Trying to guess what the game plan for the Tennessee Titans is heading into the 2023 season is a tall task. Ran Carthon came over from the San Francisco 49ers to take over as the team’s general manager and quickly got to work reshaping the roster.
Multiple veterans were released as he started the process of cleaning up the salary cap. More veterans departed in free agency, which led some people to believe this was a franchise starting a rebuild. Moving up in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft to select quarterback Will Levis also played into that line of thinking.
However, the team has kept its core group of veteran leaders, such as quarterback Ryan Tannehill, running back Derrick Henry and safety Kevin Byard. Star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons also agreed to a monster extension earlier this offseason.
With some better injury luck and a few breaks going their way, the Titans are a team that could challenge for a playoff spot in 2023. They are only one year removed from being the No. 1 seed in the AFC and with a few tweaks could certainly push for a postseason spot.
What could one of those moves be? In the opinion of Brad Spielberger of PFF, upgrading offensively would make some sense. But, signing versatile linebacker Kyle Van Noy to shore up the team’s defense is the move that Spielberger has suggested they make.
“The New England Patriots released Van Noy heading into the second season of a two-year, $12 million contract, and he greatly outperformed his one-year, $2.25 million pact with the Los Angeles Chargers for 2022. The savvy veteran has played both as a true off-ball linebacker and more near the line of scrimmage rushing the passer in the past two seasons, offering a unique and valuable skill set to potentially interested teams while earning grades above 60.0 in every facet in 2022.
The Titans moved on from Bud Dupree this offseason and lost DeMarcus Walker to free agency, and while they added Arden Key, he figures to kick inside on pass-rushing downs and brings a very different skill set than Van Noy. The veteran provides pass-rush ability off the edge and can play some off-ball linebacker, which isn’t a strong suit of the current Titans roster.”
Van Noy has showcased the ability to be a Swiss army knife for a defense, filling multiple holes depending on the need for personnel. With so many veterans on the move this offseason, he is someone that could chip in and help fill the voids at multiple spots.
As pointed out by Spielberger, he does it at a relatively high level as well. Recording pass rushing and run defense grades of 60+ is no small feat, as Van Noy is a true three-down linebacker that can do a little bit of everything.
For a defense such as the Titans looking for a little bit of help at the second level, Van Noy is a perfect fit. Should things not work out and the losses pile up, he is a player capable of fetching a draft pick ahead of the deadline as well.
