Tyler’s Take: Titans Should Trade Down, But Not in Round One. Here is the Proof.
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans go into April with only six picks in the NFL draft. That isn’t a small number and is only one off the standard seven, but with the Titans’ roster is thin as it is, they would certainly like to have more. The issue is, the Titans need quality in the draft just as bad as they need quantity. A trade down the board could help the Titans check both boxes, but to do so, the trade down should not happen in round one.
There are two primary reasons I believe this. First, is the quality of players at the top of the draft. Earlier this offseason, ESPN Draft Analyst Todd McShay talked about the lack of first round talent available on his podcast “First Draft.”
“I had a very prominent head coach call me and give me the business on a player who I had going in my mock draft a few weeks ago…I said, ‘I have a second-round grade on that player too, but there are only 14 first-rounders that I have right now. So, like, someone has to go beyond the 14th pick.'”
This is a common sentiment among draft pundits. 2023 is not believed to be a great draft class overall and is weaker than normal at the top. If what McShay and others are saying is true, the Titans are in a great spot to get one of the few high-caliber prospects. The Titans haven’t signed a first round pick to a second contract since Taylor Lewan. He was drafted in 2014.
Hopefully, that streak is snapped with Jeffery Simmons in the near future, but the point is that the Titans’ roster is missing high-end talent because of that fact. They need to stick and pick at 11 and they need to get a player that will be around past their rookie deal. The odds of doing that are higher at the top of this draft.
Now, for the second reason. After pick 11, the Titans remaining selections are 41, 72, 147, 186 and 227. That’s only three top 100 picks and a huge gap between 72 and 149 where a lot of great options will be. If the Titans could drop down from pick 41 and collect an extra top 100 pick along with a pick between 100 and 149, it would be a huge boost to their ability to get good players while also stacking the cupboards. Here are three trades to think about all from the 2022 NFL draft.
TRADE #1: The Cleveland Browns trade down from pick 44 and receive picks 68, 108 and 124.
TRADE #2: The New York Giants trade down from pick 38 and receive picks 43 and 114.
TRADE #3: The Minnesota Vikings trade down from pick 34 and receive picks 53 and 59.
All of these would be fantastic deals for the Titans. All three trades show different potential as well and will present different teams as options. If the Titans want a package like trade #1 the Arizona Cardinals who own picks 66, 96 and 105 could make it work. Any team within a few picks of the Titans could make trade #2 work. Trade #3 could be found with a team like the Chicago Bears who have picks 53, 61 and 64.
A trade down from 41 would make the most sense as it gives the Titans more picks to work with while not changing the quality of player the Titans can get by that much even if they drop 20 picks. The Titans still leave the first round with one of the actual first round talents in this draft by sticking at pick 11. It truly is a best of both worlds scenario. Will the Titans be able to pull it off? It takes two to tango so we can’t know for sure, but it is obvious a trade down in round two, not round one, should be the plan.
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