Butler gives Titans’ secondary depth

NASHVILLE — Titans general manager Jon Robinson poured resources into the secondary for the second consecutive offseason, signing another former Patriots cornerback and drafting another versatile player from the Pac-12.

The Titans have three starting-caliber cornerbacks after signing two-time Super Bowl champion Malcolm Butler to a five-year, $61.25 million deal with $30 million guaranteed. He joins fellow former New England cornerback Logan Ryan and 2017 first-round draft pick Adoree’ Jackson, who started every game last season after being drafted 18th overall out of Southern California.

The Titans added depth and versatility by selecting Dane Cruikshank out of Arizona with a fifth-round pick. He’s officially listed as a defensive back, but is most likely to receive playing time at safety, behind All-Pro free safety Kevin Byard and veteran strong safety Johnathan Cyprien.

The Titans' pass defense ranked 25th out of 32 teams in yards allowed last season. It surrendered 27 touchdowns, tied for eighth-most in the league, and recorded just 12 interceptions, which tied for 18th.

Logan Ryan, Adoree’ Jackson in slot?

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Butler adds tremendous depth and competition to the cornerback position, a necessity in the pass-happy NFL.

He’s expected to serve as the Titans’ top corner. But when opponents line up with just two wideouts, who starts on the other side of the formation?

Ryan (5-11, 195) and Jackson (5-11, 185) were the regular starting corners last season. But Ryan often bumped inside to play the slot when opponents went three-wide.

Part of that was a matter of his experience and ability, and Jackson’s inexperience as a rookie.

The Titans wanted Jackson to concentrate on learning to play outside corner. But Jackson certainly has the ability to play the slot. The decision could

Byard was named first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press after leading the league with eight interceptions (he also recovered two fumbles for 10 takeaways)