Fresh off an All-Pro campaign, Tennessee's defensive anchor eyes a massive 2026 breakout as he masters Robert Saleh’s new scheme with a finally healthy, surgically repaired arm.
The Tennessee Titans took a risk on Jeffery Simmons in the 2019 NFL Draft.
This was the standard while Jon Robinson was the General Manager. He favored players in the draft who either had off-the-field issues or a history of injuries.
With Simmons, a concerning video came out just ahead of the draft from his high school days. Still, the Titans picked him 19th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Simmons showed that those days were behind him once he entered the NFL and has turned into one of the best defensive tackles in football.
He's made four Pro Bowls and became a First-Team All-Pro for the first time in his career last season. Simmons had 67 total tackles, 17 TFLs and 11 sacks in 2025.
Unfortunately for Simmons and the Titans, the franchise has gone through two head coaches since he was drafted in 2019 out of Mississippi State.
Simmons played for Mike Vrabel for the majority of his career until the head coach was fired after the 2023 season. Then, the Titans had Brian Callahan, who was fired after 1.5 seasons.
Now, there is a new face on the sidelines.
Tennessee hired Robert Saleh as its next head coach, who will be converting from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3. Former NFL Scout Brentley Weissman believes that moving to the system will greatly benefit Simmons because of the roles interior defensive linemen play.
There's another reason that Simmons may have an even better year under Saleh in 2026. The Titans just wrapped up their second day of mandatory minicamp on Wednesday.
Simmons spoke to the media afterward and shared that he hasn't been 100%. The Pro Bowler revealed that he had his elbow cleaned up in February.
Titans fans who have watched Simmons within the last few years know that he's worn an elbow brace on his right arm. Simmons also stated that he wasn't able to extend his right arm until the procedure was completed fully.
"I mean, I've been dealing with, you know, not just getting too much in that, but I mean, that's the reason why I've been wearing the brace, man, probably, what, 2.5 years to where, you know, I wasn't even able to straighten out my right arm," Simmons said. "So, to just be able to get that cleaned up, and that was like one of the things where I, you know, I feel good. I don't think it's going to be a big difference from last year."
We'll have to wait and see if this affects how Simmons plays, but the fact that he was able to have one of the best years of his career despite not being 100% speaks volumes.
Now, Simmons is learning a new defensive system that demands a lot of its defensive tackles. Luckily for him, he won't have to carry the burden of the Titans' pass rush like he did last year.
Tennessee went out and signed John Franklin-Myers in free agency and also traded T'Vondre Sweat to the New York Jets for edge rusher Jermaine Johnson. The Titans added Auburn Tigers edge rusher Keldric Faulk in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Saleh has mentioned before that he wants to get Simmons in some 1-on-1 matchups this season. Now that he's closer to 100%, Simmons could raise the bar more in 2026.
