The Tennessee Titans made their second off-team signing this offseason when they reportedly agreed to terms with former Houston Texans defensive back AJ Moore.
Moore’s deal will net him $2.5 million fully guaranteed for a year, which means he’s likely more than just camp competition.
The 26-year-old played 55 games (five starts) in four seasons with the Texans and had 69 combined tackles (two for loss), one sack, one pass defended, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Let’s take a deeper dive into one of Tennessee’s latest additions by taking a look at three things to know about Moore.
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Moore already has a connection to the Titans when he arrives. Tennessee secondary coach Anthony Midget served as Moore’s secondary coach for two seasons (2018-19) while the pair were in Houston.
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While Moore has seen defensive snaps throughout his career, the majority of his work has come from special teams, where he has thrived.
The only season Moore saw significant defensive snaps was in 2020, when he played a total of 356. He never played more than 44 in any other season.
Analysis of new #Titans S AJ Moore, always excellent @Texans_Thoughts.
“ST ace, mostly as a shooter. Ideally your 3rd/4th S. Fast player who is a good tackler. Has flashes in deep zone coverage, but overall inconsistent and lacks ball production. Good signing.”
— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) March 15, 2022
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As we mentioned before, Moore will certainly contribute to the special teams, but he will also serve as a backup safety. It remains to be seen whether he will replace Dane Cruikshank, who is a free agent, or Matthias Farley.
If it’s the first, Moore will have big shoes to fill, as Cruikshank was very good against tight ends last season and was a solid backup safety overall.