The Tennessee Titans made Alontae Taylor one of their biggest free-agent bets, handing the cornerback a three-year, $60 million contract after four seasons with the New Orleans Saints. Through four games, though, that investment has not looked like the kind of move that stabilizes a secondary.
Taylor arrived in Tennessee with a reputation for durability and versatility. A second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, he gave New Orleans dependable snaps on the outside and in the slot, and the Titans expected him to settle in as a solid No. 1 boundary corner for Robert Saleh’s defense. Instead, his first month in Tennessee has been a grind.
The numbers have been ugly. Taylor has allowed an 83.3% completion rate, with 15 completions on 18 targets, along with 149 passing yards and a 101.2 passer rating against him. His Pro Football Focus marks have followed the same path, with a 39.5 defensive grade and a 31.5 coverage grade.
The stretch from Weeks 2 through 4 has been especially rough. Over that span, Taylor gave up 14 catches on 16 targets in coverage, and in Weeks 3 and 4 he allowed a passer rating north of 100 when quarterbacks looked his way.
Tennessee’s defense has had to carry a heavy load because the offense has struggled so badly, leaving the unit on the field far too often. But the defense has not exactly held up its end every week, either. The secondary in particular has been inconsistent, and Taylor has been part of the problem, even if he is hardly alone back there.
The Titans did not pay Taylor to be a liability. He was never brought in as an elite shutdown corner or a turnover machine, but a player on that contract has to be more than a backup-level presence. That is where the concern starts to get real for Tennessee, especially with Taylor’s entire 2027 salary of $20.5 million guaranteed.
The timing makes the situation even more urgent. The Titans could be staring at an 0-5 start for the first time since 2009 if they lose at home this week to the fellow winless Houston Texans. And if Taylor keeps sliding while lined up against Texans star receiver Nico Collins, Tennessee could be in for a very long afternoon.
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Carnell Tate Could Put Texans In A Tough Spot Again
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That flexibility could matter again soon against Houston, where the Titans are likely to keep searching for favorable matchups by shifting Tate pre-snap and changing his alignment from play to play. If Tennessee can keep defenses guessing about where he will show up, it can force the Texans to sort through more decisions than they may want to make, especially after Tates emergence has given the Titans a young weapon worth building around. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Secondary Suddenly Has A Big Problem Before Texans Game
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Tony Adams is expected to step into Hookers role, while Isaiah Oliver is likely to be elevated from the practice squad to give the Titans more depth at safety. Cornerback Joshua Williams also returned to practice after being designated to come back from injured reserve, though his game status remains unsettled as Tennessee sorts through its defensive options. [Read more 🡒]