Even if the Tennessee Titans decide to take a pass-rusher in the 2020 NFL Draft, general manager Jon Robinson must look to the free-agent market also to ensure he upgrades the team’s biggest area of need right away.
Because of the demand for pass-rushers around the league, it’s going to cost the Titans a pretty penny if they’re going to add an impact player in free agency.
Here’s a list of five pass-rushers the Titans could target on the open market this offseason. This list will exclude pass-rushers like the Ravens’ Matt Judon, the Bucs’ Shaquil Barrett, the Steelers’ Bud Dupree and the Jaguars’ Yannick Ngakoue, as all are reportedly set to get franchise tagged.
Jadeveon Clowney
Clowney is the big fish in the sea of available pass-rushers this offseason despite totaling just three sacks in 2019. When you look a bit further back, Clowney totaled 18.5 sacks in the two years prior, so this is more than just about his production from last season.
There is a natural connection between Clowney and the Titans, also. Head coach Mike Vrabel was the Houston Texans’ defensive coordinator in 2017, which just so happens to be the season in which Clowney totaled a career-high 9.5 sacks.
The Titans can offer Clowney money, familiarity and a chance to win now, which is something the star pass-rusher has made clear is important to him when considering where he’ll play in 2020.
As it stands right now, the Seattle Seahawks are trying to re-sign Clowney, but won’t franchise tag him after promising not to do so when they acquired him from the Houston Texans last season.
If no deal is reached, Clowney should be firmly in Tennessee’s sights in free agency.
Dante Fowler
The Titans know Fowler well after having played against him when he was in the AFC South with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Should he hit the open market, he’d be right up there with Clowney in terms of top pass-rushers available.
While there’s always a chance the Los Angeles Rams re-sign him or franchise tag him, the truth is the Rams are strapped for cash ($14.7 million in cap space, per Over the Cap) and may have no choice but to let him walk.
Fowler was traded from the Jags to the Rams in 2018, and after a quiet half season in Los Angeles the former No. 3 overall pick really turned up the heat in 2019 with a career-high 11.5 sacks.
Another attractive thing about Fowler is that he’ll be just 26 years old when the 2020 campaign begins, so giving him a long-term deal isn’t a scary proposition.
Robert Quinn
After years of so-so production following an outstanding three-year stretch that saw him total 40 sacks from 2012 through 2014, Quinn was able to revitalize his career with the Dallas Cowboys in 2019, finishing with 11.5 sacks, the second-most of his career.
The only problem for the Titans in trying to land Quinn is that the Cowboys will likely try to retain him, and having $77 million in cap space means there will probably be a way for them to make it work.
However, if Quinn does hit the open market, the Titans should consider him as a secondary option to the big names. He’ll be 30 when the 2020 season starts, so he could fill a need for at least a few years while Tennessee grooms a pass-rusher from the draft.
Markus Golden
If the Titans strike out on the top pass-rushers available this offseason, Golden is no doubt the next best thing.
After totaling 12.5 sacks in 2016, Golden tore his ACL in 2017 and it took him time to return to form following a lackluster 2018 campaign.
In 2019, Golden signed with the New York Giants and went on to finish with 10 sacks, which is made more impressive by the fact that New York didn’t have much help around him to take pressure off.
Production like that will make the Giants want to keep him around, but it’s also important to note that the team’s defensive coordinator from 2019, James Bettcher, is no longer with the team.
Most of Golden’s success has come under Bettcher, who was also the defensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals when Golden had his 12.5-sack season.
With the Titans, Golden would have a lot more help, particularly from Harold Landry, who would be lining up opposite him and drawing extra attention from opposing offenses.
Mario Addison
If the Titans are looking for a short-term fix, the 32-year-old Addison might be that guy and should be available with the Carolina Panthers likely in re-build mode.
Addison has been as consistent as they come the last four years. He’s totaled nine sacks or more in that span, with a career-high 11 sacks coming in 2017.
Signing Addison would help the Titans address their need right now, which will help them bide more time in finding a young pass-rusher for the long term.
