NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Up until this past season, finding an effective pass rusher has been an elusive task for Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson.

Outside linebacker Harold Landry's potential free agent status adds a new element for Robinson and the Titans. Now they have to decide if they want to try to retain a player they developed after selecting him in the second round of the 2018 draft or attempt to find a replacement.

Bud Dupree's five-year, $82.5 million contract already accounts for a large investment at the outside linebacker position. Landry is said to have a priority placed on "being the top paid player in his meeting room" according to Buck Reising of AtoZ Sports.

Dupree came to the Titans after posting 39.5 sacks over six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Landry has 31 sacks after four.

Like Dupree, Landry has developed a reputation as an outstanding run defender. The Titans also used Landry to match up with tight ends in coverage, especially in the red zone inside the 10-yard line.

Landry has been one of the Titans' most durable players. He was on the field for 89.5% of the Titans' defensive snaps last season, according to Next Gen Stats.

The fourth-year veteran is coming off a career year in which he posted 12 sacks -- 10th in the NFL. The fact that his career-high total came in a contract year is perfect timing for Landry who said he was focused on going out and playing his best football rather than a long-term deal.

"I feel like I've taken strides since I've been here," Landry said. "I've always been able to get that pressure. But this year I am finishing and going out there playing relentlessly."

First-year outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow challenged Landry to expand his game beyond the speed off the edge that he won with over the previous three seasons.

"I took his fastball away," Crow said during training camp. "He’s a speed guy. I think everyone that watches his film throughout the league realizes he’s a speed guy. So the conversation with him was you can’t use that, you’ve got to find something else."

Harold Landry on OLB coach Ryan Crow taking away his speed rush to push him to develop another pass rushing move. #Titans pic.twitter.com/LcJJe0DBsn

— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) August 23, 2021

The results showed. In addition to Landry's 12 sacks, he posted 49 quarterback pressures, 22 quarterback hits, 21 quarterback hurries and 14 tackles for loss.

The best pass rushers have a knack for coming up with a big play when their team needs it the most. Seven of Landry's 12 sacks came on third down, which was the third-highest among all pass rushers.

The Titans haven't had a player finish with at least 10 sacks since Brian Orakpo (10.5) in 2016.

Over the last six years, Robinson has attempted to secure a game-changing pass rusher but hasn't gotten the desired results.

Here's a look at some of the free-agent moves that Robinson made in the past:

• Erik Walden | one season | 4 sacks

• Cameron Wake | one season | 2.5 sacks

• Jadeveon Clowney | one season | zero sacks

• Vic Beasley | 5 games | zero sacks

It's pretty clear that none of those moves had an impact. But two of Robinson's latest moves helped make the front four one of the best in the NFL. Last year's additions of Denico Autry and Dupree contributed to Tennessee's sack total going from 19 in 2020, which was third-worst, to 43, which was tied for ninth best.

Although the Titans lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs, the game showed just how dominant Landry, Dupree, Autry and Jeffery Simmons can be.

They sacked Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow nine times, tying a single-game postseason record set by the 1966 Buffalo Bills, the 1984 San Francisco 49ers, the 1986 Cleveland Browns and the 1993 Kansas City Chiefs.

Landry thrived thanks in part to defensive coordinator Shane Bowen's willingness to dial-up stunts that allowed him to free up and go after the quarterback. Some of Landry's sacks came from him being unblocked, but they may not have happened if it wasn't for his closing speed.

There's no doubt that Landry has become an integral part of the defense, but the question still remains of how much value will the Titans place on Landry since they are currently projected to be $5.034 over the cap.

Safety Kevin Byard, who became the highest-paid safety in NFL history at the time in 2019 when he signed his deal, is willing to help -- again.

Byard is currently set to hold a $15.8 million cap number in the upcoming season. The Titans freed up $6.1 million in cap space when Byard renegotiated his contract in 2020 so they could sign Clowney.

"If I’ve got to do another restructure on my deal like I did with Clowney, I’ll do that to fit Harold in there," Byard said.

New England Patriots outside linebacker Matthew Judon (four years, $54.5 million) and Bengals defensive lineman Trey Hendrickson (four years, $60 million) are good examples of where Landry's deal could land.

Unlike Landry, Judon didn't register a double-digit sack season before signing the contract. But Judon posted 34.5 sacks through four seasons. Hendrickson exploded for 13 sacks in his final year with the New Orleans Saints before cashing in on his deal with the Bengals.

The Titans have the option to place the franchise tag on Landry, which would cost $18.5 million. Doing so would keep Landry off of the open market and give the Titans an opportunity to work out a long-term deal.