The Tennessee Titans will look for improvement from their defense, but one second-year player could be the key to their success.
There is a longstanding belief that NFL players make the biggest improvement between their first and second seasons. There's a good reason for that. As rookies, they have the skills but not necessarily the knowledge to reach their full potential. There are, of course, exceptions, players who come in and dominate the game from Day 1. But more often than not, it takes some time.
That first year often is a learning process. In their second year, along with knowing what is expected of them, they understand what it takes to be a pro and to play in the NFL. Therefore, they can play faster.
That brings us to Tennessee Titans second-year safety Kevin Byard and why he just might be the key to the team's defense in 2017. Byard, a third-round pick out of Middle Tennessee State last year, got plenty of experience in 2016. He appeared in all 16 games, starting seven.
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Byard was productive, making 58 tackles with four pass defenses and a sack from his free safety position. But where were the interceptions? He had proven to be a ballhawk in college, intercepting 19 passes in his four seasons at Middle Tennessee State. That's solid production regardless of the level of play. But it didn't translate to the NFL game — at least not last season.
Starting his second offseason of OTAs and minicamp, Byard should be much more relaxed. And we should see that comfort show up in his level of play. He got more than enough playing time last season to adjust to the speed of play.
So while the Titans went out and acquired several new pieces on defense this offseason, it could be the improvement of Byard that is the key to the defense being better in 2017. After all, the Titans had just 12 interceptions last season ranking in the bottom half of the league.
Byard will get an opportunity to help improve that this season. And given his college interception rate — he had four, five, six and four interceptions in his four seasons — last season would seem to be an anomaly. Byard should be ready to make a great leap forward.
