The Titans used their Week 9 bye to catch their breath, but the bigger questions are waiting just ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. With Tennessee sitting at 1-7 and the trade deadline arriving Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, general manager Mike Borgonzi is fielding calls on several veteran names who could help a contender.
Tony Pollard, Amani Hooker and Calvin Ridley have been the players most often mentioned in trade chatter. But there’s another veteran who ought to be part of that conversation: linebacker Cody Barton.
Barton has done his job this season. He has 34 tackles, 16 defensive stops and a 62.4 Pro Football Focus grade, production that could bring back a decent return if Tennessee decides to deal him. More importantly, moving him would fit the shape of the roster right now.
Cedric Gray set the Titans franchise record in combined tackles in 2025 with 164, yet his role has shrunk this season. Rookie Anthony Hill Jr. has taken the starting spot beside Barton, and while Hill has worked through the normal rookie bumps, he has also flashed real long-term potential. The Texas product has 82 tackles and 24 defensive stops in eight games, though his coverage has been an issue.
That’s why the Titans’ best path may be to lean into the younger pairing of Hill and Gray. Hill looks like a piece they can build around, and Gray brings more talent and better pass coverage than Barton. Barton’s experience matters, but it doesn’t outweigh the upside Gray offers.
The odd part is that Robert Saleh and Gus Bradley are still playing the 29-year-old over Gray, even though Gray has the higher ceiling. Tennessee would be smart to shop Barton, find a linebacker-needy team and clear the lane for Gray to get back into the starting lineup.
Whether Barton is still on the roster after Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET remains to be seen. He hasn’t been a liability in Saleh’s defense, but Gray should be getting more snaps next to Hill.
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Titans Just Made Robert Salehs Timeline A Lot Harder To Ignore
The Titans defense has taken another major turn, with Tennessee sending safety Amani Hooker to the Bills for a second- and fifth-round draft pick. It comes on the heels of the earlier Jeffery Simmons trade and adds another clear sign that the roster is being reshaped in a hurry, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Robert Saleh now finds himself tied to a rebuilding process that is moving faster than most coaching timelines allow. When a team starts moving established defenders for draft capital, it changes both the short-term outlook and the pressure on the staff, and the latest deal only makes the questions around Salehs future harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Just Made A Secondary Move Fans Have Been Waiting For
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Hooker arrives in Buffalo with a strong recent rsum, including five interceptions and six passes defensed this season. At 28, he gives the Bills an experienced option at a spot where they clearly wanted more stability, and his arrival should immediately change the conversation around how they plan to handle the rest of the year in coverage. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Just Made A Deadline Move That Changes Their Defense
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Tony Adams is now expected to step into the starting role, giving Tennessee a chance to see how the defense holds up with a different face in the middle of it. The return also adds another premium pick for the 2027 NFL Draft, a sign the Titans are thinking beyond the current stretch and trying to stockpile assets while they rework the roster around younger pieces. [Read more 🡒]