With the Tennessee Titans sitting at 2-4 at their bye week, speculation has run wild about the team possibly being a seller at the trade deadline, which hits in Week 9 on Oct. 31.
When asked about what the team might do at the deadline, head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t hint either way on what the Titans’ approach will be.
“I think we would always consider strengthening the team, whether that’s right now, this week, or in the future,” Vrabel said of making trades at the deadline, per FOX Sports’ Ben Arthur.
However, Vrabel also noted that the team isn’t going to quit on its season.
“We’re going to fight,” he said. “If you want our identity, we’re going to fight. We ain’t going to quit. We’ve been through this before.”
And therein lies the problem with the Titans being sellers: in order for them to do that, Vrabel would have to wave the white flag on the 2023 season at the halfway point, something I’m not sure he’d be willing to do.
In a recent article from Pro Football Focus’ Brad Spielberger, he lists 10 trades he’d like to see at the deadline, and three of them include Titans players.
The surprise is running back Derrick Henry isn’t one of the Titans mentioned. Here are the three deals Spielberger proposes:
WR DeAndre Hopkins
Kansas City Chiefs get: WR DeAndre Hopkins
Titans get: 2024 third-round pick
This is a fairly good return for Hopkins and would give the Titans the 2023 third-round pick they currently don’t have.
The problem is, the Titans will likely be playing one or both of their young signal-callers at some point this season (and maybe as soon as Week 8 if Ryan Tannehill can’t play) and trading Hopkins would deplete an already lackluster group of pass-catchers, which could hinder their development.
If it wasn’t for that, trading Hopkins would be a no-brainer.
S Kevin Byard
Philadelphia Eagles get: S Kevin Byard
Titans get: 2025 third-round pick
This would be a great return for Byard, who could very well be on his way out of Nashville after this season. Byard is still a good player, although he recently turned 30 and hasn’t made much of an impact in 2023.
It would be tough to see him go, no doubt, but at least in this scenario Byard would have a shot to win a Super Bowl that he’s highly unlikely to get if he stays in Tennessee.
CB Kristian Fulton
Pittsburgh Steelers get: CB Kristian Fulton
Titans get: 2025 fifth-round pick
Barring an epic turnaround, Fulton will not be back with the Titans next year, so they should be trying to get whatever they can for the former second-round pick.
I think a fifth-round selection is realistic, even with how badly Fulton has been playing. He’s still only 25 and has shown he can be an impact corner before. Perhaps a change of scenery will do him some good.
