On paper, it’s the best secondary the Titans have had in years.  

The secondary is the back end of the defense. It’s made up of two safeties and two cornerbacks. Typically, they are generally the players that cover the offense’s receivers.  

“That has got to be a strength of our team,” head coach Mike Vrabel said. “I’ve told Kerry [Coombs] just don’t screw them up. You’ve got a bunch of first-rounders and free agents and good players – just don’t screw them up.”  

In the last two years, the Titans have invested heavily in pass coverage. First, they added cornerback Logan Ryan for $30 million. The team also used a first-round pick on cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, then Kevin Byard emerged as a first-team All-Pro safety, leading the NFL in interceptions.  

Just this past off-season, the Titans gave former Patriots’ cornerback Malcom Butler $61 million to comprise a unit that should be one of the best in the NFL.  

“It should be. We got great players, great experience back there and we got great depth. The only thing we have to do is just grind together, build our communication together, bond with each other on and off the field and just play hard and make plays and be on the same page and everything else will take care of itself,” Butler said.  

Byard added, “We have a lot of great DB’s on this team. Man, we’re still working, still trying still trying to get our cohesiveness together, but at the end of the day, man, we have a lot of great guys we have a confidence in all three of my corners that are going to be out there on the field so we’re having a lot of fun right now.” 

Having fun is part of the process, and the Titans secondary could have a lot of it with more zone coverage this year. That gives cornerback Logan Ryan and Adoree’ Jackson the chance for more interceptions, a number that must increase this year from their 2017 total of zero.  

“It’s a way to create turnovers, but we got the pieces to be good in man and zone and we have to marry them up pretty well. The best thing you can have is versatility and guys who are good at playing both, so we have to practice both and that gives you opportunities to get some turnovers which is what I want,” Ryan said.  

So far through training camp, they’ve lived up to expectations so much so that even the most important player on the field has taken notice.  

“I mean, honestly, I think every single one of those guys has made plays. Malcolm’s done a great job, Logan [Ryan’s] done a great job. Then when you’ve got over the top, you’ve got KB. When you’ve got guys like that, and you got a young guy like Adoree’, that rounds those guys out, I mean it’s tough sledding,” quarterback Marcus Mariota said.  

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