Inside linebacker Rashaan Evans wasted no time getting back to work after the Tennessee Titans’ AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last season.
In fact, he only took a week off before starting his preparation for the 2020 season and the Titans’ deep playoff run has given him extra motivation, according to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online.
“I haven’t stopped training since the (AFC Championship Game),” Evans said. “I took maybe a week off to kind of heal up, but ever since then I’ve been rolling. To be honest with you, I’m ready to play. I’m ready to go.
“Just the simple fact of just as a team we got so close to the Super Bowl game. By me having that first experience being in the NFL and having that opportunity to get to that last game, I think it definitely gave me even a bigger motivation because I know how to get there now.”
On top of making several big stops for the Titans near the goal line during the regular season and playoffs in 2019, Evans also finished second on the team in tackles with 111 (11 for loss). He also totaled 2.5 sacks and recovered a fumble for a touchdown.
There’s no question Evans took a step in the right direction in his second season, and he could make an even bigger leap in 2020, giving the Titans arguably the best duo of inside linebackers in the NFL along with Jayon Brown.
And Evans and Brown are going to have plenty of experience guiding them, as the Titans hired former head coach Jim Haslett to coach the inside linebackers.
Haslett seems to be a big fan of Evans, who he says has pass-rush ability after previously working as an outside linebacker in college.
“Rashaan was an outside linebacker at Alabama who’s moved inside, so obviously he’s got pass rush ability,” Haslett said. “He can cover a lot of ground, he’s strong, he’s got power in his play and he plays hard. He plays like his hair is on fire.”
Beyond Evans and Brown, the Titans also have 2019 sixth-round pick David Long, who showed flashes of being an impact player on the inside during his rookie season.
