Tennessee Titans Claim Former Pittsburgh Steelers Linebacker

The Tennessee Titans have a new pass rusher. The team announced today that it had claimed linebacker Derrek Tuszka off of waivers:

#Titans claim former Steelers OLB Derrek Tuszka off waivers
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) September 2, 2022

The move comes following Thursday's devastating injury to starting edge rusher Harold Landry, who is expected to miss the entire season with a torn ACL. Just signed to a massive 5-year, $87.5 Million contract, Landry had started 49 games over the past three seasons with the Titans, notching 26.5 sacks in regular season play and another 4.5 in the postseason. His sudden absence left the team scrambling for a replacement, so they quickly targeted Tuszka, who last saw regular season action for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2021 season.

Initially a seventh-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos in 2020, Tuszka has played primarily special teams so far in his career but did log 2 sacks in 247 defensive snaps for the Steelers last year. An Associated Press All-American in the FCS, he came into the league out of North Dakota State with 29.5 sacks to his name, but talent evaluators questioned his ability to handle the talent jump that the NFL represented. He will likely serve as depth behind projected starters Bud Dupree and Ola Adeniyi for the Titans.

Photo Credit: © Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports