The Tennessee Titans suffered a trio of injuries in the defensive backfield against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15. Safeties Mike Brown, Kevin Winston Jr. and Xavier Woods all suffered injuries that forced them exit early. All three have since been placed on season-ending IR.
The Titans signed Erick Hallett from the Detroit Lions practice squad and Sanoussi Kane from the Baltimore Ravens practice squad to replace them. If Dennard Wilson can help it, Hallett and Sanoussi won’t play defensive snaps
versus the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 16. With that in mind, we’ve analyzed how the Titans can line up following all this shifting.
Outside CB: Darrell Baker Jr.
Darrell Baker Jr. will continue serving as the Titans’ No. 1 cornerback. That’s been the case since Jalyn Armour-Davis suffered an Achilles injury. There’s no indication that Armour-Davis is ready to return, even though he hasn’t been placed on IR. Baker Jr. will definitely continue starting outside.
Outside CB: Kaiir Elam
Cornerback Kaiir Elam stepped into the lineup opposite Baker Jr. following the injury to Woods. Elam, a 2022 first-round bust of the Buffalo Bills, played 24 snaps outside. He figures to earn the start outside unless Armour-Davis returns.
Nickel: Marcus Harris
Rookie Marcus Harris had initially been playing nickel when he entered the lineup following the Roger McCreary trade. The Titans then shifted him to outside due to injuries, with Winston Jr. playing the nickel. Well, Harris figures to be a permanent fixture inside again given that the Titans have healthier options at boundary corner.
Safety: Amani Hooker
The Titans’ best defensive backfield player is Amani Hooker. He’s been a long-term fixture at safety, though he momentarily took over the nickel position last weekend following the injury to Winston. Hooker quickly moved back to safety after Woods left injured, and he figures to stay at his most familiar position versus the Chiefs.
Safety: Kendell Brooks
Kendell Brooks played a hefty 56 snaps at safety against the 49ers. With three injuries at safety, and Kane/Hallett being new additions, Brooks figures to stay at safety opposite Hooker. He’s been an on-again, off-again member of the practice squad since 2024.
