Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray will be looking for more sacks from 2011 second-round linebacker Akeem Ayers, John Glennon of The Tennessean reports.
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"We need Ayers to get some sacks," Gray said. "We need Ayers to have a dominant attitude that, 'You know what? A tackle isn't going to block me. A running back isn't going to block me'."
The Titans had just 28 sacks in 2011, the second-lowest total in the league. Fifth-round defensive tackle Karl Klug had seven of those sacks, but the Titans recognized that they need to bring more pressure from the edge. They gave defensive end Kamerion Wimbley a $35 million contract that included $13.5 million in guarantees and hope that the 2010 first-round pick can improve on his 2.5 sacks from last season now that he's two years removed from the torn ACL that ended his rookie season.
In a game being played more and more on the perimeter, getting to the quarterback is a priority and teams can never have enough players with that ability. Ayers had 14 sacks during his three-year career at UCLA and rushing the quarterback was thought to be one of the stronger aspects of his game. With just two sacks his rookie year, Ayers should benefit from an actual NFL offseason and is currently working on his technique with Titans pass rush coach Keith Millard.
"I watched the film from last year and just going off what coach Millard told me about my pass rush, I was doing a lot of things completely wrong," Ayers said. "So it's just pretty much tightening up my technique and just pretty much going from there."
