A lot of folks were awfully critical of the Tennessee Titans and their patience in the pass rush this offseason. I’ll admit – I was one of those questioning why the Titans waited so long to address the position, not grabbing a rookie pass rusher until D’Andre Walker until the 5th round of the draft. In hindsight, I think it speaks more to the coaching staff’s faith in guys like Kamalei Correa and Sharif Finch.
At the very least, both guys now have the opportunity to really show us what they’re made of.
The Titans actually traded for Correa in August of last year. Though he came right in and tallied a sack in the season opener against the Miami Dolphins, he only started four games in 2018. He was more of a situational/rotational player. But, he did manage 19 tackles, 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and five quarterback hits in a limited role.
Plus, you have to think about the fact that he missed the entire Titans offseason program last year, and had to play catch-up. Now, he’s a full season and offseason in, reiterating to Jim Wyatt just how important 2019 is:
Correa said he’s focused on getting better in every aspect of his life during his first full offseason in Tennessee. His past with Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees from his days in Baltimore has him even more comfortable.
“It is year 4, so you have time to hone in and focus on the details from last season, the mistakes that I’ve made, the team has made, the defense has made,” he said.
Finch is in a similar position, having earned the chance to step up and become a major factor in the Titans pass rush this season. He was undrafted out of Temple a season ago and had a stellar preseason that locked up one of the final 53 roster spots for him. As a rookie, Finch recorded 27 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles (one recovered), three tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits. He flashed the potential to be a real play-maker.
I’d still venture a guess that this unit is going to hinge upon the success of Harold Landry and Cameron Wake. But, let’s not act like either is necessarily a proven commodity in two-tone blue. Wake’s best play may be behind him, and there’s still the question of whether or not Landry is ready to be #TheGuy. Derrick Morgan and Brian Orakpo are gone. There’s an opening for guys like Correa and Finch to step up.
At the very least, it looks like the Titans are content to give them the opportunity to do so.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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