Titans Position Analysis: Safety

Next up in our position analyses is the safety position.
A healthy Chris Hope and emerging former first round draft pick Michael Griffin combine to form one of the league’s better safety duos.
In addition to Hope and Griffin, let’s take a look at the other players competing for playing time at safety.

When healthy, Chris Hope provides the veteran leadership and playmaking ability that you would expect from a former starter on a winning Super Bowl team. Unfortunately, Hope was lost for the remainder of the 2007 due to a frightening neck injury.
We can only hope that Chris is able to rebound from that scary injury in 2008.
At the other safety position is 2nd year player Michael Griffin. After some growing pains during the first part of the season, the rookie out of Texas started to get comfortable by the end of the year.
In 2008, he’s already making his mark in the beginning stages of training camp with some breathtaking interceptions.
Griffin is poised to become one of the better safeties in the league. His potential is unlimited, and I’m excited to see what he will be able to accomplish as a Tennessee Titan next year and beyond.
Calvin Lowry is a backup with some starting experience at both safety positions. He’s a solid tackler and good special teams player, but his coverage skills are less than stellar.
I like Lowry as a backup but color me not excited about his potential as a starter (immediately knocks on wood to do my part in wishing Chris Hope a healthy and prosperous 2008 season).
Vince Fuller is listed as a safety but the majority of his contributions have come at nickelback. Fuller’s a playmaker and a valuable backup on the Titans’ defense and unless the injury bug really rears its ugly head, expect Fuller to continue to serve mainly as the Titans’ NB in 2008.
Special teams are Donnie Nickey’s bread and butter. He collected a whopping 8 special teams’ tackles in the Titans’ playoff loss to the Chargers last year. His value on ST will probably keep Nickey around for at least another season.
Undrafted free agent Tony Joiner rounds out the Titans’ batch of safeties. The former Gator has made an early impression in training camp and on one particular play, he flattened fellow rookie Craig Stevens on a vicious hit.
As mentioned before, the key to the success of this unit will be the health of Chris Hope. The Titans will be depending on the ability of Hope to spring eternal in 2008.