Titans' new-look defensive front eager to 'get pads on' in Robert Saleh's fast defense

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Defensive end Jeremiah Johnson II cannot wait until the Tennessee Titans finally put the pads on.

Neither can his teammates, especially along the line.

“Honestly, they don’t know what’s coming when we get pads on," Johnson said Thursday. "But we say that in the best way possible. We’re just eager to really play this front the right way, and you can only do that with pads on, so we’re just very excited.”

The Titans not only have a new head coach in Robert Saleh , they are implementing his defense to smother opposing offenses and get after quarterbacks.

It's why Tennessee gave All-Pro tackle Jeffery Simmons a pricey contract extension in June and revamped the line around him this offseason. The Titans traded for Johnson, signed John Franklin-Myers to play beside Simmons and traded into the back of the first round of the April draft for end Keldric Faulk.

They also have Oluwafemi “Femi” Oladejo, the 52nd pick overall last year. He played six games before a leg injury ended his season.

Saleh brought in line coach Aaron Whitecotton , who worked with him with the New York Jets. Johnson knows what Saleh wants having played for the coach in New York as well, and he said this defense starts with the front.

“Everybody in that room has the same mindset, and if you don't, you will stick out very, very quickly,” Johnson said.

Simmons' career-high 11 sacks last season helped Tennessee tie for the 12th-most sacks in the NFL with 42. The stat that matters most in this league is points, and the Titans ranked 28th, giving up 28.1 points a game. That's also where they ranked inside the red zone backed up to their own goal line.

The lineman is Tennessee's longest-tenured player going into his eighth season with this franchise alongside safety Amani Hooker. Simmons trained with Franklin-Myers during the offseason, and he likes the defensive changes.

“It’s just faster," Simmons said. "Everything in this defense, in this style of play, is fast and violent.”

Franklin-Myers, who has had at least seven sacks each of the past two seasons with Denver, said the linemen know what's expected of them as Tennessee tries to snap a skid of four straight losing seasons.

“The team runs through us, we understand that," Franklin-Myers said. "It’s stated, and it’s understood. So the team goes as we go, and it starts with effort, it starts with violence, physicality, and the rest of it is going to take care of itself.”

The 26th overall pick in 2022, Johnson has a Pro Bowl designation for 2023 when he had 7 1/2 sacks with the Jets. Then he tore his right Achilles tendon on Sept. 15, 2023, in Nashville against the Titans. He started 13 of 14 games last season for the Jets who sent him to Tennessee for defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat.

Johnson has 13 career sacks and said he wants at least 10 sacks this season as an effective run defender as well.

“I don't really care about potential talk anymore,” Johnson said. "I got to go do something this year, and I believe I'm top five, top 10 in my position in the NFL. But that's not the case statistically, and I got to go change that.”

Right tackle JC Latham was activated off the physically unable to perform list Thursday as he works his way back from an injured pectoral muscle . Wide receiver Calvin Ridley returned to practice after dealing with a stomach bug. Backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky also was back at practice after tightness limited him Wednesday.

Tennessee swapped safeties, signing Hudson Clark and waiving as injured Sanoussi Kane who had an interception off Will Levis in the first practice of camp Wednesday.

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