By pairing the former Pro Bowler with Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee creates lethal one-on-one opportunities for Jermaine Johnson II to reclaim his dominant form following a rocky Jets tenure.
The Tennessee Titans made a big move this offseason, trading promising defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat to the New York Jets for edge rusher Jermaine Johnson.
Sweat had 85 total tackles, four TFLs and three sacks for the Titans in the two years he spent in Nashville, but Johnson filled a bigger need for the team.
Even though Jeffery Simmons had 11 sacks, the Titans were only able to muster 42 sacks as a team, which ranked 14th in the NFL last season.
The other members of the pass rush, like Arden Key, Jaylen Harrell, Jihad Ward, and Dre'Mont Jones, didn't do their part. Simmons was essentially carrying the pass rush on his own.
Johnson is one of the many pieces the Titans brought in this offseason to help Simmons. Simmons spoke recently about the need for a better secondary, but the pass rush needed work as well.
On paper, Johnson doesn't look like the kind of player who can turn things around. There are a few factors to consider.
For one, the best year he's had since joining the NFL was in 2023, when Robert Saleh coached him. Johnson had 55 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, 11 TFLs, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one interception.
Then, Johnson tore his Achilles tendon in 2024 and played only two games. Saleh was fired five games into that season, and then the defense got worse. Under first-year head coach Aaron Glenn, the Jets ranked 25th in yards allowed, 31st in points allowed and 32nd in takeaways.
The Jets' defense didn't have a single interception last year.
Johnson was still recovering from his Achilles tear and played in 14 games for the Jets last season, recording 43 total tackles, three sacks and five TFLs.
He now joins a Titans defensive line that is in much better shape than the Jets were. The projected starters are going to be Johnson, John Franklin-Myers, Simmons, and then either Keldric Faulk or another edge rusher on the opposite end.
What this means for him is that he should be receiving 1-on-1 matchups due to Simmons getting a lot of attention from opposing offensive lines. This is especially true for Robert Saleh's defenses in the past.
As revealed by Franklin-Myers, Saleh enjoys taking advantage of mismatches on the defensive line.
It's one of the reasons why they decided to draft Faulk, too. His physical traits allow him to be on multiple positions on the defensive line.
The Titans are putting Johnson in the best situation he's had in his career since he was with Saleh at the Jets in 2023. I think he could absolutely benefit from being in this system again, especially with all the pieces on the defensive line.
