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The Tennessee Titans had one of the best defensive tackles of the 2010s in Jurrell Casey, who had 51 sacks and 84 tackles for loss in eight seasons in Tennessee. In that span, he also had a monstrous 115 quarterback hits.
Casey was a 300-pound run stuffer as well. He could seemingly do it all on the line of scrimmage. Now, the Titans will look to find a replacement and continue their ascension to the top of the AFC. Here are the three candidates the Titans could look at on the open market to replace Casey.
3 candidates for the Tennessee Titans to fill the Jurrell Casey-shaped hole
#1 - Geno Atkins
Geno Atkins has been on the open market a long time for a man with 75.5 career sacks. Granted, it's been two seasons since we've seen the dominant version of Atkins. Injuries have started to catch up with the 33-year-old Atkins. But that shouldn't stop the Titans from taking a risk on one of the best free agents left.
Atkins has been on the market long enough for him to settle for a lowball deal. Pro Football Focus (PFF) graded him a 76 in 2019, the last year he played 16 games. That year, he switched positions to the right defensive end. Since that wasn't his natural position, a 76 is respectable.
If the Titans line him up at defensive tackle, he still has solid play left in the tank. Like Casey, he was a stout pass rusher and a premier run stopper. From 2011 to 2019, he earned a Pro Bowl nod every year besides 2013 when he missed seven games. The Titans are contenders, which could be a draw for Atkins.
#2 - Kawann Short
The 2015 version of Kawann Short looked like the next great defensive tackle. He had 11 sacks and four forced fumbles. Since then, he's never been the same as a pass rusher. Like Atkins, injuries severely impaired his 2020 campaign, but Short is still a producer in run defense and can be used as a rotational piece.
Short's one year younger than Atkins and 15 pounds bigger. The Titans' biggest Achilles heel in 2020 was run defense. They ranked a lowly 24th in the league.
Short's strength and ability to shed run blockers would be an asset. He's had ample time to heal his injuries. Short was graded an 83.7 by PFF in 2018, which was his last healthy year.
#3 - Damon Harrison Sr.
Last but not the least, the Titans should look at Damon Harrison Sr.
Harrison is arguably the most consistent run stopper on defense in the last five years. In fact, PFF gave him a running defense grade higher than 90 from 2015 through 2018.
Injuries derailed his 2020, just like Short and Atkins. Harrison doesn't offer much in the pass rush, which is his main drawback. But the Titans are in the AFC with a number of tremendous running backs. Harrison is 32 and was a regular starter in 2019.
