Tennessee Titans Roster Profile: CB Kristian Fulton

Welcome to Music City Miracles’ Tennessee Titans 2023 Roster Profile! Between now and August, MCM will feature more than two dozen talents. The main goal is to highlight underrated contributors and key rotational players. We’ll throw in the odd superstar or roster-bubble player, but we’re mainly focused on spotlighting the middle of the roster. That’s where key depth helps define a roster’s ceiling.

Today, we’re analyzing cornerback Kristian Fulton.

Basic Info

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 197

College: LSU

Entered League: No. 61 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft

Experience: 4

Years with team: 4

Contract Status

“Kristian Fulton signed a 4 year, $5,330,192 contract with the Tennessee Titans, including a $1,436,504 signing bonus, $2,288,785 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $1,332,548. In 2023, Fulton will earn a base salary of $1,336,844, while carrying a cap hit of $1,695,970 and a dead cap value of $359,126.” Spotrac

The Good

Kristian Fulton is Tennessee’s No. 1 cornerback when on the field. Fulton is an above-average cornerback that allowed 33 receptions on 58 targets in 2022, per Pro Football Focus. That’s good for an effective target-to-reception conversion rate of just 56.8 percent, which is a lackluster mark for quarterbacks.

Fulton played 455 coverage snaps last season. Opposing quarterbacks saw a passer rating of 102.4 when targeting Fulton in coverage. Fulton allowed 13.2 yards per reception. You’d like to see Fulton improve that number in 2023.

Fulton was also an asset in run defense, earning a run-stopping grade of 88.6 from PFF. Head coach Mike Vrabel holds a special appreciation for secondary players that attack downhill. There’s no questioning Fulton’s compete level.

The Bad

Fulton has been extremely injury prone throughout his tenure with the Titans. Fulton missed six contests in 2022 with recurring hamstring and groin injuries. Knee and hamstring injuries limited Fulton to 13 regular-season appearances in 2021. As a rookie in 2020, Fulton was active for just six games due to a knee injury that landed him on IR.

Fulton was absent from voluntary minicamp earlier this summer. Given Fulton’s string of injuries, Vrabel was disappointed by Fulton’s non participation. Fulton must stay healthy and consistent in 2023 if he hopes to earn a contract extension from the Titans.

2023 Outlook:

Fulton is Tennessee’s best cornerback when healthy. When on the field, he’ll command a starting boundary spot opposite either Roger McCreary or Sean Murphy-Bunting. Fulton will routinely cover opposing No. 1 wide receiver’s.

As of now, it’s difficult to predict Fulton remaining with the Titans in 2024. The franchise recently moved on from similarly injury-prone players such as David Long Jr. and Nate Davis. The Titans are attempting to accumulate a healthier roster after leading the league in injuries in 2021 and 2022. Fulton was a part of that problem.

The 2023 campaign projects as fate-deciding to determine Fulton’s future in Tennessee.