It’s a turbulent time in the NFL. The deadline to drop the franchise tag on players came and went, NFL free agency is set to start on Wednesday, and teams have started making cuts and restructuring deals left and right to free up cap space. With the uncertainty surrounding the cap this year, it was to be expected that there would be some surprising moves around the league.
For the Tennessee Titans, it was cornerback Malcolm Butler and safety Kenny Vaccaro. I wrote about both cuts on SoBros Network dot com. Neither was necessarily a surprise – I understand the logic behind releasing Butler, but I thought it was tough to get rid of the best player on defense from a season ago. I at least would’ve entertained the idea of moving Adoree Jackson, as you could’ve saved comparable cap space without getting rid of the best defensive player.
Regardless, this offseason marks the end of an era – the era of MMCNB (my man catch no balls). We’re only a couple of seasons removed from this Titans secondary being the strength of the team, and one of the best units in the NFL, whether or not anyone wanted to really give them the credit they deserved for it.
The first domino to fall was Logan Ryan last offseason. The Titans, similarly to what they did with Butler, cut Ryan, opting to get a little younger at the position and avoid paying him a large sum of money. Ryan landed with the New York Giants and had a solid season. Meanwhile in Nashville, Titans fans are wondering whether or not the team was hurt by a lack of Ryan’s leadership skills.
In Butler, the Titans had a guy who was as hard-nosed and feisty as they come. He played three solid years with the Titans. Now, he’ll hit the market to see what he can get at 31 years old – in my opinion, Butler still has plenty left in the tank. Maybe the Titans were just trying to get ahead of his decline due to age, but a decline in play was not evidenced by the tape in 2020.
Vaccaro never should have been what he was for the Titans. He was brought in as a stopgap to help negate the blow of losing Johnathan Cyprien for the year in 2018. He responded by playing undeniably – aggressive as a tackler, solid in run support, excellent as a blitzing safety. Vaccaro gave this secondary an edge.
Now, Kevin Byard and Jackson are alll that remain from this group, but there’s reason for concern for each. Byard by far had his worst year as a pro in 2020. Whatever the reasons are, it’s easy to see when you watch the games back. He was a liability at times. Jackson spent most of the season on IR. When he was able to play, he looked tentative (some have even said “disinterested”) at best. This secondary is going to look a lot different in 2021, and the Titans will be hard-pressed to recreate the chemistry of MMCNB.
These guys combined to create the perfect storm in the secondary – you had Ryan’s experience, Butler’s toughness, Vaccaro’s aggression, Jackson’s speed, and Byard’s penchant for making plays. It was like every ingredient you needed to create a well-balanced and successful secondary was there – wise, tough, fast, and explosive. But, whatever magic they had seemed to follow Ryan to New York. My hope is that, in time, more Titans fans will grow to appreciate just how special this group of defensive backs was and how rare it is to find five dudes that work so well together. The legacy of this unit, in my mind, is cemented in ending the Patriots dynasty during that playoff game after the 2019 season, when Ryan picked off Tom Brady to clinch the win. MMCNB may very well have been the best secondary the Titans have ever fielded.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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