Recapping Jon Robinson's Best Trades
Jon Robinson’s philosophy on making deals is not all that complex.
When the Tennessee Titans general manager has a chance to shoot, he shoots. And on Sunday, Robinson took his shot with arguably his biggest trade yet.
The Titans acquired Julio Jones and a 2023 sixth-round from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-round pick. The Falcons had explored trade partners for Jones over several weeks, and Robinson said he had been engaged in serious talks for two or three weeks. Those discussions picked up in intensity on Saturday and ended in a deal late Sunday morning.
“We felt like this was a move where we needed to pull the trigger,” Robinson said Sunday afternoon. “I am glad that we did.
“... You have to maintain an aggressive, yet patient and diligent mindset to work through everything to get as many answers to the questions that you have about acquiring a player. Then, fire away.”
The Titans had an obvious need for a wide receiver and the general manager faced a good deal of criticism for adding just one in free agency (Josh Reynolds) and then waiting until the fourth round of the NFL Draft to select one (Dez Fitzpatrick).
All of the criticism is gone now. In Jones, the Titans have a seven-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro and a potential Hall of Famer. Despite diminished production last season due to an injury, Jones is still widely regarded as one of the league’s most explosive playmakers.
Since becoming general manager in 2016, Robinson has never been one to shy away from making trades. He’s made his share of beneficial ones thus far, both during the NFL Draft and outside of it.
Here’s a rundown of Robinson’s most successful trades:
Titans acquire quarterback Ryan Tannehill and a 2019 sixth-round pick from Miami Dolphins for a 2019 seventh-round pick and a 2020 fourth-round pick. Nobody expected this trade to pan out the way it did because Tannehill was supposed to be the backup to then-starting quarterback Marcus Mariota. Six games into the 2019 season, though, everything changed. Tannehill took over for the underwhelming Mariota and never looked back. He earned a four-year extension in March 2020 after leading the Titans to the AFC Championship game. As an encore, Tannehill guided the Titans to their first AFC South championship since 2008 in 2020. He’s quietly been among the best passers in the league since he replaced Mariota.
Titans trade up to select Jack Conklin with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. On the first day of his first draft with the Titans, Robinson traded the No. 15 pick, which he had acquired from the L.A. Rams as part of the package for that year’s No. 1 overall selection, to the Browns in exchange for the eighth overall choice and chose Jack Conklin. The right tackle was a day-one starter and was named an All-Pro as a rookie. He played all 16 games in three of his four seasons with the Titans, with the exception being 2018, when he was sidelined by a knee injury. Despite that, the Titans let Conklin walk in free agency last year and, coincidentally, he signed with Cleveland. He was an All-Pro in his first year with the Browns.
Titans acquire running back DeMarco Murray and a fourth-round pick from the Eagles for a fourth-round pick (2016). After one disappointing season with the Eagles, the Titans took a shot on Murray, and he briefly resurrected his career. En route to his third Pro Bowl appearance in 2016, Murray led the AFC and finished third in the league with 1,287 yards on 293 carries. He scored nine rushing touchdowns. Injuries limited his production in 2017 and allowed Derrick Henry to step up and assume the role of the lead back, which he has had ever since. Murrary retired after that year.
Titans send wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham for offensive lineman Dennis Kelly. This will forever be one of Robinson’s most underrated moves. Green-Beckham, a second-round pick in 2015, was a major draft disappointment from the Titans’ previous regime, which was led by general manager Ruston Webster, and the Titans got the most out of moving on from him. Kelly was mostly a utility offensive lineman over his five seasons with the Titans but became a reliable starter this past season when failed first-round pick Isaiah Wilson continued to behave poorly off the field. Kelly, who has since been cut by the Titans, played in 74 games with 32 starts for Tennessee. He helped pave Henry’s path to 2,000 yards this past season and was widely respected as a leader in the locker room.
Robinson makes two big splashes in the 2018 NFL Draft. Leading into the draft, many thought that the Titans would have to decide between inside linebacker Rashaan Evans (Alabama) and outside linebacker Harold Landry (Boston College) with their first-round pick. Robinson got both. In the first round, he traded up from No 25 to get Evans with the 22nd overall pick. In the second round, he traded up 16 spots with Oakland to select Landry at pick No. 41 (it cost Tennessee its second and third-round choices). Over the last two seasons, Evans had been one of the team’s leading tacklers, while Landry has led Tennessee in sacks.
