NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — When linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair signed a free agent deal with the Texans this offseason, the Titans lost their leading tackler from last season and the man in charge of the defensive huddle.
They signed former Charger Kenneth Murray to a two-year, $15.5 million contract to help fill the void, and a week into training camp he’s been everything they were looking for.
“It’s what we liked about him,” Titans head coach Brian Callahan said. “He looks the part, he plays physical, he’s a downhill player. And then when the pads come on him you feel his (physicality), you feel his ability to run and hit. He’s had a really nice start to camp.”
The Titans felt like Murray was an ideal fit at linebacker for Dennard Wilson’s new defense. He made 107 tackles and had three sacks last year for the Chargers.
Wilson believes Murray is ready for a bigger role and more freedom which should unlock his full potential.
“The thing we want is for him to have the green light,” Wilson said. “And what the green light is is to cut it lose. To play with no fear. To play with no fear of making mistakes. And just seeing what he sees, believe it and go. He’s been doing that. He’s flying around the field and making plays.”
Murray, a fifth-year veteran, out of Oklahoma has taken to his new home and the defensive coaches led by Wilson.
“He’s been able to give me a tremendous amount of confidence to just fly around and play loose,” Murray said. “I love it. Him having that confidence in me means the world to me. Like, I would run through a brick wall for him. I really mean that.”
He’s playing fast, physical and in control. Murray has already established himself as the quarterback of the defense.
So far in training camp he’s been wearing the green dot helmet with the communication device, allowing him to take the calls from Wilson and relay them to the rest of the defense before each play, just like he did last season in Los Angeles.
Wilson says Murray’s leadership has been the favorite thing he’s learned about his new linebacker in training camp.
“Kenneth is starting to take control of the huddle,” Wilson said. “He’s starting to become a leader. People are starting to listen to him and guys rally around him. And if he keeps doing that combined with the other guys we have it will just make our defense better.”
Murray has the confidence of his coaches and new teammates. Most importantly, he believes in himself, and that the best is yet to come.
“I’m coming here to be the best,” Murray said. “That’s the goal that we have for our defense, but for me personally it’s just to be the best linebacker in the league. I truly believe I have that within me and every day I’m chasing that.”
