Titans Star Ranked Among Position Elite

The Tennessee Titans had a down year defensively in 2024. They finished 18th in defensive DVOA, 23rd in DVOA against the pass and 18th in DVOA against the run. They weren't done many favors, though, as their offense consistently put them in rough situations with turnovers and lack of scoring.

Despite the overall team struggles, they still have one of the best defenders in the league, according to executives, scouts, and coaches. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler ran a poll to rank the top 10 defensive tackles in the NFL, and Jeffery Simmons came in at No. 4.

"Simmons has been a staple in the top 10 due to unique power that some evaluators consider the best in the league," Fowler writes. "He has risen to as high as No. 2 on the list because of the problems he gives opposing guards and centers. But evaluators are trying to make sense of his lack of production last season, including five sacks and nine quarterback hits, the latter of which ranked next to last in the top 10 or honorable mention categories among players who played most or all of the season."

One coordinator noted to Fowler that even though Simmons' pass-rushing effectiveness may not be as high as it used to be, he attributes it to his team constantly being down.

"Morale gets low and it's hard to rush when you're always playing from behind," the coordinator said to Fowler. "[He is] still one of the most complete players [at his position]."

Simmons is coming off a season in which he had five sacks and 76 total tackles. He finished the year with a PFF grade of 80, which ranked 10th amongst all defensive interior players. His 81.6 pass rush grade was sixth in the league.