The Tennessee Titans ushered in a change this offseason by hiring a new general manager then promptly floating Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill in NFL trade rumors. With the NFL trade deadline closing in, NFL teams are once again calling the Titans about potential deals.
With Tannehill sidelined by an ankle injury, Tennessee’s chances of climbing from the bottom of the standings are extremely low. The Titans’ offense was already one of the worst in the NFL this season and it looked even worse in London when Malik Willis took over.
Related: Tennessee Titans receiving calls on All-Pro defender, Derrick Henry trade rumors
For a team with an older roster and in desperate need of young talent on organization-friendly contracts, getting more draft picks would qualify as a win in 2023. Tennessee also has several high-end starters who would seemingly generate plenty of trade interest around the league.
Henry, DeAndre Hopkins and safety Kevin Byard would all be significant additions for Super Bowl contenders. Tennessee could also float cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting and edge rusher Arden Key to teams in need of defensive depth. However, the market reportedly might not be shaking out in Tennesse’s favor.
Related: NFL insider addresses likelihood of a Derrick Henry trade
According to Yahoo Sports’ senior NFL reporter Charles Robinson, talks with Titans’ officials have generated a belief that Tennessee isn’t willing to move Henry at the trade deadline. Not only that, Robinson believes the best-case scenario for the organization would be getting a mid-round pick back for the All-Pro runner.
Only receiving a late Day 2 pick or a pick swap isn’t enough incentive for a team coached by Mike Vrabel, who does not want to wave the white flag on the 2023 season. While Vrabel isn’t on the hot seat, moving a player like Henry would send a negative message to the locker room about the Titans’ intentions moving forward.
As for Byard, the Pro Bowl safety would seemingly be a perfect addition for teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions. However, per Robinson, Byard is likely to be more valuable to the Titans than a potential mid-round pick they would receive in return.
Will DeAndre Hopkins be traded?
DeAndre Hopkins signed with the Titans this summer, hoping to thrive on a team with organizational stability and to compete for a playoff spot. Instead, the former All-Pro wide receiver has struggled to consistently produce in one of the NFL’s worst passing offenses.
Hopkins would seemingly be an attractive trade target for teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens, who expressed interest in signing him this offseason. However, Robinson spoke to multiple teams actively in the trade market for a wide receiver and the sense was that Tennessee wouldn’t get anything of value by trading Hopkins.
It’s a bad spot for the Titans to be in, especially because Henry is a free agent in 2024 while Byard and Hopkins could become 2024 cap casualties. However, it’s another example of why the 2023 NFL trade deadline will likely be far quieter than many are hoping.