The Tennessee Titans made serious additions to their secondary by signing cornerbacks Alontae Taylor, Cor'Dale Flott, and Joshua Williams in free agency. They also moved on from L'Jarius Sneed by releasing him from a bloated contract. While the cornerback room has been completely cleaned out, the safety room hasn't seen as much change.
The Titans are entering next season with returning veteran Amani Hooker, sophomore Kevin Winston Jr., former Seahawk Jerrick Reed, and recent signing Tony Adams, who reunites with Robert Saleh. Adams signed a one-year deal, likely as a reliable depth option with familiarity in Saleh's scheme.
Hooker signed a three-year, $48.6 million deal last September that keeps him in Tennessee through the 2028 season. The former Iowa standout has always been a plus starter on the defensive side of the ball, but last season saw a bit of a decline in his play. Per Pro Football Focus, Hooker received a 51.9 defensive grade and ranked 85th out of 98 qualifying safeties throughout 2025. He also logged zero forced turnovers, which is not ideal for one of your defensive leaders.
Titans need to add better safety depth during 2026 NFL Draft
Kevin Winston Jr. was drafted in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft after falling due to a torn ACL in his final collegiate season. Winston spent the first few weeks of the 2025 campaign recovering and learning the system. Eventually, he began getting valuable snaps at both safety and in the slot, and he played well. Against the 49ers in December, the versatile playmaker was unfortunately sidelined with a hamstring injury that ultimately landed him on IR.
By December, the Titans' secondary was in complete disarray. Corners and safeties had flooded to IR, and fans were watching a nearly all-practice squad secondary on Sundays. Titans GM Mike Borgonzi cannot afford to overlook these depth issues after how last season ended.
Titans fans should still be excited about Winston, but that excitement should be approached with caution. Winston's injury history raises some red flags, and Hooker's step down in play last season does as well. Adams is also coming off a season-ending groin injury that sent him to IR late in the season.
There are glaring reasons for the Titans to add another safety to the room. It likely won't happen on the first two days of the draft, considering that other positions like EDGE or wide receiver will have priority. They do have six picks on Day 3, and there are certainly some intriguing safety options the Titans could think about drafting for depth purposes.