The Tennessee Titans already shook up the deadline picture by sending franchise-defining defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to the Chicago Bears, and that move alone made the rest of the market look a lot less urgent. Still, one name should remain front and center if Tennessee decides to keep dealing: Calvin Ridley.
Terry McCormick reported today that “the Titans are not likely to make more trades, unless an offer over fair market value comes their way.” Even so, Ridley is the kind of player the Titans should move regardless of the return, unless the offer is something truly outrageous.
Ridley arrived in Nashville in 2024 on a four-year, $92 million contract that turned heads immediately. Since then, availability has been an issue, and when he has been on the field, younger receivers have eaten into his role. He did flash enough in his first season to top 1,000 receiving yards, but the bigger picture is hard to ignore: Ridley looks like a holdover from the Brian Callahan era, and Tennessee is still trying to put that chapter behind it.
This season, Ridley entered the mix alongside rookie standout Carnell Tate, high-profile addition Wan’Dale Robinson, and second-year receivers Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike. Even after restructuring his contract in the offseason, it was a surprise to see him open the year as a starter.
The 31-year-old’s grip on the job has only loosened since then. In Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Ridley dropped his fourth ball of the season and finished with one catch on three targets. That came without Tate on the field at all.
Through the season, Ridley has only six receptions for 91 yards. Dike, meanwhile, posted five catches for 71 yards in that same Week 8 game. Ridley’s snap count has also slipped to 218 on the year, per FantasyPros, while Wan’Dale Robinson and Carnell Tate sit at 334 and 329, respectively.
If Ridley keeps getting snaps, he’s taking opportunities away from Ayomanor and Dike. For a Titans team trying to build around Cam Ward, that’s a problem. Ridley should be the first name on the block.
If the best Tennessee can do is a late-round pick for a player whose contract expires next season anyway, that still makes sense. Ridley gave the Titans creditable production in the past, and he also deserves credit for reworking his deal to stay in Nashville a little longer.
But with the November 10 deadline approaching and the season already halfway gone, the direction is obvious. Move Ridley to a contender that needs help - Kansas City was floated as one example - and keep pushing forward.
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Titans May Have Found A Nickelback Answer They Werent Expecting
Alontae Taylors week-to-week role has been one of the more interesting subplots for the Titans, especially after he was benched in Weeks 6 and 7 before getting thrown back into the mix at nickelback in Week 8. Marcus Harris injury opened the door, and Taylor answered with a busy afternoon in the slot, logging 41 snaps and making a couple of plays that stood out in a game where Tennessee needed help on the back end.
He forced a fumble and broke up a two-point conversion pass, the kind of impact the Titans were hoping to see when they turned to him there. Still, the performance was not spotless, as he also allowed six catches for 82 yards, which leaves Tennessee with a real decision to make during the bye week. Harris injury status will go a long way toward determining whether Taylors latest opportunity turns into something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Fans Will Have Strong Opinions On This Front Office Snub
A front office shortcut is already stirring conversation around the Titans, after New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh confirmed he reached directly to owner Amy Adams Strunk to explore a possible trade. Rather than going through Tennessees general manager, Harbaugh said he made the call himself and made clear his team is open to hearing from anyone about trade possibilities.
For Tennessee, the detail is the kind that tends to get people talking because it touches on how business gets done behind the scenes. Harbaugh brushed off the criticism that followed, but the fact that he went over the usual chain of command is exactly the sort of move that can leave fans and league observers debating what it says about the process, the leverage and what might come next. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Ward Just Gave Titans Fans A Reason To Believe Again
Cam Wards latest outing gave Tennessee a much-needed glimpse of what the offense can look like when the rookie quarterback settles in and starts playing with confidence. Against the Cincinnati Bengals, Ward completed 65 percent of his passes, threw two touchdowns and topped 300 passing yards for the first time in his career, a meaningful step forward for a Titans attack that has been searching for traction.
Brian Baldinger singled out Wards fundamentals and the way he handled run-pass options and play-action concepts, both of which helped the offense look more organized and efficient. With the Titans now on their bye week, the next test comes in Week 10 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the challenge will be carrying this progress into a division game that could say a lot about how real this turnaround might be. [Read more 🡒]