The Tennessee Titans made their first addition of the offseason to the secondary via free agency on Monday when they agreed to terms with ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback, Sean Murphy-Bunting.
The veteran cornerback, who is fresh off his best season in terms of coverage numbers, adds some depth, speed, experience and versatility to Tennessee’s group, which has a lot of promise but major concerns due to injury history.
Murphy-Bunting figures to factor in as the No. 4 cornerback behind the trio of Kristian Fulton, Roger McCreary and Elijah Molden, but there is certainly an avenue for him to have a bigger role depending on how things unfold.
But is that something he’s ready for? And just what should Titans fans expect from the team’s newest corner?
We sat down with the managing editor of Bucs Wire, River Wells, and asked him five questions about Murphy-Bunting. And, just say that, based on his answers, some of the hype associated with this signing needs to be toned down a bit.
What are Muphy-Bunting's strengths?
RW: Murphy-Bunting is decently quick, having ran a 4.42 at the combine. His potential as a ballhawk is fascinating — Bucs fans will remember him for consecutively picking off Taylor Heinecke, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers in the 2020 playoffs. He also picked off Patrick Mahomes when the team played the Chiefs in 2022.
What are Murphy-Bunting's weaknesses?
RW: Murphy-Bunting has had some bad injury luck, only playing 13 games in the last two years. On top of that, he can often get lost in coverage and he’s easy to maneuver around. Bucs fans will always remember the deep pass to Cooper Kupp that sealed the team’s fate in the 2021 divisional round against the Rams, but the crucial play was the play before it — Murphy-Bunting slipped in coverage against Cooper Kupp and allowed him to get a massive chunk of yards and get out of bounds.
Is Murphy-Bunting better in the slot or outside?
RW: Murphy-Bunting initially played outside across from Carlton Davis, but he lost that job to the recently-re-signed Jamel Dean in 2022. As such, he was moved to the slot, and then became a punt gunner as well. As for where he is BETTER, he may get a bit of relief in the slot from the more talented wideouts he’s had trouble with.
Do you view him as a quality starter?
RW: I don’t. 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.
