This $60M Tennessee Titan Is Buying Into Robert Saleh's Defense

New Tennessee Titans' cornerback Alontae Taylor didn't waste time getting to work when he arrived in Nashville — starting quick conversations with the face of the defense, Jeffery Simmons. Speaking on In the Bayou, the podcast hosted by retired 12-year NFL safety and three-time All-Pro Tyrann Mathieu, Taylor laid out why he believes Tennessee's defense is poised for a turnaround.

Alontae Taylor Plans to Help Change Tennessee Titans' Defense

The first thing Taylor did was pick the brain of star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.

"I talked to Jeff as soon as I got there, and I just kind of asked him what he thought the problems have been the past couple of years," Taylor said. "He expressed a couple of things — coverage, getting to the quarterback, stuff like that. And he always says, 'Bro, you cover those guys, we're going to get to the quarterback. I promise.'"

Alontae Taylor previews the Titans’ defensive vision for 2026 and what’s next in Tennessee 🔥

“You know, he [Jeffery Simmons] always says, ‘Like, bro, you cover those guys, we’re going to get to the quarterback.’ And I just told him that’s why they brought us here… we’re going… pic.twitter.com/fme9qitS4D
— In The Bayou With Tyrann Mathieu (@InTheBayouPod) July 17, 2026

Taylor's answer was simple: that's exactly why he's here.

"I told him, that's why they brought us here — me and my boy Flott," Taylor said, referencing fellow free-agent cornerback Cor'Dale Flott. "We're going to change that dynamic."

Buying Into the Defensive Overhaul

Taylor pointed to Tennessee's aggressive offseason additions up front as the reason for his optimism, singling out the pass-rush help.

"We've added a lot of additions to the D-line — some good edges. We got John Franklin-Myers from Denver, and we got Jeff," Taylor said. "I think our defensive core is really good. If we can get the offensive side of the ball rolling...we've got a good chance. That's all you can ask for. We're just putting the pieces together."

Taylor then added one early observation stood out above the rest.

"To have a D-line that will run to the ball — one thing I can say since being in Nashville is that the D-linemen run to the ball," Taylor said. "That's something you love to have as a corner, or as a nickel, or as a safety. Them boys are hunting. [Simmons is] leading that D-line the right way, so I think he's going to be special."

An Almost Brand-New Secondary

Taylor's arrival was part of a near-total makeover on the back end. Between him and Flott, Tennessee essentially rebuilt the middle of its secondary, with Amani Hooker providing continuity as — alongside Simmons — one of the elder statesmen of a defense that otherwise turned over in a hurry.

The Titans will also be counting on young pieces to take the leap. If second-year safety Kevin Winston Jr. and cornerback Marcus Harris grow into bigger roles, a group that ranked among the league's worst in 2025 could climb toward the opposite end of the spectrum in 2026. That would be a dream outcome — but it's not an unreasonable one.

It Starts Up Front

jermaine johnson — Florham Park, NJ May 31, 2023 -- Linebacker, Jermaine Johnson on the last day of Jets OTA's. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Here's the thing about secondaries: they're sometimes only as good as the pass rush in front of them. And the Titans clearly attacked that problem, which was exactly the issue Taylor referenced Simmons raising — getting after the quarterback.

Adding John Franklin-Myers gives Tennessee some unorthodox interior pressure to pair with Simmons, and there may not be a better bulldozing tandem up the middle in football than those two.

The Titans also swung a trade with the Jets, sending nose tackle T'Vondre Sweat to New York for edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II — a move that reunites Johnson with Robert Saleh, his former head coach in New York.

On the edge, Tennessee then traded back into the first round to grab Auburn's Keldric Faulk at No. 31 overall, dealing picks to the Bills to move up.

So there are real pieces on the outside now. Plenty of observers — myself included — would still feel better with a more established, big-time presence off the edge. But the Titans have at least stacked enough bodies for Saleh to scheme pressure from multiple directions, both bulldozing up the middle and generating it off the edge.

Why Taylor's Words Matter

That's what makes Taylor's comments encouraging. He came across as even-keeled and reasonable throughout the interview, not a guy prone to empty hype. So when a new face says the defensive line has been flying to the football in the early sessions, that carries weight.

If things looked miserable this offseason, a veteran like Taylor likely wouldn't say anything at all. Instead, he's sticking his neck out publicly to vouch for the group. For a defense trying to climb off the floor, those positive vibes — coming from someone with no reason to force them — are a very good sign.

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