Titans go defense with Texas safety as top pick

Tennessee used the 19th pick overall on Texas safety Michael Griffin, choosing to wait before addressing major offensive holes at wide receiver and running back. Coach Jeff Fisher said they loved Griffin?s versatility and thinks he can be their third cornerback as a rookie.

?Our plans with Michael are to play him at a number of different positions. Safety, nickelback, corner. But he is a football player, and we?re very excited to have an opportunity to have drafted him,? Fisher said.

The Titans still had major needs after losing receivers Drew Bennett and Bobby Wade to free agency. They cut Travis Henry rather than pay an $8 million bonus even though he ran for 1,211 yards last season.

Tennessee has been talking with San Diego about trading for LaDanian Tomlinson?s backup, Michael Turner, and Fisher said they had conversations involving the 19th pick.

?There?s still some scenarios regarding that,? Fisher said of a potential trade.

But Jones was the best player on the Tennessee defense, and his suspension by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell left a gaping hole on a defense that gave up 369.7 yards per game. Jones can?t even ask to return until after the Titans play at Denver on Nov. 19.

So the Titans had to address the secondary.

They already had signed free agent Nick Harper away from the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, their AFC South rival, who should replace Jones at starter. They also have Reynaldo Hill, who has started 24 of 30 games since being a seventh-round draft pick in 2005, and Cortland Finnegan.

The Titans already have five safeties on the roster led by starter Chris Hope with Vincent Fuller and Calvin Lowry taken in the previous two drafts. But Tennessee uses a third cornerback on the field enough that Fisher considers the nickelback as a third starter.