Sneak peek at
Pro Football Weekly’s Preview 2000

Analysis of Tennessee's defensive line

May 16, 2000

Editor's note: What follows is an excerpt from Pro Football Weekly’s Preview 2000 magazine, which hits the newsstands July 5. This is PFW personnel analyst Joel Buchsbaum’s breakdown of the Titans' defensive line. Buchsbaum analyzes all 31 teams in Preview 2000. Once a week, we'll showcase a different excerpt from the magazine on ProFootballWeekly.com.

Jevon Kearse had a greater impact than any defensive rookie since Lawrence Taylor and has the tools to be one of the game’s all-time greats. At 260 pounds, Kearse runs the 40 in less than 4.5 seconds, vertical-jumps about 40 inches, has the reach of an octopus and is as quick, fast and as athletic as those numbers make him sound. As a rookie, he led the AFC in sacks with 14.5, forced 10 fumbles (leading the NFL) and made the Pro Bowl as a starter. But he wore down and tired at the end of the season, and opponents started to develop a book on him. He has only a limited number of moves and at times looks like a one-trick pony. The biggest reason he had so much success with the Titans after failing to set the world on fire in college was that, unlike the coaches at Florida, the Titans kept Kearse at one position and kept things simple for him. Now they are talking about expanding his role, which could be a big mistake.

At the other DE spot, Henry Ford, a career underachiever, had his best season and played quite well under DL coach Jim Washburn’s tutelage, until he got hurt late in the season. After the injury, Ford came back fat and did not play nearly as well. Kenny Holmes got hurt early but kept getting better and better as he got healthier.

Inside, ex-Viking Jason Fisk was a lot better and more stout than people felt he would be. Ultraquick Josh Evans was a very disruptive and effective tackle after returning from a suspension, but he is now in really hot water with the league and could be suspended for the entire 2000 season. Rookie John Thornton played very well as a third tackle and part-time starter. But if Evans is suspended for the season, Thornton will have to step up and show he has the stamina to start or at least platoon with Ford, who could move inside with rookie Byron Frisch replacing him at end. Frisch is the Titans’ second-fastest lineman behind Kearse.

Defensive line's grade: B-plus

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