With free agency set to start in 2 days, the Tennessee Titans will be looking at the best possible ways to plug some of the many holes they have on their roster. The first free agent the Titans are rumored to have interest in is defensive end Olivier Vernon.
General manager Jon Robinson and company have a big task at hand rebuilding the Tennessee Titans.
If you were to ask any Titans fan on October 18th of 2015 their thoughts on Miami Dolphins’ defensive end Olivier Vernon, I’m positive every response would have been colorful and filled with cuss words. In case you’ve forgotten, when the Titans and Dolphins faced each other this past season, Vernon was responsible for Marcus Mariota‘s first knee injury after hitting him low well after he had already released the ball.
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Now, with rumors circulating that the Titans are one of a few teams interested in Vernon (via Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports), those feelings might have changed.
The four-year pro had a good year in Miami rushing the passer. Vernon posted 7.5 sacks playing a hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker position for the Dolphins. He would slide as a rotational 3-4 outside linebacker in Tennessee’s scheme rotating with Derrick Morgan and Brian Orakpo. That should already be enough for Titans fans to buy into this potential signing.
The Titans could produce a scary front seven if Vernon ends up in Nashville. He would more often then not play opposite Orakpo on passing downs with Jurrell Casey reeking havoc in the middle. That thought has to have Dick LeBeau salivating.
Vernon brings an intensity to a defense similar to what LeBeau had with outside linebacker James Harrison in his time with Pittsburgh. He sets the edge and is able to dip and bend around a lot of tackles to apply pressure to the quarter back.
Robinson has said he’s looking to build through both of the lines. Vernon would be a great start to that but he won’t come cheap considering the Dolphins gave him the transition tag last week.
The Titans are in serious need of depth at outside linebacker. David Bass came in and played well, but that isn’t enough. When Morgan went down last season with a shoulder injury, the pass rush really fell off. The Titans weren’t able to create pressure without blitzing which allowed for receivers to easily get open down the field.
When you’re forced to do that with lacking talent in the secondary, you’re lucky to go 3-13.
Vernon would not only bring intensity to a defense that was lacking, but would help in the likes of either freeing up Orakpo, Morgan or Casey. If not one of those guys then it would be Vernon with the favorable match up, something he’s proven to take advantage of.
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It also helps that Vernon has proved his durability through out his career. The addition of the pass rusher would help put Mariota at ease, considering that he is in his corner now and not chasing him around the field.