Titans starting defense projection after mandatory minicamp

After predicting the Tennessee Titans’ starting offense following mandatory minicamp, it’s time to dive into a projection for the starting defense.

Last year, the defense emerged as one of the most productive and physically imposing units in the league, a shocking development after a 2020 campaign that included one of the worst Titans defenses in franchise history.

Tennessee ended last season as a legitimate top-five defense, finishing first in rush defense, fourth in points per game, and 10th in yards per play from Week 9 on.

Tennessee also accounted for 52 total sacks — including nine in the playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals — after having just 24 sacks (playoffs included) the year prior.

This season, the Titans return nearly the entire unit that helped lead the drastic turnaround, and the defense intends to pick up where it left off.

Let’s take a closer look at who I expect to be starting on defense when the New York Giants come to Nashville to kick off the regular season on Sept. 11.

DE: Jeffery Simmons

AP Photo/Ashley Landis

If 2021 was the year where Simmons’ play put him on the national radar, I believe 2022 will be the year where his play puts him squarely in the conversation among the league’s most dominant defensive players.

The Mississippi State product is not only arguably the best player on the team, but he’s also one the most vocal leaders, if not the most.

Be on the lookout for a monster year from the 24-year-old phenom, who is also financially motivated thanks to having just one more year left on his rookie contract in 2023.

NT: Teair Tart

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Tart has quietly been one of the Titans’ most successful undrafted free agent signings in recent memory. He started 10 games last season and has been a consistent presence in the run game.

Look for more of the same in 2022 unless someone like Naquan Jones can dethrone Tart from the starting nose tackle spot by the time Week 1 rolls around.

DE: Denico Autry

AP Photo/John Amis

Autry was a fantastic addition to the Titans’ front four last season. His versatility allowed him to contribute both inside and on the edge.

Autry’s presence and production helped to unlock the potential of Tennessee’s young stars such as Simmons and Harold Landry.

Autry has averaged 7.5 sacks over his last four seasons and tallied nine in his first year in Tennessee. Expect to see more of the same from him until in 2022.

OLB1: Harold Landry

Syndication: The Tennessean

The Boston College product signed a well-deserved $87.5 million extension after his breakout year last season, when he led the team with 12 sacks and 14 tackles for loss.

He also finished second on the team with a career-best 49 quarterback pressures, and third in tackles with 74.

Landry finished the year as one of four players in the NFL who produced at least 75 tackles and 10 sacks. The others were the Dallas Cowboys’ Micah Parsons, the Los Angeles Rams’ Aaron Donald and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Cameron Heyward.

Hopefully, the 26-year-old pass rusher takes that next step in his career now that he is approaching his physical prime.

OLB2: Bud Dupree

AP Photo/Brett Carlsen

After being hampered by his ACL recovery throughout 2021, Dupree should be 100 percent will have another chance to show the Titans and their fans that he was deserving of the massive $82.5 million deal he signed last offseason.

Despite putting up disappointing sack numbers and missing six games, Dupree’s impact was still felt anytime he was on the field.

Dupree’s presence completed the Titans’ dominant front four, which allowed the team to rush the quarterback at a high level without having to blitz. This impact upfront allowed the defense to mask some of the issues they had last year on the backend as well.

As the season progressed and his knee seemingly got stronger, Dupree’s impact began to become more noticeable. Tennessee’s prized free-agent signing produced three sacks and four tackles for loss over his last five outings (including playoffs).

It will be interesting to see if Dupree can pick up where he left off now that he will be fully healthy heading into the 2022 season

ILB1: Zach Cunningham

Syndication: The Tennessean

Cunningham looked like a completely different player after being claimed by Tennessee late in the season. He looked motivated to be on a contending team again, and it showed in his play.

Cunningham finished as Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded run-stopping linebacker (92.2) from Week 13 on. He’s an ideal fit in this scheme and having a full offseason with Tennessee could lead to even better play.

ILB2: David Long Jr.

Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Long is one of the more underrated linebackers in the league.

Technically, I’m even underrating him right now by listing him second when he has a very strong argument to top the depth chart.

Long finished 2021 as one of the top run-stopping linebackers, finishing with PFF’s sixth-highest grade (82.2) over the final six games of 2021. The duo of Long and Cunningham has the potential to be among the league’s best tandems at inside linebacker.

CB1: Kristian Fulton

AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

Fulton had a sneaky good season last year, at least nationally. He established himself as a starting cornerback for this team and one of the best young cornerbacks in the NFL.

There’s no reason to think that won’t continue in 2022.

The cornerback room as a whole went from being a liability in 2021 to perhaps the deepest positional group on the team in 2022.

The Titans were the 25th-ranked pass defense last season. Fulton will no doubt play a massive role in any potential turnaround from this group.

CB2: Caleb Farley

AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

The Titans’ 2021 first-round pick is one of the players who legitimately has the potential to help take this stout Titans defense to an entirely different level.

It’s easy to forget now after a torn ACL derailed his rookie season, but Farley was widely considered one of the best cornerback prospects in the 2021 NFL draft. Some even went as far as calling him a “generational talent at the cornerback position” during his pre-draft process.

Only time will tell if he ever lives up to that type of hype, but by all accounts, he seems to be taking steps in the right direction so he gets the benefit of the doubt until he proves otherwise.

CB3 (slot): Elijah Molden

AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

You could make a very strong argument that Molden has been the Titans’ most productive and impactful rookie over the last two seasons after he established himself as a worthy slot corner in Year 1.

All signs point to Molden continuing to develop into one of the better and most consistent slot cornerbacks in 2022.

Titans second-round pick, Roger McCreary, lacks length, which could force him to play more on the inside. For now, I’ll give Molden the edge; however, I would not be shocked if McCreary ends up stealing one of these starting cornerback spots at some point in the near future.

FS: Kevin Byard

AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

Byard has been one of the most consistent players in Tennessee since he took over as a full-time starter in 2017, and there’s no reason to think that’s going to change in 2022 for one of the best safeties in the NFL.

With the front seven primed for another disruptive season, combined with the revamp at the cornerback position, this season has the potential to be one of the best ones yet for a 28-year-old Byard who is in the prime of his career.

SS: Amani Hooker

AP Photo/Matt Patterson

Hooker will once again join Byard to form one of the NFL’s best safety tandems.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Titans’ starting safeties were graded as the top safety tandem in the league last year. Hooker is financially motivated as he heads into the final year of his rookie deal, and I’d expect his play to reflect that throughout the year.

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