The Tennessee Titans' pass rush has been among the bigger question marks at training camp this year. Dennard Wilson's defense recorded the third-fewest sacks (32) in the NFL last season. On paper, the unit doesn't appear to be significantly improved, with bounce-back veteran Dre'Mont Jones and raw second-round rookie Femi Oladejo as the main offseason additions.
There has been lots of change at EDGE this summer, and more is coming next offseason. Free-agent add Lorenzo Carter abruptly retired and was replaced by Jihad Ward. The Titans' top three veteran pass rushers, Arden Key included, are all playing on expiring contracts.
The Titans should consider adding another veteran pass rusher to bolster the unit. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, who recently spent a pair of days at training camp in Nashville, that's exactly what they're mulling. Free-agent defensive end Preston Smith is a "name to watch," per Fowler.
Titans could consider signing veteran DE Preston Smith to bolster pass rush
"Tennessee is open to adding on defense via free agency," Fowler wrote. "Pass rusher and corner would be two spots to watch there. One name to watch: veteran defensive end Preston Smith."
The 32-year-old Smith played for the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers last season. The 2015 second-round selection recorded 4.5 sacks between the two teams. It represented a downtick in production for Smith, who totaled between eight and nine sacks in three consecutive campaigns with the Packers from 2021 to 2023.
Perhaps Smith's declining production was a result of his advancing age. Or perhaps the midseason trade from Green Bay to Pittsburgh momentarily limited his ceiling. His addition would be a low-risk one for a Titans defense searching for solutions to their pass-rushing problem.
The Titans got bigger and stouter at EDGE this offseason. They've talked at length about rushing the quarterback as a unit with a coordinated, collective plan. The coaching staff is clearly looking for answers in a EDGE room that lacks high-end talent. Adding Smith via free agency would give the Titans another option to rush the passer.