Four different Tennessee Oilers/Titans were the starting left defensive tackle for two years apiece. They are joined by several others who were the primary LDT for one year each, including Kevin Carter, who earned Pro Bowl honors at LDE before moving inside to LDT.
Gary Walker was the starter in 1997 and 1998, Josh Evans in 1999 and 2001, John Thornton in 2000 and 2002 and Robaire Smith in 2003 and 2006. Carter moved inside in 2004, Randy Starks was the main starter in 2005 and Tony Brown took over in 2007. Brown is also expected to be the starter in 2008.
Evans started 11 games at the RDT position in 1998, switched to LDT in 1999, missed all of the 2000 season due to a substance abuse suspension, and returned to play LDT in 2001.
Thornton started all 16 games in both 2000 and 2002. He appeared in all 16 games in his 1999 rookie season, with three starts, and appeared in only three games in 2001 with no starts. An up and down stint in Tennessee before he left to become a Cincinnati Bengal.
Smith had only two starts in 33 games in his first three years in Tennesse. He had 15 starts in his fourth year and then became a salary cap casualty, as the Titans were unable to compete for him in free agency. Returning for a one-year gig in 2006, RoBeast had 12 starts in 15 games.
Carter will always be one of my favorite Titans, even if he only played here for four years, the first three outside at LDE, where he earned Pro Bowl honors in 2002. How good could he have been as a DT if that was his regular position? His versatility in being able to play LDT upgraded the d-line in 2004. Like Smith, he became another casualty in the great 2005 salary cap purge. If I’m not mistaken, he was selected as the Titans’ Man of the Year three years in a row for his work in the community and he still has an annual charity event in Nashville.
Starks had a decent rookie year before turning into a joke. I’m not going to bother including his name in our poll. It seemed like he never put out much effort. Basically, he looked pretty lazy, which is pretty unusual for someone not named Albert and who plays for Jim Washburn. I hope the Dolphins didn’t waste much up-front money when they signed him.
I like Tony Brown but he’s not good enough to be considered for our all-time Tennessee era team. Also, he only played one year at LDT. In his only other year with the Titans, he split time at RDT and RDE.
In our last poll, you voted for Jevon Kearse to be the left defensive end on our all-time Tennessee team.
Who should be the left defensive tackle on our all-time Tennessee team?
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