
Weaver is entering a critical third campaign. Is he ready to take the next step?
Welcome to Music City Miracles’ Tennessee Titans 2023 Roster Profile! Between now and August, MCM will feature more than two dozen talents. The main goal is to highlight underrated contributors and key rotational players. We’ll throw in the odd superstar or roster-bubble player, but we’re mainly focused on spotlighting the middle of the roster. That’s where key depth helps define a roster’s ceiling.
Today, we’re analyzing third-year defensive end Rashad Weaver.
Basic Info
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 259
College: Pittsburgh
Entered League: No. 135 overall selection (fourth round) in the 2021 NFL Draft
Experience: 3
Years with team: 3
Contract Status
“Rashad Weaver signed a 4 year, $4,139,664 contract with the Tennessee Titans, including a $659,664 signing bonus, $659,664 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $1,034,916. In 2023, Weaver will earn a base salary of $940,000, while carrying a cap hit of $1,104,916 and a dead cap value of $329,832.” – Spotrac
The Good
Rashad Weaver took a step forward as a sophomore after essentially missing his entire rookie campaign due to a season-ending leg injury. Weaver appeared in 16 regular-season contests and started four of those games. Weaver recorded a career-high 5.5 sacks, 34 pressures, 20 hurries and nine quarterback hits, per Pro Football Focus. Weaver earned a pass-rushing grade of 62.6.
The Bad
Weaver’s play tailed off towards the conclusion of the campaign. Weaver began the season with four sacks in Tennessee’s opening three contests. He recorded just 1.5 quarterback takedowns in his final 10 appearances. Weaver struggled when opposing offensive lines paid more attention to him after Jeffery Simmons and Denico Autry went down with injury. Weaver’s maturity has also come into question at times due to alleged off-field incidents. The Titans also fined him last year for showing up late to a scheduled appointment.
2023 Outlook:
Weaver once again appears to be Tennessee’s No. 3 EDGE rusher, although changes have occurred at the top. Bud Dupree was released from his contract and replaced by Arden Key via unrestricted free agency. Harold Landry is returning from a season-ending torn ACL injury suffered last August. Landry’s return-to-form is worth monitoring. Several Titans have struggled when returning from a torn ACL throughout their first season back in recent memory.
Weaver is the only player separating Landry and Key from undrafted free agents like Caleb Murphy and Sam Okuayinonu. Weaver’s development is key to the Titans fielding an effective pass rush in 2023. It qualifies as another massive opportunity for the third-year Weaver.