Brett David-USA TODAY Sports
The Tennessee Titans‘ defensive line overhaul has included an infusion of size at all positions. As the team’s by-far-and-away two best pass rushers, defensive ends Derrick Morgan and Kamerion Wimbley are holdovers from this offseason and will reclaim their starting jobs, but they’ll have a tall lanky understudy in Lavar Edwards at 6-4, 277 straight out of college. The LSU product was taken in the fifth round of this year’s draft and will rotate in with the 6-3 Morgan and 6-4 Wimbley while other wrinkles finding the three on-field simultaneously are not out of the question in Titans training camp.
“This is a physical game,” Wimbley said, via The Associated Press. “It’s grueling to go out there and play the whole game, and I think it’s great to have guys who are bigger who can come in and help out. It wears the opponents down. You’re moving more weight over a longer period of time. Eventually, you’re going to wear somebody down.”
The Titans also added behemoths Sammie Hill, Ropati Pitoitua and Antonio Johnson to boost the size of its defensive line, while the Morgan-Wimbley duo will form a tall wall outside along with Edwards. The 23-year-old rookie also has plenty of experience making in impact in spot duty, having backed up Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo at LSU while still tallying 10.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss in his collegiate career.
“The Titans needed help in the pass rush, and it was expected to come earlier with a player like Dion Jordan or Barkevious Mingo,” according to The Sports Xchange draft profile. “Instead, the Titans land Mingo’s backup, Edwards, who has nice size and potential of his own. His speed as a rusher is the big attraction, and the fact that he is strong enough to play the run will make him have a chance to contribute.”
Thomas Emerick is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasEmerick, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
