Titans Star DT Making Early Impact

The Tennessee Titans have a star defender making his presence known early.

Jeffery Simmons runs drills during the Tennessee Titans second day of training camp. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons is hoping his offseason of hard work pays off in the fall.

The team is already seeing the early returns of his 20-pound weight loss just in the first few days of training camp practice.

Team reporter Jim Wyatt emphasized Simmons' impact on the defense with his new figure.

"Defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons showed up in camp in great shape, 20 pounds lighter. And, he's made his presence known from the start in practices," Wyatt wrote.

"Simmons has been very disruptive up front, forcing his way into the backfield on running and passing plays. And, believe me, he's been letting the offensive players know about it. Simmons has said he's plenty motivated heading into the 2025 season, and he's playing like it. His presence has also raised the level of play from those around him."

Simmons, who just turned 28, is heading into an important season for the Titans. He just hired new representation, so a contract extension could be close for him. He has two more years remaining after 2025 on his current deal, so he isn't due for an extension quite yet. However, his performance this season could dictate a lot in terms of how negotiations play out.

More importantly, the Titans need Simmons to be a leader on defense. Simmons displayed some leadership qualities with his weight loss in order to help rush the quarterback. The Titans lost Harold Landry III over the offseason, so the team needs some help pressuring the quarterback.

Despite being a defensive tackle, Simmons is taking it upon himself to be better, and that's a quality the Titans should want to have in every player.

Simmons and the Titans will participate in their preseason opener on Saturday, Aug. 9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.

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