Last year, the Tennessee Titans plan of having bookend edge rushers in a healthy Bud Dupree and Harold Landry derailed pretty quickly.

In a move that seemed to foreshadow nearly everything about their 2022 season, the Titans lost Landry for the season before he ever took a snap, thanks to a torn ACL during a closed practice shortly after roster cuts had been made.

Landry spent the whole year on injured reserve, and Dupree finished out the second of two injury-plagued seasons in Tennessee before being shown the door as a cap casualty.

Now the Titans have added Arden Key to the mix and, combined with Landry’s return this season, the move could create the type of pass rush they had hoped for with Landry and Dupree.

To say Landry is excited to have football back in his life would be a huge understatement.

“I’m excited to be here for sure. It’s been awesome. Being away from the game for as long as I have been, missing all of last year, obviously you miss making plays in front of the fans in games, because that feeling is just euphoric,” Landry said in his first press availability of training camp.

Asked exactly what he missed, the list was long, but he said, “Honestly, being away that long, you start to appreciate it even more. It’s like coming out there on the practice field and hearing Jeff (Simmons) talk (trash) or just hearing your guys joking around. But at the same time, everybody is out here grinding and having a good time. I’m ecstatic to be back.”

The Titans are happy to have Landry back. His 12 sacks in 2021 earned him a five-year, $87.5 million extension, and he was sorely missed by last year’s defense.

Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen marveled at how Landry has looked thus far in camp and playing without a brace on his surgically repaired knee.

“He’s playing really good. You wouldn’t know he’s missed time for an ACL,” Bowen says of Landry.

While having to miss an entire season was certainly not wanted, the timing of the injury at least has put Landry ahead of the game in his recovery, now 11 months removed from surgery.

“It’s definitely an advantage, having the time I had this whole offseason. It wasn’t just about my knee,” he says. “I had a chance to also improve my game and work on my game and not just rehab. To be able to do my position work throughout the offseason, it got me right on schedule for the season, and I’m excited about that.”