NFL analyst gives Tennessee Titans linebackers a harsh label

The Tennessee Titans made huge changes at the linebacker position this offseason and have a new group of players at the position hoping to make a name for themselves.

ESPN writer Mike Clay called the Titans linebackers the “shakiest” in the NFL.

“Azeez Al-Shaair (who led the team in defense last season) left for Houston this offseason, so Tennessee signed Kenneth Murray Jr., a 2020 first-round pick who didn't work out for the Chargers, to replace him. Murray is a downgrade, and the depth behind him doesn't move the needle much. Former UDFA Jack Gibbens was a serviceable running mate for Al-Shaair last season, and the team will need some production from fourth-round rookie Cedric Gray,” Clay writes.

Losing Al-Shaair will not be an easy adjustment for the Titans considering he was one of the league's best tacklers in 2023. He has signed with league rival Houston Texans and will have two chances to face his former team this season.

Although Clay considers Murray a “downgrade,” there are many in the building who believe he can be a good replacement for Al-Shaair.

“He's very active and hard to block,” head coach Brian Callahan told reporters. “He's really physical. He sees it and he hits it. We had some problems, especially early on.”

Murray is expected to be the lead linebacker on a defense led by coordinator Dennard Wilson, who most recently played with the Baltimore Ravens. Although Wilson specializes in defensive backs, he worked with Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith last season, arguably the best linebacker duo in the league.

That's not to say Murray should expect to be exactly like Queen or Smith, but he's getting new insight into himself from a coach's perspective, and that could lead to something successful.

There is a lot of uncertainty about the Titans' defense, especially at the linebacker position, which is why Clay's appointment is justified. As many reasons as there are to be pessimistic, there are also many on the other side of the coin.

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