Titans take two from former AFC powerhouses to improve sacks

Dec 6, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Indianapolis Colts defensive end Denico Autry (96) reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Indianapolis Colts defensive end Denico Autry (96) reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Denico Autry (96) sakcs Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) at NRG Stadium in Houston on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018.Indianapolis Colts Face The Houston Texans On Sunday Dec 9 2018
Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Denico Autry (96) sakcs Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) at NRG Stadium in Houston on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018.Indianapolis Colts Face The Houston Texans On Sunday Dec 9 2018 /

Denico Autry

Going back over the three questions that I asked about Dupree, here is my quick analysis of Autry.

“Where will he line up?”

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Autry is going to be a 5-tech who moves around a little bit, but whose primary role is going to be what Jack Crawford did for the defense last year. If I had to guess the fallout from the roster moves over the last 24-hours, I think the Titans will have two different “starting defenses” depending on the front they want to run.

In 5-man fronts the EDGEs (Landry and Dupree) will line up on the outside shoulder of the end man on the line of scrimmage, Denico Autry will line up as a 5-tech on the strong side, Jeffery Simmons will line up as a 3-tech on the weak side, and Teair Tart will line up in the strong side A-gap in a 1/shad.e

In 4-man fronts the EDGEs (Landry and Dupree) will line up the same way and Autry will kick inside to 3-tech while Jeffery Simmons lines up in the A-gap.

“How will he change the defense?”

More on this in a second, but Autry will be the type of interior pass rusher that the Titans haven’t had in a long time. For reference, the last time the Titans had a defensive tackle who had 20 sacks in a 3-year span (which is what Autry has done over the last three years) was 2012-2014 when Jurrell Casey had 23.5.

“How productive is he?”

The tweet on the last slide had the production over the last two years and where it ranked among defensive tackles, so I’ll just leave the projected 16 game stat line based on the last two years below:

Projected 16 game season: 6.5 sacks and 7.5 TFLs