The Tennessee Titans’ secondary had a rough opening preseason showing against the San Francisco 49ers, and Cor’Dale Flott was right in the middle of it. He was targeted six times and gave up all six completions, with rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling collecting 63 yards while matched up with him. That performance set the tone for an uneasy week around a unit that needed a cleaner response.
Against the Seattle Seahawks in a joint practice yesterday, though, Alontae Taylor gave Tennessee exactly that kind of response. The former New Orleans Saint and Tennessee native stood out as one of the day’s biggest winners, looking every bit like a veteran defender playing on a three-year, $58 million deal. Taylor was active in coverage, got into passing lanes, nearly intercepted Sam Darnold early, and later turned in a pick-six against Seattle’s starter.
Flott, on the other hand, stayed mostly quiet. He signed a similar three-year, $45 million contract, but his practice line didn’t match Taylor’s impact.
The one notable blemish came when Darnold found RB George Holani for an overhead touchdown in Flott’s coverage. It wasn’t the same kind of rough outing he had against San Francisco, but it still left room for more with Sunday’s game approaching.
That matchup is starting to look like a real test for Tennessee’s secondary. The concerns around Flott from Week 1 are already carrying into Week 2, while Taylor has answered the bell. For now, the two biggest investments in the Titans’ back end are moving in different directions.
None of that means Flott is a finished product. There’s still time for him to settle in and find his rhythm once the regular season starts next month.
And Taylor made clear the two are working through it together, calling Flott “a great teammate,” and pointing to how they’ve been handling the preseason process side by side. Maybe Flott just needs more time to get comfortable in Coach Saleh’s system.
In Other News...
Titans Bubble Players Just Changed The Roster Cut Debate
The Titans second preseason win, a 19-16 decision over the Seahawks, gave the coaching staff a little more to sort through as roster cuts approach on Aug. 30. In a game that often serves as a final audition for players on the bubble, a few names made their case while others left the kind of tape teams cant ignore.
Chester Rogers helped his standing with a promising outing, and Joey Slye also looked sharp in a role where every kick matters this time of year. On the other side of the ledger, Malik Willis and CorDale Flott did not help themselves, which is exactly the kind of uneven night that can turn a straightforward cut-down process into a much tougher debate for Tennessee. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Make A Late Camp Linebacker Move Worth Watching
The Titans are making another late-summer adjustment at linebacker, turning to Reid Carrico after placing Milo Eifler on injured reserve. Carrico arrives as an undrafted rookie who was recently waived by the Browns, and Tennessee is giving him a look at a time when every rep matters and roster spots are shrinking.
Carricos appeal is pretty straightforward for a team trying to sort through its depth: he showed some defensive ability in a brief stint with Cleveland, and he brought a solid college rsum to the table after transferring from Ohio State to West Virginia. Whether the Titans stash him on the practice squad or see enough to keep him in the mix for their rotation, this is the kind of move that can quietly shape the last days of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Defense Gave Fans An Early Preseason Problem To Worry About
The Titans had little to feel good about on the defensive side of the ball in their second preseason game against the Seahawks, where the starters were on the field long enough to leave an early concern hanging over the rest of August. Tennessee went into halftime trailing 16-9, and all of the scoring came from Randy Bullocks steady work on field goals while the offense remained uneven, even if Malik Willis looked better than he did in the previous game.
The bigger worry was the way Seattles backup offense moved the ball against Tennessees starting defense, capped by two touchdowns and a 69-yard Jacardia Wright run that quickly made the rounds online. Treylon Burks still was looking for his first catch of the night, and while preseason results do not define a season, this was the sort of uneven defensive showing that can stick with a team for a while. [Read more 🡒]