The Tennessee Titans got a jolt from their defense after trading Jeffery Simmons before Week 8, but the next move at the deadline may have taken away more than it gave.
Against the Cincinnati Bengals, DE Jacob Martin filled the void and delivered three sacks, the kind of veteran response Tennessee needed. In the secondary, S Amani Hooker answered with three interceptions, making it look for a moment like the Titans could survive the Simmons deal without losing too much on that side of the ball.
Then Hooker was moved, too.
The return was significant - two firsts and a second-round pick - but the on-field cost is obvious. Tennessee’s defense is thinner now, and the biggest ripple effect lands on second-year S Kevin Winston Jr. He had already moved into a starting job opposite Hooker earlier this season, and now his role expands even more for Week 10 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
That is a tough assignment for a player who has not been especially sharp this year. Winston’s PFF grade sits at 56.5, which ranks 73rd among 100 qualified players at his position. He also has not recorded an interception this season, and Hooker was the only Titans safety to pick one off.
The timing could hardly be worse. Jacksonville has been rolling offensively, scoring 30 or more points in each of its last three games and reaching that mark in four of its last six. Two weeks ago, the Jaguars blew past the Indianapolis Colts, 42-7.
Trevor Lawrence has been the engine behind it all. He has 18 touchdown passes, which ranks fourth in the league, against just four interceptions. That puts Winston directly in the path of one of the NFL’s hottest offenses, with very little margin for error.
Tennessee does get CB Marcus Harris back after he tweaked his ankle in Week 8, and corners Alontae Taylor and Cor’Dale Flott are both still growing into their roles. But Hooker was the veteran anchor in that group, and now there is no obvious player ready to simply slide into his place.
Winston has the tools to become a dependable piece over time. Right now, though, the Titans are asking him to handle a much bigger load against a Jaguars team that won’t make life easy. Week 10 looks like a true test, and not the kind that comes with much room to breathe.
In Other News...
Titans Could Face One Huge WR Decision With Jeremiah Smith
The Titans are already being linked to another Ohio State receiver, and this one comes with a much bigger spotlight attached. After taking Carnell Tate, Tennessee is being mentioned as a possible fit for Jeremiah Smith in the 2027 NFL draft, a conversation that naturally starts with the state of the roster and how much more help the passing game may still need by then.
Smiths college production has only added to the intrigue, and for Tennessee the question is less about whether he would draw interest than how a move like that would reshape the receiver room. It is still a speculative exercise at this stage, but it is the kind of long-view decision that can define how a team stacks young talent and balances need against opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]