Harold Landry’s return lifts Titans defense: ‘He plays harder than anybody'

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A big smile came across Jeffery Simmons' face when asked about Harold Landry. Simmons, a two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman, mentioned that he'd been messing around with the standout outside linebacker earlier in the day. 

With Landry on the field, Simmons explained, offensive tackles can't sit inside and help the guards on his interior rushes. 

"Guys like Harold, those tackles [are] afraid of his speed," Simmons said last week. "They never know what might happen. He can go to [a] power [move] or whatever it may be." 

Landry, who missed last season with a torn ACL, returns this year to elevate an already strong defensive front. His presence better equips the defense, which must lead the way if the Titans are to make the playoffs 2023. With new playcaller Tim Kelly, Tennessee is breaking in a new offense and three new offensive-line starters (four when you include the absence of right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere, who has been suspended the first six games for violating the league's gambling policy). 

Without Landry last season, the Titans ranked first in run defense (76.9 rushing yards allowed/game), tied for second in pressures (209) and 11th in both pressure rate (39.4%) and sacks without blitzing (27), according to Next Gen Stats. Tennessee should naturally be able to reach new heights with Landry, who was the team's sack leader and one of their top run defenders from 2019 to 2021. 

Of edge rushers who played at least 900 snaps in 2021, Landry ranked first in stuffs (8), stuff rate (2.4%), pressure rate (10.9%) and sack rate (2.7%), per Next Gen Stats. And of all defenders who played 900 defensive snaps that season, he trailed only the Rams' Aaron Donald in pressures (49) and sacks (12). 

Landry is a game-changer for the Titans with his speed and versatility, according to defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. In 2021, Landry's average get-off from the line of scrimmage was 0.86 seconds, according to NGS, which led all the defensive linemen and linebackers who played at least 900 snaps. 

"He plays harder than really anybody on our [defense]," Bowen said Tuesday. "Him and Jeff [Simmons] are like the standard for what it takes from a front guy in terms of effort. A lot of [Landry's] production is effort-based. Been huge for us in the years. Saved us a lot through the years."

Landry's presence is felt throughout the defense, helping those in the secondary make plays too.

"You can feel it," safety Amani Hooker said Thursday. "You can tell by the quarterback's clock. It's running whenever he's in the game. You can feel his energy when he's making plays in the run game and the pass game. Whenever Harold is out there, we're a lot better as a defense." 

Landry said his surgically repaired knee has felt "damn-near perfect" at practice. He doesn't think about it when he's on the field. There's no knee brace. 

Bowen said what he has seen from Landry in camp is what he saw prior to the injury. 

"[You] wouldn't know that he had missed time for an ACL," Bowen said. "Really optimistic about where he's at right now, where he's going to go." 

Landry acknowledged that having the injury so early last season (in September) was an advantage in that he could rehab and do position work throughout the offseason. Even though he wasn't on the field during OTAs and veteran minicamp, he was still doing full-speed work before training camp. 

Landry said "trust" helped him through the tough times of rehab. He picked the brains of those in the Titans building who'd come back from torn ACLs, including quarterback Ryan Tannehill and former Tennessee left tackle Taylor Lewan. 

"I stayed here all offseason," Landry said. "They kept my head in a good space. I just feel like I'm a resilient guy. I knew at the end of the day that I was going to come back stronger from this. … Expectations are high. I worked my ass off to get to this point. The people here have helped me so much."

Now, it's go time. 

"Being away from the game as long as I have, missing all of last year, you miss making plays in front of the fans in the games because that feeling is just euphoric," Landry said. "But honestly, being away for that long you start to appreciate it even more. Just like being out here on the practice field and hearing Jeff talk s---, just hearing your guys joke around.

"I'm ecstatic to be back."

Ben Arthur is the AFC South reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.