Titans hope Michael Griffin plays like a Pro Bowl safety once again

The Tennessee Titans gave Michael Griffin a big contract extension a year ago. Now they hope they've given him enough help so that he plays like a Pro Bowl safety once again.

The Titans shuffled Griffin back and forth between the safety positions last season, and he tied for the team lead with four interceptions. But the defense was one of the worst in the NFL, and Griffin struggled shifting between jobs.

So Tennessee signed veterans Bernard Pollard and George Wilson this offseason to make sure Griffin only has to worry about playing free safety.

And they've made it very clear to Griffin what they expect from him in 2013.

``Hopefully, we get Michael Griffin up to playing like Michael Griffin,'' Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray said. ``We expect a Pro Bowl player out of Michael, and he knows that. So that's why we surround him with Pollard and George Wilson. You know what? They're guys out there that are going to play at Pro Bowl levels, so we expect him to play at that Pro Bowl level. So get out there and get it done.''

And Griffin has gotten it done in the NFL.

Since the Titans drafted him in the first round out of Texas in 2007, only Ed Reed (34) and Charles Woodson (30) have had more interceptions than Griffin at safety in that time. Griffin has 21, tying him with Oshiomogho Atogwe, currently with Philadelphia.

Griffin earned a Pro Bowl berth in 2008 when he tied for second in the NFL with seven interceptions. His second Pro Bowl came in 2010. Griffin has yet to miss a game in his first six seasons. It's why the Titans tagged him as their franchise player in 2012 before reaching agreement on a five-year extension worth up to $36 million exactly a year ago as they wrapped up the offseason.

But Griffin excels at free safety roaming the field.

Last season, the Titans moved him around after signing him to that new deal. Griffin started the first two games at strong safety as Tennessee started Robert Johnson at free safety. That experiment didn't last, and Griffin went back to his natural position with Jordan Babineaux returning to strong safety. Griffin finished second on the team with 103 tackles in a disappointing season all around for a team that allowed a franchise-worst 471 points.

The Titans released Babineaux and signed first Wilson in February and then Pollard fresh off his Super Bowl victory with Baltimore in March. Griffin couldn't be happier having his role simplified to just staying 20 yards deep off the line of scrimmage as the centerfielder.

``My job is to be the angel in the sky,'' Griffin said. ``My role is different now. I just got to watch film, watch the quarterback's eyes and go where the ball's thrown. And if it's a run or whatever, just cap it off. Makes my job much easier. Just do my job rather than last year play free safety, go to strong safety depending on who's in the game. I had to do different jobs whatever the call was. Now the job's simple.''

Right now, Pollard is starting at strong safety, and the Titans also are designing packages where they put all three veterans on the field at the same time to help confuse quarterbacks.

``This year just having strong safeties that can play the strong safety position just makes my job a lot easier to stay in one position and one position only,'' Griffin said.

The Titans have little depth right now behind Griffin with Johnson currently healing up from an injury. Markelle Martin, a sixth-round draft selection out of Oklahoma State a year ago, has yet to play and has barely practiced due to a variety of injuries himself. It's forced Tennessee to experiment with moving cornerback Alterraun Verner to free safety this offseason to take advantage of his athleticism.

It's why Gray and other coaches are encouraging the members of the secondary to spend more time together off the field whether it's meeting together or just sharing more meals in an attempt to build more camaraderie.

Griffin said cornerbacks like Verner, Jason McCourty, Tommie Campbell and Coty Sensabaugh all have another year of experience. He also likes what he's seen from rookie Blidi Wreh-Wilson too. They all expect to do better than a year ago when Tennessee ranked 26th against the pass, giving up 231.3 yards per game.

``I think we're going to be able to step this secondary up,'' Griffin said.

-- More Story :story.officialnflfansshop.com

-- If you need the Nike NFL Jerseys:Click Here

Williams gives Bills safety in numbers

Bills cornerback Aaron Williams had reservations when new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine first outlined the plan to switch him to safety.

After two inconsistent seasons in Buffalo during which Williams struggled to secure a starting job, he initially wondered whether the position change was a reflection of his performance. Williams' second concern was how quickly he could pick up the new role and its expanded responsibilities of calling plays and making on-field adjustments.

``Oh, man, at first, I was like a chicken with a cut-off head,'' Williams said. ``But I never back off any challenge. You're put in the fire, just roll with it.''

As it turns out, the new job just might be a more natural fit for Williams, who is providing the Bills safety in numbers filling the starting spot left open by Jairus Byrd's offseason-long absence.

Though Buffalo retained Byrd's rights by designating him their franchise player in March, the two-time Pro Bowl player has yet to sign the team's one-year contract offer while attempting to negotiate a long-term deal.

Williams has shown signs of being a capable Plan B during spring practices, which concluded Thursday with the end of a three-day mandatory minicamp.

He had an interception in each of the three practices, capped by Williams under-cutting a route to pick off rookie EJ Manuel in the end zone.

``Yeah, that's what they're expecting me to do,'' Williams said. ``It's me being consistent, making plays every day, not just every once in a while. So I'm changing my attitude toward this year, and looking for a better season.''

Williams endured what he called ``ups and downs'' since Buffalo selected him out of Texas in the second round of the 2011 draft.

He had a promising rookie season, in which he had an interception and forced fumble in starting six of nine games. Williams did miss five games because of a chest injury.

He took a step back last year, despite starting 10 of 11 games. Struggling in coverage, he finished with no interceptions, was credited with just seven passes defended, and missed five games after hurting his right knee.

``I think it was one of those years that tested my character: how I handle bad situations; how I handle adversity,'' Williams said. ``I know what it feels like to be on the upside and also the downside. I've pretty much matured and became a veteran player, I can say.''

Pettine has faith in Williams, and said the positional switch had nothing to do with performance or Byrd's absence.

``It's a move we were going to make,'' Pettine said.

In his previous stint as the New York Jets defensive coordinator, Pettine had Williams listed as a safety coming out of college. He also noted that Williams' 6-foot, 200-pound frame combined with his sideline-to-sideline range is better suited for the defense he's installing in Buffalo.

``If you can have a safety that has corner skills, that to me is ideal,'' Pettine said, noting the NFL is trending toward more of a passing than running style of offense. ``I would sacrifice the ability to be a `box player,' a thicker guy and a thumper type: I'd sacrifice that for the cover skills any day.''

He's pleased with how quickly Williams has picked up the new position: ``I'd say he's ahead of schedule.'' And Pettine noted Williams can now fill two roles - safety and cornerback - in a defense that demands versatility from its players.

The Bills' defensive backfield is young and unsettled, especially minus Byrd, a four-year starter. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore, the team's 2011 first-round pick, is the only other returning starter.

Williams isn't sure how his role might change once Byrd arrives.

``Really, to be honest with you, that's above my pay scale,'' he said.

He's instead relying on the advice former teammate George Wilson provided this offseason, when Williams expressed concerns about switching roles.

``He said, `It's something you can't be concerned about. Focus on what your responsibilities are,''' Williams said, referring to Wilson, who signed with Tennessee after being cut by the Bills.

``I thoroughly thought about that,'' Williams said. ``I can't really help that they want me at safety. That's where they felt like the team needed me.''

-- More Story :story.officialnflfansshop.com

-- If you need the Nike NFL Jerseys:Click Here