Questions about the Tennessee Titans’ secondary have started to surface after their preseason opener, but the bigger issue may be up front.
Against the San Francisco 49ers’ second-string offense, the Titans’ starting defensive backfield had a rough night. Backup quarterback Kurtis Rourke went 12-of-14 through the air, and rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling kept winning against starting corners Alontae Taylor and Cor’Dale Flott, two players the team invested more than $100 million in during free agency.
That wasn’t the only warning sign. Cam Ward and the Titans’ offense have also been finding success against the secondary in training camp, though the first-string offense didn’t exactly carry that momentum into the preseason game. Ward struggled with both accuracy and timing against the 49ers, which only added to the scrutiny on the defensive backfield.
Still, if the Titans are going to get this defense where it needs to go, the secondary is not the unit that has to lead the way. Head coach Robert Saleh needs the defensive line to set the tone. Jeffery Simmons remains the clear centerpiece on that side of the ball, and Saleh had full control this offseason to reshape the front with familiar pieces he had coached before, including John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson, Jacob Martin, Solomon Thomas, and Jordan Elliott.
The Titans’ defense will rise or fall with what the front seven does. Linebackers Cedric Gray, Cody Barton, James Williams, and rookie Anthony Hill Jr. have also been making noise in practice and preseason action, and along with the defensive line, they have the chance to create real havoc for opposing offenses.
Taylor and Flott still need to be better. Marcus Harris and Kevin Winston Jr. need to keep moving forward in their second seasons. But the secondary’s job gets a lot easier if Saleh’s front seven does what it’s built to do once the games start counting.
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