When the Tennessee Titans hired Robert Saleh to be their next head coach, everyone focused on which players would most benefit from his arrival. However, one player stands out as a square peg in a round hole who might suffer from the transition, and that is defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat.
Over the course of his time with the New York Jets, Saleh's leading defensive tackles were smaller, more athletic players like Quinnen Williams, Sheldon Rankins, and Solomon Thomas. With the San Francisco 49ers last year, Saleh's top-four defensive tackles were Kalia Davis, Jordan Elliot, C.J. West, and Alfred Collins. The heaviest of those tackles was Collins at 320 pounds.
When Sweat was in peak condition, he weighed roughly 366 pounds, so it is safe to assume he is significantly heavier than most defensive tackles Saleh has previously worked with. That is a massive 50-pound jump from the heaviest tackle that Saleh used last year.
Titans HC Robert Saleh must find way to implement T'Vondre Sweat into his defense
There aren't many humans walking around on earth who are Sweat's size, so it is certainly possible that Saleh hasn't coached defensive tackles his size because he hasn't had the opportunity. However, Saleh's scheme asks the defensive linemen to be disruptive and to get upfield quickly to cause chaos, and that is harder to do when you weigh that much.
So, is that it? Is Sweat's promising career with the Titans already over, like Jarvis Brownlee Jr. before him? No, or at least it shouldn't be a given that he has played his last snap with the Titans.
Looking at recent history, there hasn't been a run-stuffing defensive tackle traded for a top-100 selection. In fact, the only traded defensive tackle who was stylistically similar to Sweat was Damon "Snacks" Harrison, and he was traded for a fifth-round pick.
Snacks was a more proven player, but he was also 30 years old when he was traded, which makes the comparison tricky. Given Sweat's age and team-friendly contract, could the Titans hypothetically get a fourth-round pick for him. Would that be enough for them to trade Sweat?
That just doesn't move the needle enough to make it worth considering. Instead, it seems like a much more pragmatic strategy to keep Sweat paired with Jeffery Simmons and see what he can do with more talent around him on defense. Even Sweat just plays an early-down role and comes off the field for a pass-rushing defensive tackle, that is still a valuable role on this defense.
Best-case scenario, the Titans have a player who is on a cheap contract for two years before hitting free agency and likely netting them a compensatory pick in the 2028 NFL Draft. That would be around the same range as what they would be trading him for, unless a shocking offer arrives.
The Titans can't afford to keep getting next to nothing for their young players, and it runs completely counter to the "draft and develop" mantra that GM Mike Borganzi touted last offseason. There is no benefit to them trading away Sweat before the coaching staff gets their hands on him to see what he can do.
Unless they get blown away by an offer that includes a top-100 pick, the Titans are better off keeping Sweat as a high-floor run defender. Perhaps Sweat could even be a big part of the defense if he can convert his size and power to disruption under Saleh's guidance.