Now that we know Logan Ryan will definitely not return to Nashville in 2020, the Tennessee Titans have to figure out who will take his place at slot cornerback, the position he manned in 2019.
One thing is for sure: the Titans will look to make an upgrade in speed at the position moving forward, as teams are using faster receivers in the slot more regularly.
Head coach Mike Vrabe also made it clear that the slot is more and more about being able to cover vertical routes, per Paul Kuharsky, which makes a speedy corner in the slot even more important.
“And more so now to be able to match up on some vertical routes inside,” he said. “I think for so long, in the slot there was this horizontal thought — that guys had to work defenses horizontally.
“And now we’re seeing a lot more vertical routes that are coming out of the slot so I think that is something that is always a challenge when you are looking for players that do all those things and do them very well.”
Here’s a look at four defensive backs who we could see in the slot in 2020.
Adoree’ Jackson
General manager Jon Robinson hinted that Jackson could see some time in the slot this season, and he certainly has the ability to play it well.
Jackson’s combination of speed (4.42 40-yard dash time) and coverage skills would be a great match to play in the slot, but the only problem is that would leave a huge hole to fill on the boundary.
Barring an emergency against a receiver owning the Titans’ secondary, it’s doubtful we see Jackson on the inside often in 2020.
Kristian Fulton
The Titans lucked into drafting Fulton late in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft after he slid much further than many experts expected him to.
Prior to making the pick, the Titans had pre-draft meetings with Fulton and one of the first questions they asked him was if he could play in the slot, so it’s clear that’s what they have in mind for him in his rookie season.
Fulton certainly has the speed to get it done, as his 40-yard dash time of 4.46 would be an upgrade over Ryan. Not to mention, Fulton has flashed elite coverage skills against top competition during his time in college.
Look for Fulton to play predominantly in the slot in 2020 and then possibly move to the boundary in 2021 if the team cuts Malcolm Butler and his big salary.
Amani Hooker
When the Titans drafted Amani Hooker in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, there was some thought that he could be the heir-apparent to Ryan after the Iowa product posted an elite slot coverage grade in college.
Perhaps that is still the intent, but for now it looks as though at the very least Hooker will have to compete with Fulton to get significant snaps at the position in 2020.
We didn’t get a ton of looks at Hooker in coverage last season after he played just 30 percent of snaps. What we do know is that he runs a 4.48 40-yard dash time, so he definitely has the speed the Titans need.
Hooker could see a part-time role in the slot this season, but don’t rule him out for getting the majority of snaps there over the rookie Fulton if he can prove to be better there in camp.
Chris Jackson
A Marshall product, Jackson was taken in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and while most seventh-round picks will have an uphill climb in making the roster, Jackson offers versatility to help him make the cut.
The defensive back could provide some depth at safety, but it’s corner where he played mostly in college. Jackson ran a 4.46 40-yard dash time, so it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see him be depth at slot corner, also.
Along with his ability to play special teams, Jackson has a lot of avenues to get him consideration for the 53-man roster. If he makes the cut, he’d be on the back end of options to play inside in 2020.
