The Tennessee Titans’ offseason overhaul under new coach Robert Saleh included a somewhat surprising trade of former second-round tackle T’Vondre Sweat to New York for tight end Jermaine Johnson II.
The post came as a surprise to many as Sweat had shown upside, but struggled with consistency on and off the court. His fit into Saleh’s plan was another concern.
On a recent episode of CBS Sports’ “Offseason Playbook,” Titans defensive end Jeffery Simmons said he had taken Sweat under his wing and installed the 24-year-old with his practice squad in Dallas. Simmons said he was in Tennessee rehabbing when Sweat called him from Dallas with news of the trade. Simmons was stunned, but gave a great review of what he thinks his former teammate could be.
“It surprised me,” Simmons said. “Just trying to get a sense of why. I feel like Sweat still has some potential that sometimes he doesn’t understand. To me, that’s why I’m like Sweat, you’re coming down to Dallas with me this season. I wanted to get that out of him to be like, ‘I have so much potential.’ I can be the best nose tackle in football.” And he has the potential. I hate it, but this is a business.”