The Tennessee Titans will be keeping an eye out for players who can improve their roster ahead of the 2022 campaign, but should the cornerback position be one of their focuses?
According to Ethan Useloff of The 33rd Team, the Titans are one of five teams who “need an upgrade” at the cornerback position ahead of 2022.
Tennessee had a turbulent year from their cornerbacks, seeing the position group allow the fifth-most receiving yards. The Titans had trouble slowing down opposing teams’ aerial attacks as a whole, conceding the eighth-most total passing yards. Focusing on the corners, injuries plagued the team throughout the 2021 campaign, beginning with Caleb Farley.
The 2021 first-round draft selection was on the field for just 34 coverage snaps spread across three games. The former Virginia Tech Hokie has dealt with his fair share of injuries, specifically with his back, shoulder, and knee in the past year.
Kristian Fulton, Farley’s outside cornerback counterpart, has faced a similar hurdle during his NFL career. Fulton has played in just over half of Tennessee’s games during his two years in the league, dealing with multiple injuries throughout the span. Each of the defensive backs in this duo are each 23 years old, and youth is a trend among the position group.
The Titans sport Elijah Molden, Roger McCreary, Chris Jackson, Chris Williamson, and Theo Jackson as other contributors in their cornerback room, and each was drafted in the 2020 NFL Draft or more recently. Having the majority of one position consist of players who are youthful and inexperienced could be problematic as the season progresses.
While the Titans should always be looking to improve at every position, their cornerback situation isn’t as big of a concern as the wide receivers room, which remains the biggest issue in Nashville right now.
Even if the Titans were to explore free agency for another option at the position, it’s not like the open market is brimming with guarantees.
The top worry for Tennessee’s cornerbacks group is Caleb Farley. The 2021 first-round pick is projected to take over a starting role in 2022, but he’s coming off a torn ACL and the jury is still very much out on him.
That said, there is also the potential for Farley to become an elite corner. Lest we forget he was one of the best cornerback prospects in the 2021 NFL draft and could have been first off the board if not for injury concerns.
If things go south with Farley, the Titans have an insurance policy in 2022 second-round pick Roger McCreary, but there’s no telling what he’ll be able to contribute in his first season or if he’ll even work out at all.
On the positive side, Kristian Fulton is coming off a campaign in which he became one of the best young cornerbacks in the NFL, although he does come with injury concerns after missing 14 games in his first two years Assuming he stays healthy, Fulton will be even better in Year 3.
Also of note, Elijah Molden was arguably the best rookie defensive back (and one of the better ones overall) in the league from Week 3 on and his outlook is as positive as they come.
Tennessee’s cornerbacks have plenty of support around them as well, with an elite safety duo in Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker deep, and a pass-rush that should be elite in 2022 after tallying the ninth-most sacks in 2021.
Sure, the Titans have their fair share of question marks at cornerback, but we believe this unit is underrated overall and is going to surprise a lot of people in 2022.
