One of the most important players on the defensive side of the ball for the Tennessee Titans in 2023 is cornerback Kristian Fulton.
Fulton, who is the team’s No. 1 cornerback, has had issues staying healthy during his career, and his absence is always a major issue for the Titans, especially in 2022 when the pass defense finished dead-last.
The 2020 second-round pick was even called out by head coach Mike Vrabel after the season when he listed the repeat offenders when it comes to soft-tissue injuries.
The LSU product drew some attention during the offseason program when he wasn’t around for the voluntary portion, but that was because he was down in Miami training in the hopes that a different approach would cure his ills on the injury front going into what is a contract year for him.
So far, it appears to have paid off, as Vrabel heaped praise on Fulton on Friday for the condition he showed up.
“Thought he came back, was in great shape. You could tell that he had been working, from the conditioning test, and he just doesn’t look like a guy who’s winded or getting tired,” Vrabel said, per Paul Kuharsky. “I think that’s a testament to him and just being ready to. And I know he’s excited to string some days together and continue that improvement.
“We’ve seen a lot of really good football from Kristian, and he knows that and he can tell the difference between when he plays like a one and when he plays somewhat lackadaisical. He knows we expect more at those times, and so does he. So, this is about consistency and building, and making a mistake and coming back and understanding why and competing again. That’s the challenge of a cornerback.”
This is a crucial year for Fulton who, as we said, is in the final year of his rookie deal.
But his health is also crucial to the Titans’ defensive success, as Tennessee’s 2023 defense will never be the best version of itself without its No. 1 cornerback on the field.
