NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — New Tennessee cornerback Alontae Taylor looks at the Titans ' revamped defensive line and one word comes to mind. Nasty. All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons has had an offseason to familiarize himself with what new coach Robert Saleh wants with a defensive scheme now asking the veteran and all his teammates to attack opposing offenses rather than rely on technique fighting through double-teams. “That’s my game,” Simmons said Wednesday. “I like to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage.”Linebacker Cody Barton believes the scheme change will be huge for Simmons. “Jeff is one of the best to do it, and he’s just going to be causing havoc every play,” Barton said. Simmons had a career-best 11 sacks last season. A second straight 3-14 record led to Saleh being hired as the Titans’ latest new head coach, and he has a strong record of putting together top NFL defenses by freeing up players to read quarterbacks and attack.
Saleh said Wednesday that San Francisco switched in 2019 from a six-technique and a more old school 4-3 front. He said they brought in Kris Kocurek, a disciple of longtime defensive line coach Jim Washburn whose career included 12 seasons with the Titans where he rotated linemen and pushed them to be faster off the ball.That 2019 49ers’ defense wound up third in fewest yards allowed per game and second against the pass helping San Francisco reach the Super Bowl.
