Jayon Brown

A good but injury-prone player the last couple years, Brown found a free-agency market that was borderline insulting to his talent level. He'll be motivated to build his market value on a one-year deal, and he might do just that if his durability cooperates. Although he was limited to 10 games last year and 14 in 2019, Brown has demonstrated standout ability with respect to run defense, pass rushing and coverage. His baseline should be at least 120 tackles per 1,000 snaps, and he posted six sacks on just 855 snaps in 2018.

Brown is poised to establish himself as one of the league's well-known stars at linebacker, and many have already caught on to his unique abilities. As much as he's also good against the run, he's an especially valuable modern linebacker due to his uncommon pass rush and coverage abilities. Playing 2,186 defensive snaps in his first three seasons, Brown accumulated 254 tackles, 8.5 sacks, two interceptions and 18 passes defended. If we project those production rates over 950 snaps, we'd get a figure of roughly 110 tackles and four sacks, and the eight pass defenses in the resulting projection implies incoming growth for the otherwise unremarkable one interception entailed in the estimate. If quarterbacks keep testing Brown, eventually a few of those passes defended are going to be interceptions instead.

The Titans are crowded at inside linebacker with Brown, fellow starter Wesley Woodyard and 2018 first-round pick Rashaan Evans battling for snaps. As such, Brown isn't a great candidate to push for 1,000 snaps this year (he played 855 in 2018). There's a strong possibility Woodyard will be the odd man out to make room for Evans' ascent, though, and if Brown's workload exceeds 900 snaps then he's capable of unique playmaking. He was strong in coverage and a menacing pass rusher in 2018, and it seems Mike Vrabel will be compelled to leave him on the field.