NFL young talent: No. 27 Titans have aging core but DT Jeffery Simmons leads next wave

After a disastrous 2022 finish, the Titans have shown this offseason that they’re still looking to contend in the upcoming season — not rebuild. 

Superstar running back Derrick Henry and quarterback Ryan Tannehill are still on the roster, after rumors they could be moved. Star safety Kevin Byard had his contract reworked, keeping him in Nashville in 2023. Tennessee signed star receiver DeAndre Hopkins, too. 

But the team’s young talent will ultimately determine how far its contention hopes go.  And on that front, the Titans don’t appear to have the depth to match other playoff-caliber teams in the AFC. 

Tennessee has just two players who have played four or fewer seasons and can be considered true stars at their position: Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and second-year punter Ryan Stonehouse. 

Tight end Chig Okonkwo and wide receiver Treylon Burks are trending toward becoming major impact players, though. The jury is out on first-round rookie offensive lineman Peter Skoronski, the No. 11 pick, and second-rounder Will Levis, Tennessee’s possible quarterback of the future.  

Young core

DT Jeffery Simmons

P Ryan Stonehouse

WR Treylon Burks

TE Chig Okonkwo 

QB Will Levis

LB Azeez Al-Shaair

OL Peter Skoronski

CB Kristian Fulton

Standouts

Jeffery Simmons

Simmons, who signed a four-year, $94 million extension this offseason, has 16 sacks, 21 tackles for loss and 13 pass breakups over the last two seasons. The two-time Pro Bowler had 7.5 sacks, 14 quarterback hits and a forced fumble in 2022 despite playing through an ankle sprain for most of the year. 

A Titans captain the last two seasons, Simmons is one of the NFL’s best interior defensive linemen not named Aaron Donald.

Ryan Stonehouse

The strong-footed Stonehouse, undrafted out of Colorado state last season, posted a 53.1 yards-per-punt average last season as a rookie, which set a new NFL single-season record. The previous record (51.4) was set by Hall of Famer Sammy Bough in 1940. 

Potential breakouts

Treylon Burks

Burks battled asthma issues and was out of shape the spring of his rookie year. He also battled a concussion and turf toe in his first season. We never saw him fully comfortable in 2022. 

He is now. 

Burks is slimmer. He’s in better shape. His confidence is through the roof on the field and in the Titans’ scheme. Those signs indicate he could become a force in the upcoming season, creating a formidable 1-2 punch at receiver with Hopkins. 

Burks had 33 receptions for 444 yards and a score in 11 appearances last season. 

“He’s been focused since (last) season ended to this point,” receivers coach Rob Moore said during the offseason program. “Honestly, he’s been a different player.” 

Chig Okonkwo

A fourth-round pick last year, Okonkwo flashed big-time pass-catching potential in 2022, when he had 32 receptions for 450 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 14 yards per reception, which led all tight ends who saw at least 30 targets last season, according to Pro Football Focus. 

As the Titans’ undisputed TE1, the next step for him is to continue expanding his game. He’s embracing being the leader of his position group. 

“I would say for me, it’s not just relying on my speed all the time in routes,” Okonkwo said of areas for improvement during OTAs. “Being able to set guys up and break guys off and being able to get open in shorter spaces, I’d say. Then also in the run game, getting stronger in the combinations from blocking inline. Learning the run game, learning the spots, learning exactly where exactly we’re going.” 

Contract to consider

Kristian Fulton

Entering the last year of his rookie contract, Fulton needs to prove that he can put a full season together. 

He’s missed 20 of 50 regular-season games since entering the NFL in 2020 as a second-round pick, including 11 as a rookie and six last season. In January, coach Mike Vrabel labeled him a “repeat offender” with soft-tissue injuries. 

Fulton switched up his training regimen in the offseason, and told reporters that he’s confident that he’ll be able to play 17 games this year. Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen even said the fourth-year cornerback is probably in the best shape he’s ever been in with the team. If he carries the encouraging signs into the regular season, he should be able to command at least $12 million per year in average annual value, which would put him in the top 15 of highest-paid players at his position.

When he’s been on the field, he’s been effective. Fulton has four interceptions and 20 pass breakups in 30 appearances with the Titans. 

“He looks stronger, looks more physical, looks in condition,” Bowen said this week. “I think the addition of Hopkins is huge for him too, just the competition aspect of it. … It’s always been for Kristian — and we tell him this — it’s the consistency. Play in and play out. And to have that competition play in and play out in practice, it requires a high level of focus to be able to go out and execute and do what we’re asking him to do and ultimately end up winning your one-on-one against a guy like that. 

“Hopefully, that continues with him,” Bowen added. “He’s off to a great start right now. Big year for him. He knows that. We know that.” 

Key stats

• At Northwestern last season, Skoronski recorded a 93.0 pass-blocking grade, the the highest in the country (per PFF).
• Simmons is one of six defensive linemen to record 19-plus passes defended since 2019.
• Okonkwo recorded a receiving grade of 84.6 in 2022, tied for fourth-best among all tight ends (per PFF).
• Al-Shaair recorded an 86.5 pass-rush grade in 2022, the second-highest of any linebacker (per PFF).

Inside info

“Jeffery Simmons is an absolute game wrecker. When teams are game-planning for the Titans, you better believe that the OC is losing sleep in finding ways to go away from him. He was on pace for double-digit sacks last season before the ankle injury slowed him down the second half of the season. His best football is ahead of him. A generational talent for sure.” — NFL agent

Ben Arthur is the AFC South reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.

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