After the NFL trade deadline came and went, the Tennessee Titans were already being framed through the lens of the 2027 draft. With two first-round picks in that class, general manager Mike Borgonzi is carrying a huge part of the rebuild on his shoulders.
One name was left off the initial list for a simple reason: Jeremiah Smith felt too obvious. The Ohio State star is the kind of player every team is going to study, and outside of clubs that are badly in need of a quarterback, he’d be in the mix to go first for most.
For Tennessee, though, the fit is not quite as clean as it looks at first glance. The Titans already used the fourth overall pick this year on Carnell Tate, another Buckeyes receiver, and Tate has settled into the WR1 role as a budding leader in Brian Daboll’s offense.
Still, if the 1-7 Titans land near the top of the board - second overall, for example - Smith has to be part of the conversation. It’s the kind of talent that can make a team ignore the usual roster math.
And if Tennessee did pull it off, the payoff would be obvious. Pairing Smith with Tate would give the Titans one of the best young receiver duos in the league, even if it also makes the depth chart a little more crowded.
Smith’s production at Ohio State has been impossible to miss. Through nine games of his junior season, he’s already topped 1,200 receiving yards, and his 14 touchdowns are tied for first in college football. This year is also the third straight in which Smith has posted a receiving score of 70 yards or better.
He looks like a polished pro and a growing deep threat, the kind of receiver who can climb over multiple defenders and come down with a 50/50 ball. At this point, it feels like he’s doing it every week.
Of course, adding Smith would squeeze an already busy receiver room. Tate would lose some touches, and the Titans would still have Calvin Ridley competing for targets, along with second-year receivers Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, who are only now beginning to settle into their roles.
Wan’Dale Robinson is in that mix too, brought in on a $70 million deal to be a centerpiece of the passing game.
If that group can accept the distribution of the ball - and if Cam Ward keeps developing at quarterback - Tennessee could wind up with something special. It would take some difficult conversations, but the Titans’ offense would have a chance to change fast.
In Other News...
Ravens Were Quietly Pulled Into A Trade Deadline Running Back Story
After the NFL trade deadline, the Giants were still doing some due diligence at running back, and one of the names that surfaced in the process was Tony Pollard. New York reportedly reached out to the Titans about Pollard as part of a broader search that also included calls to Atlanta on Bijan Robinson and Baltimore on Justice Hill, a sign the market for backfield help had been active even as the deadline approached.
The Giants also tried to work out a deal for Jonathan Taylor before pulling back when the Colts pushed for a higher draft pick, leaving them to reset their plans at the position. For Tennessee, Pollards inclusion in that discussion is another reminder that his name still carries value around the league, even with Cam Skattebo expected to slide back into his primary role once he returns from a hamstring injury. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Just Opened A Long Term Question In The Secondary
The Titans moved on from Amani Hooker in a deal with Buffalo, sending the veteran safety and a fifth-round pick to the Bills in exchange for a second-round selection. It was a notable shift for a defense that had counted on Hookers presence in the back end, and it immediately changes the shape of Tennessees secondary as the team looks to redistribute snaps and responsibility.
Kevin Winston Jr. and Tony Adams are the names expected to step into the starting safety roles, but the move also opens a longer-range question about how Tennessee plans to keep that spot stocked. With the 2027 NFL Draft already coming into view, prospects such as Kingston Lopa, Jaylen McClain and Brauntae Johnson could become part of the conversation as the Titans try to find the next answer at safety. [Read more 🡒]
Fernando Carmona Could Change More For Titans Than Fans Realize
Fernando Carmonas rookie season has already been interrupted by the kind of setback that can stall a young linemans development, but there is at least a path back now. The Titans right guard suffered an ankle injury that required surgery and has been on injured reserve, leaving Tennessee to keep reshuffling up front while trying to stabilize an offense that could use more help in the trenches.
Robert Saleh recently said Carmona could return to practice next week, which at least opens the door for a late-season comeback. For Tennessee, the appeal goes beyond simply getting another body back on the line. A healthy Carmona could matter in a bigger way for the offensive front and the running game, especially if the Titans are looking for more consistency and physicality as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]