Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson is in his second year with the Titans. In his first season, despite the Titans’ losing record, the defense was actually not terrible. The offense often gave opposing teams good field position, making the defense’s job more difficult. Still, there were areas of opportunity on the defensive side of the ball, which is why Mike Borgonzi added defensive players in the draft and free agency.
One of the players the Titans brought in was linebacker Dre’Mont Jones. Jones was drafted in 2019 by the Denver Broncos and spent the last two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. It was a quiet move made by the Titans, but it’s one that Wilson is happy about.
“It put a smile on my face when we got Dre’mont Jones,” Wilson said before Wednesday’s practice. “He’s a great teammate and is always trying to help. He’s a bully off the edge. He can condense the pocket and win matchups. He can do multiple things.”
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Jones may not have lived up to expectations in Seattle, but that is partly because their defense asked him to play unconventional roles across the defensive line. The Titans have no plans to do that, likely planning to use him on the edge on early downs and inside on third-down passing situations. Doing this will get him on the field with Femi Oladejo, T’Vondre Sweat, and Jeffery Simmons, meaning their top pass rushers will be in the face of whichever quarterback the Titans face that week.
And, if we throw in Arden Key on the edge in that scenario, it gives the Titans their best shot at defending the play.
A veteran pass-rusher and six-year veteran, Jones brings a new dynamic to the Titans’ defense that wasn’t there before. Over his career, he’s recorded 210 tackles, 30.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and an interception. If Dennard Wilson is smiling and happy about it, everyone else should be, too.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: DC Dennard Wilson smiled when the Titans signed DL Dre’Mont Jones