmons then you are absolutely going to waste his talent.
It is 2019. You need penetration and pass rush ability from every player in your front seven or else they are just hurting your team. You know what sets up another pass rusher really well? If teams know that they can’t stop a guy 1-on-1.
For the Titans, they should be trying to find ways to get Simmons 1-on-1 with a guard or center rather than scheming him out of the play or telling him to just wait at the L.O.S.
I truly believe that the Titans defensive coaching staff is one of the best in the NFL and it features some of the most intelligent coaches in the game. Until I see it, I can’t believe that they are ready to waste Simmons like that.
So by the same token, I can’t believe that they think that defense is better without Suh than with Suh. On paper they are nearly the exact same player:
Simmons: 6’4, 305 lb., 34.5 inch arms, 10.25 inch hands, 28 reps on bench. Averaged 1.2 TFLs and 0.3 sacks per game in his last two years.
Suh: 6’4, 307 lb., 33.5 inch arms, 10.25 inch hands, 32 reps on bench. Averaged 1.4 TFLs and 0.7 sacks per game in his last two years.
Nearly identical frames and while Suh was more productive, Simmons played against legitimate NFL talent in the SEC facing off against double digit current or future NFL players, and many of those twice.
I think Paul Kuharksy has a great feel for what the Tennessee Titans want to do and I am sure that he has a lot of sources inside the building, so if he is reporting it then I am sure that is what they are saying.
All I am saying is that it is hard for me to understand the idea that the Titans don’t want Suh. In your happiest dreams, Simmons turns into Suh but you know you are going to be without Simmons for at least 8 games this season.
Why wouldn’t you just…I don’t know, maybe I am missing something but from a pure tape study standpoint about what he would bring to the team, the Titans should be interested in Suh even if they aren’t in reality.