Tennessee Titans outside linebacker Harold Landry (58) runs through drills during practice at Saint Thomas Sports Park Tuesday, June 14, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. Nas Titans Mini Camp 025 George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Titans May Struggle to Replace Key Offseason Loss

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Jared Koch | Last updated Jun 8, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Throughout the Tennessee Titans' offseason, the team made some worthwhile touchups on both sides of the ball to give this group a much better outlook than their three-win showcase from a season ago.

Yet, as the Titans navigate their 2025 season and their second in Brian Callahan's tenure as head coach, there's one big-time loss faced from this offseason that could have a ripple effect into how the Tennessee defense pans out and performs in the year ahead: Harold Landry.

While pointing out each NFL team's most important offseason departure, CBS Sports' Jared Dubin recently listed Landry as the Titans' most significant, while also outlining potential troubles that could arise without his services.

"Landry never really lived up to the 12-sack season he had back in 2021 before he tore his ACL," Dubin wrote. "He still racked up 19.5 takedowns over the last two years, but his rate of pressure never really recovered to where it was pre-injury. Still, losing a key piece up front on Dennard Wilson's defense and replacing him with free agent Dre'Mont Jones and second-round pick Oluwafemi Oladejo is something that has to be navigated."

Landry, who's not quite at the level he was during his pre-injury Pro Bowl days, has still managed to stick as a starting-caliber, higher-end edge talent, and for a Titans defensive front already towards the bottom of the NFL in terms of pressure statistics in 2024, it could be even tougher to patch the void he's left.

During his last season in Tennessee, Landry put together 71 tackles, 15 TFLs, and nine sacks, along with four PBUs through 17 starts on the year, ranking among the top 20 players in the NFL for total quarterback takedowns on the year.

In a league where pressuring the quarterback is becoming increasingly vital to a team's success, or lack of it, losing a nine-sack edge rusher is nothing short of a sizable loss. But now, the task leans upon this refurbished Titans defensive front to lessen that blow.

If the Titans can have their young pieces make a quick impact on the front seven, then the magnitude of Landry's loss may not be as dire, but it remains to be seen if Tennessee's young pass rushing core is ready to make that aspired jump just yet.

This article first appeared on Tennessee Titans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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