The Tennessee Titans added to their secondary recently when they signed veteran cornerback and former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Sean Murphy-Bunting to a one-year deal worth up to $5 million.
The addition of Murphy-Bunting is a good one, as he provides the team with another solid option and brings speed, versatility (he can play inside and out) and experience to the team’s young cornerbacks room.
While there is a thought out there he could be a starter in Nashville given the uncertainty at the position, mostly thanks to past injury woes the Titans have seen, those who cover the Bucs aren’t that high on him.
“I don’t (view him as a quality starter),” Bucs Wire managing editor River Wells told us. “Murphy-Bunting is a talented piece that could serve as good depth and he’s shown some potential over the years, but even when he has been on the field after recovering from his injuries, he’s been a very frustrating corner to watch on game days.”
He’s pretty bad fellas. Not trying to be a downer. He has awesome tools. But some of the worst instincts I’ve seen. Played in basically every coverage scheme and inside and outside too. For a team that has developed a ton of good DBs. Nothing worked
— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) March 20, 2023
While those certainly aren’t ringing endorsements, our Shaun Calderon is optimistic about Murphy-Bunting and gave the Titans a “B” grade for the signing. However, he did express concern about SMB’s injury history.
Murphy-Bunting is a long and athletic cornerback who isn’t afraid to challenge receivers at the line of scrimmage.
Truthfully, he has all of the physical tools to become a top-notch cornerback if he can ever get to a point where his natural instincts and technique are on par with his natural talent and athleticism.
One of the biggest concerns with Murphy-Bunting is his injury history. The Central Michigan product has missed 13 games since 2021. Nevertheless, he provides the type of invaluable versatility that the Titans love in their players.
Even if Murphy-Bunting doesn’t prove to be a starting-caliber corner, the Titans may only need him to serve as the No. 4 if Kristian Fulton, Roger McCreary and Elijah Molden can stay healthy and play at a high level.
With all the information in front of you, let us know the grade you give the Murphy-Bunting signing in the poll below.
