Tennessee Titans 2021 training camp preview: Inside linebacker

The Tennessee Titans’ defense as a whole was a mess last season, and while the inside linebacker position did not get as much attention as some other position groups, it certainly didn’t help the team’s cause.

Jayon Brown, who only played in 10 games due to injury, struggled at times when he was on the field, and Rashaan Evans, the team’s other starter, was a penalty machine and didn’t play well overall after an impressive sophomore campaign in 2019.

There was a bright spot, though, as 2019 sixth-round pick David Long continued to show he’s a starting-caliber player when filling in for Brown.

Earlier this offseason the Titans brought Brown back on a $5.3 million deal that contains two voidable years, and Evans had his fifth-year option declined, making this a contract season for both.

Making things more interesting, general manager Jon Robinson added inside linebacker Monty Rice out of Georgia in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft.

Compared to some other positions, inside linebacker doesn’t have as many questions, but there are still some to be answered nonetheless. We’ll delve into those now as we preview the position ahead of training camp.