Trade season talk is already circling the Tennessee Titans, and after an 0-4 start, a few names are starting to look like real possibilities. Two of them make sense as players the Titans could move. One, though, should be off-limits.
Tony Pollard is the cleanest candidate. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported before the Week 4 loss that teams could at least have conversations about the running back, and the logic is easy to follow. Pollard is a dependable runner who can handle all three downs, and because he’s in the final year of his contract, any team trading for him wouldn’t be taking on a long-term deal.
For Tennessee, moving Pollard would open the door to a fuller look at rookie Nicholas Singleton. That matters because the Titans still have a major decision to make in the backfield this offseason. Pollard and Tyjae Spears are both free agents after the season, so a trade could help Tennessee pick up draft capital while also answering a key question: is Singleton ready to matter, or does the team need to invest more heavily at the position?
Wide receiver Calvin Ridley is another name to watch. ESPN insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano listed him as a possible trade piece on Wednesday, and the Titans have already shown they’re willing to go down that road with DeAndre Hopkins a few years ago. A deal with a team needing receiving help, like the Kansas City Chiefs, would fit the kind of move that’s now being floated.
But not every rumored name should be available. The ESPN piece also pointed to the league’s appetite for edge rushers and mentioned Jermaine Johnson as an option. That’s the one the Titans can’t afford to entertain.
Tennessee’s pass rush needs help on the outside, not subtraction. Johnson just turned in his best game as a rusher, sack included, and the Titans need to see whether he can keep building on that. If he does, the idea should be to re-sign him and start shaping the defense around him and Keldric Faulk on the edge, with Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers working inside.
Even if Johnson doesn’t take that next step, there’s still a strong case for keeping him. The market for edge rushers is always hot, and he could land a good free-agent deal that brings back a compensatory pick with better value than anything Tennessee would get in a trade, especially if the Titans aren’t planning to spend big this offseason.
And while moving Johnson would create more snaps for Faulk and Femi Oladejo, he’s only 27. That’s not old enough to treat him like a finished product or a blocker for the future. He can still be part of the answer for years to come.
In Other News...
Titans Backs Could Be Pulled Into A Packers Problem Fast
Matt LaFleurs frustration with his running backs after a game full of fumbles has only added to the sense that Green Bays backfield is suddenly a problem worth watching. The Packers are already last in the NFL in rushing attempts and yards, and with Josh Jacobs status still unsettled because of his legal issues and placement on the Commissioners Exempt List, the pressure to find answers has only grown.
For Tennessee, that kind of uncertainty can quickly turn into phone calls. Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are both the sort of backs who could draw interest if Green Bay decides it needs help fast, which is why the Titans may find their backfield suddenly pulled into a bigger conversation than expected. It is the kind of situation that can move from frustration to urgency in a hurry, and the Packers may not have much time to let it sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Rookies Are Sending An Early Rebuild Message
The Titans rookie class is already drawing league-wide attention, with four first-year players landing on The Athletics All-Rookie team. Carnell Tate led the way as a first-team selection, while linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and Fernando Carmona earned second-team spots, a strong early sign that Tennessees rebuild may already have more depth than expected.
Keldric Faulk also received honorable mention, adding to the sense that this group is giving the Titans a legitimate young core to build around. Carmonas placement came despite an early injury, and the bigger takeaway for Tennessee is that the development of these rookies could quickly become one of the most important storylines in the franchises next phase. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Face A Week 5 Turning Point Against A Desperate Texans Team
The Titans head into Week 5 carrying the same uneasy record as the Texans, and it gives this AFC South matchup a different kind of weight than the calendar usually does in early October. Tennessee has a chance to reset the conversation around rookie quarterback Cam Ward, while Houston is trying to stop the slide before the season starts to feel like a salvage job.
Robert Saleh and DeMeco Ryans bring two defensive-minded coaches into a game where both teams have struggled on that side of the ball, which only raises the pressure on whichever group cleans up mistakes first. With both clubs sitting at 0-4, the margin for error feels thin, and turnovers may end up shaping whether this becomes a much-needed turning point or just another frustrating Sunday for a team still looking for its first win. [Read more 🡒]