With the Tennessee Titans dealing with injuries at the inside linebacker position, the team should put in a claim for former Houston Texans linebacker, Zach Cunningham.
A former second-round pick of the Texans out of Vanderbilt, Cunningham was waived by the team after he failed to show up for a COVID-19 test ahead of the Week 13 game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Cunningham, who was considered one of the cornerstones of the franchise in Houston after signing a four-year, $58 million contract, has tallied over 100 tackles in each of the past three seasons, including a league-high 164 in 2020.
In 10 games this season, the 27-year-old has 67 tackles (four for loss), one QB hit, three passes defensed and one forced fumble.
While he has proven inconsistent in coverage, Cunningham has always been a solid to elite run defender, with Pro Football Focus grades of 73.3, 75.4, 89.2 and 72.7 in each of the past four seasons.
His numbers haven’t been quite as impressive in 2021, though, as he’s posted a career-low PFF grade in run defense (64.3) and coverage (40.4). However, it’s safe to assume better days are ahead for Cunningham with a chance of scenery.
As far as the Titans’ current situation at inside linebacker is concerned, David Long continues to battle injury that has seen him miss the last three games, and he didn’t return to practice on Wednesday out of the bye. Also, rookie linebacker Monty Rice was recently placed on IR.
Cunningham will bring at least a slight familiarity with the Titans’ defense, as he played under head coach Mike Vrabel when he was the Texans’ defensive coordinator in 2017.
Because Cunningham is on waivers, the Titans will have to see 27 other teams in front of them pass on him first, which is unlikely considering he’s just 27 years old and will be owed just $275,000 the rest of the season.
We’ll know by Thursday afternoon where Cunningham lands.
