Top Pick Jeffery Simmons Ready to 'Just Go Play Football'
Jeffery Simmons believes the hard part is behind him.
Now the Tennessee Titans’ 2019 first-round draft pick gets to play football. Well, he – at least – gets to practice.
There is no word on when the All-American defensive tackle out of Mississippi State will make his official debut but this week he will take part in practices for the first time. A knee injury sustained during pre-draft training sidelined Simmons throughout the offseason and earned him a spot on the non-football injury (NFI) list for the duration of training camp and the regular season to date.
“I know I had an injured knee. I know I’m coming off an injury,” he said Monday. “The thing is to go out there and play football and not even think about it. So that’s my mindset – just go play football.”
NFI rules mandate that a player must sit out at least the first six weeks of the regular season. Many suspected the nature and timing of his injury (he had reconstructive surgery in February) would require him to miss the entire 2019 season. Titans officials even acknowledged the possibility on draft day but expressed their belief that he would be worth the wait.
Instead, it seems he eventually will provide a significant boost to a defense that already is clearly the Titans’ best unit. Tennessee ranks fifth in the NFL in points allowed per game and eighth in yards per game. It is one of four defenses that has at least 18 quarterback sacks and more than five interceptions.
“Going to the games, that part of me that – I want to be out there – it was hard for me to just watch it,” Simmons said. “Now that it’s time, I’m just excited to even get on the field and practice.
“… I feel like we’ve got one of the best defenses right now. I feel like I can come in and whatever it is that coach has me doing, whatever position that might be, just bring a little extra force to the D-line.”
The defensive line is one of the Titans’ deepest and most versatile position groups – even without Simmons. It includes Pro Bowler Jurrell Casey, two other draft picks – DaQuan Jones (fourth round, 2014) and Austin Johnson (second round, 2016) – a veteran free agent addition in Brent Urban and undrafted free agents who have made the roster each of the last two years, Matt Dickerson (2018) and Isaiah Mack (2019).
Simmons can remain on the NFI list and take part in practice until the medical staff and coaches feel he is ready to play in a game. Only then will the Titans have to add him to the 53-man roster and make a corresponding move to free up a space.
“We’ll make a smart decision, as always, in the best interest of the player when it deals with injuries and his comfort level as to when he might return,” coach Mike Vrabel said.
As much as his physical status will be evaluated, Simmons also has to show how much he has learned. His education in coordinator Dean Pees’ scheme has been limited to the theoretical (time in meetings) and absent the practical (time on the practice field). He has not participated in any actual workouts beyond physical therapy since he was drafted.
“All this time I’ve been learning,” he said. “Now it’s just see, Can I really go out there? The thing is, I’m coachable.”
Apparently, he also is a fast healer.
“You hear, ‘Don’t rush it. Take your time,’” Simmons said. “But at the same time I can hear it, especially from the older guys out here, that they’re happy I’m on the field. I’m happy this is the week that I’m actually able to go out there and practice. I’m just ready to see how it feels.
“… I just know my body and I’m feeling good right now. It’s time to put it to the test. See how it feels.”
