tennessean
Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons is entering his seventh NFL season, but he shows no signs of slowing down physically. First-year head coach Robert Saleh offered high praise for the veteran's conditioning during the team's training camp opening on July 29.
“He looks great, man. I mean, not to talk about his body … the guy's yoked,” Saleh said. “He's in great shape.”
Saleh emphasized that the biggest challenge for Simmons will be adapting to the new defensive scheme. “The biggest adjustment for him is to go from—and it's an adjustment—you'll see a lot of guys when they go from a read system to an attack system fall on their face during individual. And that's natural. There's an adjustment and an acclimation that needs to happen for him. But he's so talented he'll figure it out pretty quick.”
Key Analysis
Simmons posted a career-best 11 sacks and 17 tackles for loss last season, along with 67 total tackles and three forced fumbles. He was widely regarded as the NFL's top interior lineman, leading in analytics such as pressure rate and turnovers caused by pressure. His physical prowess, combined with Saleh's confidence, suggests he could be a cornerstone of the Titans' defense this year.
Originally reported by tennessean.