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Tennessee Titans: 5 Players set for breakout seasons in 2017

By Scott Gallimore

Nov 6, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard (31) looks on as the San Diego Chargers celebrate a running back Melvin Gordon (28) touchdown during the second half at Qualcomm Stadium. San Diego won 43-35. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 6, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard (31) looks on as the San Diego Chargers celebrate a running back Melvin Gordon (28) touchdown during the second half at Qualcomm Stadium. San Diego won 43-35. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 25, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; General view of the Tennessee Titans logo at midfield prior to the game against the Oakland Raiders at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; General view of the Tennessee Titans logo at midfield prior to the game against the Oakland Raiders at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Austin Johnson, NT

The Titans made another big time free agency deal by bringing in Sylvester Williams for $17.5 million over three years. Williams was a first-round draft pick in 2013. He has a Super Bowl to his name as part of one of the best defenses in recent NFL history. There is a lot to be excited about with Williams, who looks like a bit of an upgrade over the departed Al Woods.

The problem is that Williams suffered the worst year of his career last season. He earned a disappointing 43.5 grade from Pro Football Focus by being flat-out bad in run defense. PFF ranked him 68th out of 73 qualifying defensive tackles in run defense. Not good.

Who is good against the run is Austin Johnson, or so his college days would suggest. The 2016 second-rounder was ranked third-best among all interior lineman against the run and second in run-stop percentage in his final season at Penn State in 2015.

Johnson didn’t see much of the field until the final six games of the season. In these six games, he was in on 30 percent or more of defensive snaps. The 6-4, 315-pounder finished with 14 total tackles and 0.5 sacks in 2016 on limited time. Most importantly, the then-rookie gained the invaluable experience of true NFL game reps.

Johnson and Williams are pretty inverse in their tendencies. Johnson is a run-stopping, bull-rushing, true nose tackle with great awareness to sniff out blocks and protect linebackers behind him. Williams has elite quickness and explosiveness for an interior lineman, who launches himself into the backfield to disrupt any play. This gives him a bit more versatility to play further away from the center and have the option to attack both the A and B gaps.

In training camp, keep an eye on Johnson’s performance as the man in the middle. If Johnson can out-perform Williams against the run from the nose, he can quietly claim a large share of snaps at nose tackle in 2017.

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