The Tennessee Titans seem to be on to something as we head into 2020 after the team made an AFC Championship Game appearance last year.
That success wouldn’t have been possible without some strong performances from key players on both sides of the ball, including safety Kevin Byard, who finished the season with 77 tackles (53 solo), nine passes defensed and five interceptions.
When Pro Football Focus released its All-Decade Top 101 list for the 2010s, Byard found a place at No. 93 overall.
Rankings were based on “production, efficiency and performance over a specific time period,” rather than talent alone, which could have made for a much different-looking collection of player names.
“Kevin Byard’s NFL career may only be four seasons in length — a little more than 4,000 snaps old including the playoffs — but his play has been so consistently good that he is already able to force his way onto the All-Decade 101,” the network’s Sam Monson wrote. “He is one of the best young defenders in football, and only a lack of playing time relative to others whose careers spanned more of the decade keeps him this low on the list.”
Newly added cornerback Jonathan Joseph was right behind him at No. 94.
“Injuries have undermined what could have been one of the best cornerback careers of recent times, but when Johnathan Joseph was healthy and at his best, there were few cover men better than him. Over the decade, he allowed fewer than 55% of passes thrown his way to be caught and had 91 forced incompletions,” Monson wrote. “He was targeted over 800 times, allowed 27 touchdowns. It’s tempting to only remember Joseph as the player he has become late in his career, but he was an All-Pro caliber player at his peak who could cover with the best players in the game.”
Two former Titans also made the cut, as defensive lineman Jurrell Casey placed at No. 96 and EDGE Cameron Wake was ranked No. 41.
Perhaps the biggest Titans snub from this list is former tight end Delanie Walker, who was routinely one of the elite tight ends in the NFL over the past decade before succumbing to injuries the past few seasons.
A case can also be made for left tackle Taylor Lewan.
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