Early Deals Include One for Backup Tackle
The Tennessee Titans were reminded in 2020 about the importance of depth at tackle.
Monday, they made sure they are covered in that regard.
Tennessee agreed to terms with free agent Kendall Lamm on a two-year deal worth $6.8 million, according to an NFL.com report. Lamm is a six-year veteran who spent the past two seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Before that, he played four years with the Houston Texans, the first three when Titans coach Mike Vrabel was part of that team’s coaching staff.
Lamm (6-foot-5, 310 pounds) stepped in at right tackle for the Browns in their wild card playoff game against Pittsburgh and at left tackle in the divisional round against Kansas City. Ultimately, he played more than half of the offensive snaps for Cleveland in the postseason.
The 28-year-old has started at least one game every season, but the only year he logged more than four starts was 2018, when he was the Texans’ right tackle in 13 contests. His only start of 2020 was in Week 15 against the New York Jets. Three weeks earlier, he caught a 1-yard touchdown pass against the Titans.
Taylor Lewan, their starter at left tackle, and primary backup Ty Sambrailo each sustained season-ending injuries that limited them to five games played. Third-stringer David Quessenberry started the final six contests.
It was just the second time during the Titans era (1999-present) that the team had more than two starting left tackles in a single season.
Sambrailo was signed last year to be the primary backup at both spots. It was a one-year deal, and he is a free agent again this year. Coincidentally, he too caught a touchdown pass a year before he joined Tennessee.
The job now belongs to Lamm. With Lewan coming off reconstructive knee surgery and right tackle Dennis Kelly having played through injuries for most of 2020, his addition could be an important one.
