The Tennessee Titans are heading into Week 16 with a reshuffled secondary, and it’s not by choice. After a rough outing against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15, the Titans lost three safeties-Mike Brown, Kevin Winston Jr., and Xavier Woods-all to season-ending injuries. That’s a brutal blow to a defense already trying to find its footing.
To patch things up, Tennessee dipped into the practice squad pool, signing Erick Hallett from the Lions and Sanoussi Kane from the Ravens. But don’t expect to see either of them on the field against the Kansas City Chiefs unless it’s absolutely necessary. Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson is likely hoping to roll with more experienced or at least more familiar options.
So, how does the Titans' secondary shape up now? Let’s break it down.
Outside Cornerback: Darrell Baker Jr.
Darrell Baker Jr. remains the top guy on the outside. He’s held down the CB1 role since Jalyn Armour-Davis went down with an Achilles injury.
While Armour-Davis hasn’t been placed on IR, there’s no sign he’s ready to return just yet. That means Baker Jr. keeps his spot, and he’ll have his hands full against a Chiefs offense that still demands respect, even in a less explosive year.
Outside Cornerback: Kaiir Elam
On the opposite side, Kaiir Elam is getting another shot. The former first-rounder from Buffalo has had a bumpy road since entering the league, but he stepped in after Xavier Woods went down and logged 24 snaps outside.
Unless Armour-Davis makes a surprise return, Elam is likely to start again. It’s a big opportunity for him to show he can stick in a starting role, especially against a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes.
Nickel Corner: Marcus Harris
Rookie Marcus Harris has been moved around quite a bit this season. After the Roger McCreary trade, he slotted in at nickel, but injuries forced the Titans to bump him outside and slide Winston Jr. inside.
Now, with Winston out, Harris is expected to return to his more natural spot at nickel. That’s good news for the Titans-Harris has shown flashes there, and stability at slot corner could help against a Chiefs team that loves to work the middle of the field.
Safety: Amani Hooker
Amani Hooker is the anchor of this group. He briefly shifted to nickel last week when Winston went down, but quickly returned to his usual safety role after Woods exited.
Hooker’s versatility is a luxury, but his best work comes when he’s roaming deep or coming downhill from his natural safety spot. Expect him to stay there against Kansas City, where his leadership and instincts will be critical.
Safety: Kendell Brooks
With the safety room depleted, Kendell Brooks stepped up in a big way against the 49ers, logging 56 snaps. He’s bounced between the practice squad and active roster since 2024, but now he’s in line for a full workload next to Hooker. Brooks may not have the pedigree, but he’s familiar with the system and showed enough last week to earn another look.
The Bottom Line
This is a patchwork secondary, no doubt about it. But there’s still enough talent and experience to hold the line-at least on paper.
The Titans will need their front seven to help out with pressure, because asking a banged-up secondary to hold coverage against Mahomes for long stretches is a tall order. Still, if guys like Elam and Brooks can rise to the occasion, and if Hooker continues to play at a high level, Tennessee might just be able to weather the storm.