NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans finally hit the field for training camp today and one of the things that stood out the most was the appearance, and performance, of edge rusher Harold Landry.
Landry is returning to the field after missing the entire season in 2022 due to an ACL tear, but you wouldn't see any signs of that out at practice. Landry looked like his old self while going through individual drills and generally moving around.
Not only was Landry moving smoothly, but he also had no knee brace on to protect his surgically-repaired knee. Landry tore his ACL a week before the season began, so he has had a longer recovery time than players who suffered the same injury during the season. That gives Landry a better chance of being ready now.
However, it is still somewhat of a surprise to see Landry with no brace on this early. A pleasant surprise for everyone involved though. Landry is a pivotal piece to the Titans' defense and the team is in win-now mode.
Luckily for Landry, he signed a $85 million contract before the knee injury, but for the Titans, they need to start getting some return on their investment in Landry. If he is looking this smooth on day one of camp, hopefully he will be back to 100% effectiveness by kickoff to week one.
Conventional wisdom tells us that guys who suffer an ACL injury don't return to their best until the second season after the tear, but perhaps Landry can buck that trend due to the timing of his injury. Either way, the Titans are very happy to see Landry out on the field looking spry and certainly Landry is too.
How the Titans manage Landry going forward is what to watch for. Will he participate everyday or have a maintenance plan? The Titans will certainly have a plan for Landry and we will watch it unfold as camp continues.
Titans Training Camp Stories
Titans Injury Tracker: Our daily update on injuries and roster moves for the Tennessee Titans throughout training camp. CLICK HERE
Vrabel Names RT Options: The Tennessee Titans need to find a replacement for starting right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere due to a gambling suspension. Mike Vrabel named the internal options for the Titans at the first press conference of training camp. CLICK HERE
Malik's 'Glaring Improvement': The Tennessee Titans hosted a press conference to kickoff their 2023 training camp and Mike Vrabel spoke about second-year quarterback Malik Willis, noting his "glaring improvement." CLICK HERE
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