Titans veteran DL Sebastian Joseph-Day has been outstanding
The Tennessee Titans signed veteran defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day to a one-year contract worth $4 million in free agency, according to Over The Cap. The signing was met with very little fanfare. Fast forward through Week 5, and Joseph-Day has been an outstanding find for the Titans.
Football Insights released a chart that pairs pass-rush-win-rate (PRWR) with run stop percentage for interior defensive linemen. It’s a metric that helps measure the balanced skill-set of interior defenders. Joseph-Day is trending towards elite, rubbing shoulders with dominant linemen like Calais Campbell and Cameron Heyward.
DI run stop and pass rush win rates pic.twitter.com/ps6x4l2Kop
— Football Insights (@fball_insights) October 5, 2024
Joseph-Day played for two teams last season, the Los Angeles Chargers and San Francisco 49ers. He reached free agency to very little interest, but general manager Ran Carthon clearly saw potential. The Titans are currently receiving maximum value on the Joseph-Day contract.
Joseph-Day has played 108 total snaps through five weeks (and four games), according to Football Guys. Only T’Vondre Sweat (170) and Jeffery Simmons (108, despite missing Week 4 through injury) have out-snapped Joseph-Day on the interior defensive line. Joseph-Day is very clearly Tennessee’s third-most preferred lineman.
Joseph-Day is tied for second on the Titans in sacks with his former Chargers teammate Kenneth Murray (2). Harold Landry leads the Titans in quarterback takedowns with four. Pro Football Focus has credited Joseph-Day with recording six quarterback pressures, and a stellar pass-rushing grade of 66.7.
Joseph-Day has 12 tackles, as many as Simmons. He’s also accumulated 10 stops. The interior of Tennessee’s defensive line has been a strength of Dennard Wilson’s No. 1 ranked defense, one that is allowing a league-low 243.8 yards per game. The Titans haven’t been receiving the expected production from Simmons, but Joseph-Day’s surprising form has helped offset that (for now).
The Titans could possess interest in signing Joseph-Day to a contract extension, either now or during the offseason.