Williams seeking versatility in Titans' secondary
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Although the Tennessee Titans experiment with Alterraun Verner at safety has some promise, he says it is temporary.
No matter the distance of his run at safety, the move reflects the versatility that new defensive coach Gregg Williams is emphasizing.
"From what I know, it's not anything that's permanent," Verner said of his role at safety. "I think they feel comfortable that they have another person that's capable of doing it."
Verner said he expects to be back at cornerback next week at minicamp when Bernard Pollard returns from a planned vacation that kept him out of OTAs this week.
Verner's move to safety also opened the door for third-year pro Tommie Campbell to get some first-team reps at cornerback. Campbell saw plenty off-season action last year in the hopes that he would step up and at least claim a third cornerback job. It didn't happen as he slid down the depth chart in preseason.
Now, with Williams on board to help the defense and his penchant for liking speedy bump-and-run corners, Campbell is in play once again for a bigger role.
"It's the same situation for me as last year, but I'm not just going to worry about the things that I can control," Campbell said. "I'm going to worry about my technique in practice and my approach as a cornerback, having my eyes in the right places. I'm going to focus on all the instruction from the coaches and my accountability."
Campbell is on the spot to show that he can be more than a special teams player. At 6-2 and with the ability to run in the 4.3-second range in 40 yards, Campbell has the raw skills necessary to be a solid cover corner. His focus on the mental part of the game is what must improve.
--Running back Chris Johnson said he is not a selfish player, even though he often states his goal to run for 2,000 yards again.
"Coming in I have a goal, but when I say what my goal is, everybody thinks I'm a selfish player," he said. "But at the end of the day, I have my personal goals, but I still have my team goals."
