Tennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker is in position to take a major step forward in the 2024 season. Now playing alongside a much more talented group in the secondary, Hooker's abilities should be able to shine through as he enters the prime years of his career.
Hooker (26) has been a reliable cog for the Titans defense ever since taking a full-time starting role in the 2021 season. A fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Hooker spent his early years playing alongside Kevin Byard, but now aims to take on a leadership role entering his sixth year with Tennessee.
The Iowa product is entering his second season after signing a three-year deal worth a lucrative $30 million in 2022. With that being said, Hooker's value could explode now that he can focus on doing his job rather than having to cover every blade of grass with an underwhelming cornerback group playing in front of him over the last few seasons.
"We have two dogs – we have Chido and Sneed out there," Hooker told Jim Wyatt of tennesseetitans.com. "I can't wait to go full speed with them, with the pads on. I have been watching them make plays for the other team against us, so I am excited that they're on our team now and it's going to be a lot of fun."
Hooker has every reason to be excited. Sneed and Awuzie represent one of, if not the best, Titans cornerback tandems since the franchise moved to Nashville. In fact, Sneed and nickel corner Roger McCreary finished the 2023 season without surrendering a single touchdown while in coverage. Awuzie was on the hook for three touchdowns, but was playing in his first season since tearing his ACL in 2022.
"These guys have proven they can be in the right position to make the plays, and when I'm out there I am able to do my job now, and start searching for plays as they come to me. Knowing you have guys that are aggressive out there, it makes me as a safety have that same mentality that they have and bring it to our defense."
Hooker was the best player in the Titans secondary a season ago. He was tasked with the responsibility of erasing the mistakes, of which there were plenty, made by Kristian Fulton, Tre Avery and the rotating cast of incompetent cornerbacks the team trotted out on a weekly basis.
Although he has played strong safety for the entirety of his NFL career, Hooker has the ball skills to play in either safety spot. Now with supremely talented shutdown cornerbacks on each sideline, Hooker will be in position to take a Pro Bowl leap under the tutelage of new Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson who served as the defensive backs coach for the Baltimore Ravens in 2023.
It remains to be seen as to who will be lining up next to Hooker in the free safety spot in the upcoming season. Elijah Molden is the best option currently on the Titans roster, but adding a proven veteran in free agency such as Justin Simmons could vault Tennessee's secondary to the top spot in the NFL.
