In a list ranking the top duos at every position in the NFL, the Tennessee Titans’ safety duo was ranked as one of the best.
According to Bucky Brooks of NFL.com, the pairing of safeties Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker were ranked as the second-best in the league, trailing only Buffalo Bills safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer.
Byard enjoyed a bounce-back year in 2021 after a down campaign in 2020. In fact, he was voted a First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowler for the second time in his career, and was even in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation at one point.
As for Hooker, he took big strides in his third season, which was also his first as a full-time starter. The Iowa product improved both his completion rate against (82.6 to 68.6) and passer rating allowed (83.2 to 79.3).
Also, according to Pro Football Focus, Hooker (No. 3) and Byard (No. 1) were both graded as top-five safeties.
The highest-graded safeties in the 2021 season pic.twitter.com/fXOo5QETmD
— PFF (@PFF) February 17, 2022
This is the second time we’ve seen Hooker and Byard getting some love this offseason, as Pro Football Focus ranked Byard as the No. 1 “coverage free safety” and Hooker as the No. 6 “all-around safety.”
The 2022 campaign will be a big one for Hooker, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. If he can continue on his upward trajectory, Hooker will get paid handsomely in 2023.
