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With the Titans Right In The Thick of The Playoff Hunt, The Titans’ Staff Will Have to Put Their Load Management Plan With Cameron Wake On Hold (Video)

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Cameron Wake’s arrival to the Tennessee Titans was a bit under the radar this offseason.

How you say? Well in the midst of his signing making its initial rounds on social media, Odell Beckham Jr.’s trade to the Browns took up every last droplet of the social media water that everyone so desperately needs.

However, as OTA’s and training camp rolled around, we soon all got to know and experience the phenomenon known as Cameron Wake.

Wake made a big splash in his first game as a Titan, totaling 2.5 sacks and sacking Baker Mayfield for a safety. Showing what his prowess as a pass rusher can bring to a Titans defense that lacked an proven, high impact pass rusher.

But since then, Wake’s impact hasn’t been nearly as apparent and obvious to the naked eye.

Ever since that 2.5 sack performance in his debut as a Titan, Wake hasn’t totaled a sack since. Wake also hasn’t statistically been credited with a single tackle since week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts.

Now before you yell at me, this article is in support of Wake. Might not seem like it, but stick around and you’ll see the point I’m trying to make.

Coming into the year, the Titans coaching staff has tried to involve Wake in the defense as a sort of relief pitcher on the EDGE. The staff had the idea of limiting Wake’s snaps to help offset the dreadful biological function know as aging.

With Wake staying on the sideline a lot more these days, the chance to make any sort of consistent eye opening performance week in and week out is severely decimated.

So I beg to ask the question, will there ever be a time when the Titans decide to fully unleash Cameron Wake alongside Harold Landry?

Before I take a dive into that question, let’s examine the snap count situation with Cameron Wake.

Above are the snap counts for each week Cameron Wake has played.

These are the total percentage of snaps Cameron Wake has played out of every single defensive snap during said game.

I’m a big believer in Cameron Wake as a pass rusher, even with Wake gracing the age of 37.

Keeping the snap counts the way that they are just won’t work going down the stretch, especially when pass rushes are expected to step up and with the Titans riding their other not as talented options more.

Even then, why limit the number of snaps for one of the best pass rushers on your own team?

Wake has never had a problem with his play being impacted by his age. I mean he’s coming off 10.5 and 6 sack seasons in back to back years. Both of those years, and mostly since 2016, he had to carry the load sack production wise.

I get the whole idea of wanting to maintain his energy since he isn’t getting younger anytime soon. But there has to be a line drawn with the load management concept when it comes to Cameron Wake.

Unleashing him fully alongside Harold Landry will only make both of their lives easier. Running out the other options just doesn’t make sense since they’re all either young, but still trying to develop their tools. Or older, but not in the same league as Wake.

Sharif Finch is a young pass rusher with some intriguing tools, but he isn’t at the same level as Cameron Wake as a pass rusher. Reggie Gilbert is a nice depth piece, but should he really be getting a good amount of snaps over Wake?

Don’t even try to mention Kamalei Correa.

Now that the stretch run is beginning to take shape for the Titans, Cameron Wake needs to be let off his leash, and be allowed to run wild on this physical Titans defense.

It can’t be the one man EDGE show starring Harold Landry for forever, so let Wake roam wild, and watch the two man tandem of Landry and Wake start to strike fear in opposing offensive lines.

Featured photo via Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images

Snap Count and Snap Percentage Numbers via Lineups.com

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