The Tennessee Titans walked out of Week 7 with a 27-24 walkoff loss to the Cleveland Browns, and the sting goes beyond another defeat. At 1-6, the Titans are staring at a long climb back, and with the NFL trade deadline about two weeks away, that record puts GM Mike Borgonzi in a very real position to start thinking like a seller.
Tennessee’s place in the real-time 2027 NFL Draft order only adds to that logic. The Titans currently sit at No. 2 overall, which makes the idea of stocking up on more picks feel less like a luxury and more like a possibility Borgonzi could pursue to speed up the rebuild. If he decides to do it, there are a handful of names around the roster that could draw attention.
Tony Pollard is the obvious one. The veteran back has become the team’s most movable piece, and his stock may have gone up after Sunday’s outing.
He turned in what was arguably his best game in a Titans uniform, piling up 129 rushing yards and three touchdowns while averaging more than 5.0 yards per carry. He’s still a starting-level runner, and he’s doing it on an expiring deal.
Calvin Ridley is another player who could enter the conversation even though he missed Sunday’s game with an injury. The source doesn’t view the issue as something that should linger, and Ridley’s role has not been as steady as it should be.
That hasn’t been about a lack of ability. He’s still separating cleanly and creating space on film, and a team with a clear need at receiver, such as the Los Angeles Rams, would fit the profile.
Tyjae Spears also missed Sunday, sitting out with what was described as a minor injury. He brings a different skill set than Pollard, the kind of athletic, pass-catching back who can help an offense on passing downs and in protection. Like Pollard, Spears is on an expiring contract, which only adds to his appeal for a team making a playoff push.
On defense, Jermaine Johnson II checks a box contending teams routinely chase: a veteran edge rusher on an expiring deal. He’s been a solid run defender and has started to flash more as a pass rusher, with three sacks so far this season. He’s currently playing under his fifth-year rookie contract option, which makes him a sensible name to watch.
Jacob Martin is in a different category. He was brought in partly because of his familiarity with Coach Saleh’s defensive scheme, and he’s under contract through next season.
He’s also played well on a team-friendly deal, which makes him the kind of player Tennessee would likely prefer to keep. Even so, interest from other teams wouldn’t be a surprise.
Cody Barton rounds out the list. The veteran linebacker opened the year as an unexpected starter, but his role has started to shrink as Cedric Gray has taken on more influence, which is what the season seemed headed toward. Barton remains a dependable tackler and a strong communicator, traits that could matter to a defense looking for help at linebacker.
In Other News...
Titans Suddenly Have A Bigger Alontae Taylor Problem Than Expected
Alontae Taylors role with the Titans has become a little murkier over the past two weeks, and not just because he was inactive in Week 6 and then dressed but did not play in Week 7. Tennessee has been trying to sort out where Taylor fits best, with head coach Robert Saleh planning to move him into the nickel spot even though he has spent most of the season working outside.
The change is not as simple as swapping him into a new lane and expecting the defense to hum. Marcus Harris has handled the nickel role so far, and Taylor has yet to make a noticeable impact on the stat sheet with no interceptions or pass deflections. With the trade deadline approaching, the bigger question is whether Tennessee sees Taylor as part of the solution or as a possible piece to move if the right offer comes along. [Read more 🡒]
Rams May Have A Short-Term Answer To Their Kicker Problem
Joey Slye has been one of the more interesting moving parts on Tennessees roster this season, not because of what he does between the lines so much as what he might mean to a team in need elsewhere. The veteran kicker is on an expiring contract with a $2 million cap hit, and after spending time with multiple teams since going undrafted in 2019, he has already shown enough value over seven games for the Titans to make him a name worth watching as the leagues kicking carousel keeps spinning.
Jason La Canfora recently floated Slye as a possible trade candidate, pointing to the instability at the position around the NFL and naming teams like the Packers, 49ers and Rams as possible fits. For Tennessee, it turns a routine special-teams situation into a small midseason decision with some ripple effects, because a reliable leg can always draw attention when contenders start looking for a short-term fix. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Loss Sparked A Late Officiating Debate Fans Wont Drop
The Titans left Cleveland with a 27-24 loss, but the conversation around the game did not end at the final whistle. A missed false start on Browns offensive tackle Dawand Jones drew heavy criticism after it helped set up a key play that moved Cleveland into field-goal range, turning what should have been a routine sequence into the kind of late-game moment fans and analysts kept replaying long after the result was final.
Robert Saleh did not hide his frustration when asked about the officiating, saying the discussion of those calls with referees is one he would rather not have to keep revisiting. For Tennessee, the issue lingers because the loss was tight enough that every snap mattered, and the missed flag became the sort of break that can dominate the aftermath of a game even when plenty else went wrong. [Read more 🡒]