Tennessee Titans: 5 offseason needs in 2019

3. Safety

Kevin Byard has anchored the backbone of the team’s secondary for the last few seasons. Selected in the third-round of the 2016 NFL Draft, the free safety has become a Pro Bowl, All-Pro free safety with 228 combined tackles and 12 interceptions in 48 games.

In 2018, Byard and the Tennessee secondary did well defending the pass. There is reason to believe they will be even better in that area in 2019, as Adoree Jackson will have another year of experience and Malcolm Butler could bounce back from his lackluster inaugural season in Tennessee.

The Titans were top-10 in passing yards and passing touchdowns allowed. But the team only had 17 takeaways. Of course, there are many different parts that factor into that, but adding a big-time strong safety would be huge as Kenny Vaccaro becomes a free agent.

Addressing this need is where the Titans should be inclined to break out their checkbook. Free agency is packed with safety talent. Adrian Amos, Landon Collins, Adrian Phillips, Tyrann Mathieu, Lamarcus Joyner and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix are all on the market this offseason.

Yes, many of the names mentioned above play free safety, the position Byard occupies. But, at the same time, a few of them have moved around between both safety positions and have experience playing that role.

Neither will come cheap but adding any of them will be an upgrade. Collins and Phillips specifically, because they can play strong safety well and also drop down into the box to help the defend the run.