The Tennessee Titans traded away their top receiver of 2023 to the Chiefs, embracing the future for a 1-5 team.
The Colts division rival Tennessee Titans bet 2024 on the development of 2nd year QB Will Levis. After a very rough start to the season for the former Wildcat QB as well as a reoccurring injury to the AC joint in his throwing shoulder, the Titans have decided on a new direction mid-season.
The dreaded R word has been embraced: Rebuild.
With most of the NFL determined to make sure the Kansas City Chiefs don’t 3-peat back to back to back Super Bowl championship (a feat never before accomplished in the Super Bowl era) the Titans apparently didn’t get the memo, as they chose to help give a boost to the struggling Chiefs’ passing attack. By trading their Wide Receiver 1 of 2023 DeAndre Hopkins for a conditional 4th/5th Round pick to the undefeated Chiefs, they have enabled this 3-peat much to the ire of other contending teams league-wide, as well as committed to gaining as much draft capital for the future.
The Titans paired Hopkins, who was on the last year of his contract, with Calvin Ridley (4 year, $92 million deal) and Tyler Boyd (1 year, $2.4 million deal) to form the oldest Wide Receiver trio in the NFL, with each over the age of 30 at some point in the 2024 season. They also spent more total contract money and guaranteed $ than any other team in the NFL in the 2024 offseason. The desire to give Levis, who struggled down the stretch of 2023, a better supporting cast after the Titans defense regressed, their Offensive Line ranked at the bottom of the league in pass protection metrics, and their receiving targets were highly underwhelming outside of Hopkins, made sense. But recognizing they don’t have the right frontman on the roster right now, the Titans have decided to begin to break up the band they assembled in less than 2 into the season.
Hopkins wasn’t the only trade this week for the Titans, as they traded away Linebacker Ernest Jones IV to the Seattle Seahawks for Linebacker Jerome Baker and a 2025 4th Round Pick. The Titans traded for Jones earlier in the offseason on the last year of his deal and got a 6th round pick as well, but had to give up a 5th round pick to acquire him. After a strong start to the season as a downhill LB, the Titans were able to leverage him for a 4th round pick and a potential replacement in Baker.
As it stands, the Tennessee Titans now have the following picks in the 2025 draft:
- 1st Round Pick (projected 4th Overall)
- 2nd Round Pick (projected 36th Overall
- 4th Round Pick (projected 105th Overall)
- 4th Round Pick (from SEA, projected 122nd Overall)
- 5th Round Pick (projected 142nd Overall)
- 5th Round Pick (from KC, projected 168th Overall, but could be a conditional late 4th)
- 6th Round Pick (projected 180th Overall)
- 7th Round Pick (from GB, projected 242nd Overall)
Their Draft Needs include:
- Quarterback
- Wide Receiver(s)
- Center
- Right Guard
- Right Tackle
- Edge Rusher(s)
- Offball Linebacker
The Colts meanwhile are still committed to Anthony Richardson, who has struggled in 2024 coming off of his AC joint injury of his throwing shoulder and suffering an oblique injury. However with only 9 games into his career thus far, already noted inexperience prior to the NFL Draft, his young age at 22 (youngest Week 1 starting QB each of the past 2 seasons), and the need for more snaps to gain more technical consistency in his throwing base, the Colts are expected to be more patient with Richardson and his development. Anticipating bigger growth in 2025-2026 at the end of his rookie deal with full offseasons potentially dedicated to his technical development rather than rehab, the Colts will trust in Shane Steichen’s pedigree of developing young QBs (Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts) to help aid Richardson’s growth.
