With Byard, Hooker -- Take Your Pick

They will be the Tennessee Titans' starting safeties for the first time this season, but each already has led the team in interceptions.

NASHVILLE – It is a good bet that a safety will lead the Tennessee Titans in interceptions this season. Based on recent history, at least.

The question is, which one?

Kevin Byard claimed that honor for three years straight (2017-19) before Amani Hooker had four, which tied him with cornerback Malcolm Butler for the team lead, in 2020. The latter did so primarily as a backup who was on the field for fewer than half the defense’s total plays.

This season, Byard and Hooker will be the Titans’ starting safeties. That means they should have equal opportunities to get their hands on the ball and double the opportunity to extend the streak of a safety leading the team in interceptions by another year. It also will create a friendly competition between the two, who have combined for more than one-third of the Titans’ total interceptions over the last two seasons.

“It’s always there,” Hooker said recently. “We kind of talked about it – he’s trying to beat me. I’m trying to beat him. But overall, we’re just trying to get interceptions and create turnovers [as a defense].”

You have to go back to the franchise’s days as the Houston Oilers to find the last time two different safeties led the team in interceptions in consecutive years. Then, it was Keith Bostic with six in 1987 and Jeff Donaldson with four in 1988. Those two were the starting tandem for two-plus seasons through 1988.

The only other NFL team to have two safeties to have four or more interceptions in a season over the past three years is Minnesota. The Vikings got six from Anthony Harris in 2019 and five from Harrison Smith in 2020. Both were starters.

Hooker steps up this year following the release of Kenny Vaccaro early in the offseason. Vaccaro had two interceptions in his three seasons with the Titans. Hooker, on the other hand, had two in the three games he started last season because Vaccaro was out with an injury.

“My main thing is trying to get the ball to the offense, you know, create as many turnovers as we can,” he said. “Not for myself, but for the defense as a whole, that’s a big emphasis for us. For me, definitely one of my goals is to make sure I can make an impact when the ball is in the air.”

In the three seasons since Mike Vrabel became head coach, Tennessee is one of 14 teams that has intercepted at least 40 passes. That number has grown each year – from 11 in 2018 to 14 in 2019 to 15 in 2020.

Based on training camp practices and the preseason, there is optimism that the upward trend will continue.

Byard is one of eight safeties with at least 10 since 2018. But after 17 picks over the previous three years (2017-19), he had just one last season, a number he has admitted does not sit well with him. Sure, he set career-highs for tackles and forced a fumble for the first time in his NFL career, but he has built his reputation – and earned a 2017 Pro Bowl invitation – with his ability to get the ball out of the air.

“The thing about it is, for me – and it’s been like that the last few years – I know what kind of player I am,” Byard said. “I know the kind of plays I can make. I know what I can do for this team in the type of role that I’m in. … Actions speak louder than words. So, I’m going to go out there and prove it every single day and prove it this year.”

He also will have some friendly competition every time the ball is in the air.