USAT: Titans Wire audio clip

USAT: Titans Wire

Feb 13, 2022

As the Tennessee Titans mull over their 30-plus pending free agents, one player we can safely assume won’t be back is inside linebacker Rashaan Evans. - Evans was the No. 22 overall pick of the Titans in the 2018 NFL draft, and while he did show flashes during his time in Nashville, there was definitely more bad than good, and he certainly didn’t pan out the way Tennessee had hoped. - Evans was already on shaky ground going into the 2021 season after the team didn’t pick up his fifth-year option, but his fate was pretty much sealed after he lost his starting job to Zach Cunningham. - Cunningham was claimed off waivers during the season and quickly earned a starting role with his strong play. And, before we knew it, the team’s starters at inside linebacker the past few years, Evans and Jayon Brown, were both relegated to bench duty in favor of Cunningham and David Long. - In fact, both took turns being inactive for the last two games of the season, with Brown not suiting up in Week 18, and Evans not suiting up in the divisional-round loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. - Recently, Bleacher Report’s Michelle Bruton predicted that the Titans would let Evans walk in free agency, which we totally agree with. Here’s her take: - - “The Titans are in an unenviable spot with linebacker Rashaan Evans’ impending free-agent status, given that they declined to pick up his fifth-year option. - “Evans had the first two interceptions of his career this season, to go with two passes defended and a forced fumble. - “On the other hand, he missed five games because of injury.  - “NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported last May that the Titans hoped to sign Evans to a contract extension before his deal expired, but that didn’t get done during the season. They have a good future core of Zach Cunningham, David Long Jr. and Monty Rice. Plus, the team is $6.6 million over the cap, and re-signing Ben Jones and Harold Landry would seem to be higher priorities. - “Evans may suit up for a new team for the first time in 2022.” - - As Bruton correctly points out, the Titans are set to have a very good trio of inside linebackers in 2022, with Cunningham and Long as starters, and 2021 third-round pick, Monty Rice, serving as the main backup. - As for Evans and Brown, both will likely end up in new homes in 2022 as they look to reclaim the starting roles they lost in Tennessee elsewhere. - - RelatedTitans’ Derrick Henry feels bad for his stiff-arm victimsTitans' A.J. Brown blown away by fan's tattoo of himTitans' Mike Vrabel ranked as top 10 head coach in the NFL - - List - - Pending free agents on Super Bowl LVI teams for Titans to consider - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Titans Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Titans Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

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