Titans Harold Landry modeled new moves after elite pass-rushers

Tennessee Titans linebacker Harold Landry is modeling his game after some of the best pass-rushers in the league.

Tennessee Titans linebacker Harold Landry has picked up some new pass-rushing moves during the offseason from some of the NFL’s best.

The second-year linebacker was looking to improve his game by adding new moves to his repertoire for 2019, so he studied top pass-rushers like Von Miller, Khalil Mack, and Dee Ford.

According to Turron Davenport of ESPN, Landry’s coaches put clips of those three stars on his iPad for him to study during the offseason.

“Our coaches did a great job putting clips of Khalil Mack, Von [Miller], Dee Ford … all of these different types of moves that I can start putting into my game on my iPad,” Landry said. “Being able to watch them every single day and go out on the field to work them live has really helped my game.”

Landry also believes the game has slowed down for him, and he wants to be able to adjust to whatever kind of blocker is thrown at him.

“The game speed has slowed down,” Landry explained to Davenport. “Last year was a big learning experience for me. I am much more relaxed, and it’s much more reactionary; flying off the ball it’s a lot more read-and-react. I am developing these moves so when I am preparing for a game and see a guy that’s a low puncher, that’s good for a chop. When I see a high puncher, that’s good for a dip. I can get under him. I want to go into a game and be able to use more than one move that I know will work. It might not be the best time to go to a dip and corner on him. I might have to stab him or do something else. Building my overall repertoire of moves helps me go against the tackles or tight ends.”

Landry is looking to make a big leap in his second season, and studying some of the game’s best pass-rushers is a pretty good way to get that done.

Why Harold Landry can make the second-year leap

In his rookie season, Landry totaled 4.5 sacks in 15 games, but spent most of the season as a rotational player. It wasn’t until the end of the 2019 campaign that Landry got three starts, and he made the most of them with two sacks and six QB hits from weeks 15 through 17.

With a full compliment of snaps, Landry looks to have the goods to be a double-digit sack guy. In a bold predictions article I did earlier in the offseason, I pegged Landry as a defender who could lead the league in sacks.

Of course, that’s a bit optimistic—or should I say, bold—for a player in his sophomore season in the league, however Landry is that special a talent to make that big of a leap.

After all, he was originally thought to be a first-round talent before the Titans nabbed him in the second in 2018. He was also the highest-graded rookie edge defender last season, which only adds to the hype.

Harold Landry is Titans’ in-house solution

There’s an opinion out there that the Titans didn’t do enough to upgrade their pass-rush after the defense finished tied for 16th in sacks a season ago. Bear in mind the Titans got a combined two sacks from starting edge rushers Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan.

It’s silly to think the Titans didn’t do enough to address their pass-rush. The signing of edge rusher Cameron Wake, who totaled triple the amount of sacks of Orakpo and Morgan combined last season, could be a much-needed boost.

And, along with Landry, the Titans are expecting Rashaan Evans to make a sophomore leap to take this pass-rush to the next level. On top of that, 2019 first-round pick Jeffery Simmons could return in December to add yet another talented player who can get to the quarterback.

The Titans didn’t need to do anything flashy via free agency or trades, because most of their answers were already in-house.