Final Titans NFL Trade Deadline Big Board: 1 Must-Trade and 4 Outside Possibilities

The NFL trade deadline is now just one day and a handful of hours away. Robert Saleh said this morning that the Tennessee Titans are operating as if the roster right now will take the field next Sunday, but we all know it's more complicated than that.

Our last trade big board for the Titans saw seven candidates I believed could be in contention. Now much closer to the deadline, I've whittled that list down and seperated the remaining five candidates into two categories.

Those are the must-trade category, as well as outside possibilities. We'll start with the much shorter former one first.

Must-Trade: Calvin Ridley

Calvin Ridley is both the only player that looks especially likely to be moved at this point, and the only one that Tennessee should be trying to trade. You can make a positive case for almost anyone else on this list, but Ridley is essentially a non-factor.

The veteran WR has just six catches on the year, although he's only missed one game. Ridley's inability to find his footing in OC Brian Daboll's offense has resulted in multiple costly drops and a steady decline in opportunities.

As of yesterday, the Titans are still listening to offers on Ridley. A sixth-round pick seems to be the going rate, and there are multiple teams that could sensibly fork over the draft capital to bulk up their postseason chances this year.

Tennessee should seek those teams out and get a deal done by tomorrow at almost any cost.

Outside Possibilities: Tony Pollard

Now to the guys who will probably stick around... but it's worth visiting the prospect of a trade anyway. Tony Pollard is the elephant in the room, and has all been all season.

It's evident by this point that the Titans aren't looking to trade Pollard. He's become Cam Ward's right-hand man in the backfield, and it seems that Tennessee are intent on keeping him there until his contract expires this offseason.

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (20) carries the ball. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images — Nov 1, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (20) carries the ball in the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If the backfield market gets desperate enough, I could see a wild offer convincing Tennessee to go ahead and make the move. A third-round pick, or a package deal, would be hard to turn down.

But the key word there is "convincing." As of right now, Pollard remains an outside possibility because the Titans don't want to trade him. Fans should expect the veteran RB to remain in his leading role barring an unexpected haul.

Jermaine Johnson

Jermaine Johnson has been posed as a sort of quiet possibility for Tennessee as we get close to the deadline. There has been little noise surrounding a potential trade with Johnson, but the EDGE certainly fits the bill of someone who could be on the chopping block.

He's in the final year of his rookie contract on a roster ready to turn things over for another reset at any time. Johnson's past connections to Robert Saleh, due to their shared time with the New York Jets, make the opposite argument and provide some staying power.

If Jeffery Simmons hadn't been moved, Johnson would most likely have been a more prominent candidate. As things stand, he's an outside shot with a large role in this defense due to Simmons' absence.

Tennessee is between a rock and a hard place here. It's more probable that he stays, but with fellow d-lineman Jacob Martin heavily outpacing Johnson, the 27-year old rusher is worth mentioning as a potential surprise trade.

Amani Hooker

Per Jeremy Fowler this morning, the Titans have received calls on S Amani Hooker but don't want to move him. After his three-INT performance against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8, Hooker leads the NFL in interceptions with five.

Hooker is 28 years old and under contract with Tennessee through 2028. At this point, he's one of the most valuable assets in Saleh's unit and clearly has gas left in the tank. The kicker, of course, is that he'd arguably bring in the heftiest trade return (save for Pollard) of anyone left on this list.

Tennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker (37) reacts after intercepting a pass. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images — Nov 1, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Tennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker (37) reacts after intercepting a pass during the third quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Like Pollard, the Titans aren't looking to make a move here; it would take a strong offer the likes of which Tennessee hasn't yet seen to drum up any momentum around Hooker. I hesitate to call anyone truly "untouchable" on a 1-7 roster, but Hooker appears to be about as close as you can get with the Titans.

Tyjae Spears

This is as wild a shot in the dark as they come, but our own Isaiah Pinto made an argument for the Titans to move on from Tyjae Spears. Despite there being no noise in this direction, the train of thought is definitely there.

Spears has two total touches in the last three weeks of Titans football. The backup RB's knee issues have kept him at bay this season, but even when he's seen the field (six of eight games), Spears hasn't been able to find a remote groove.

Between the Titans drafting rookie back Nick Singleton last year and probably retaining Pollard the rest of the way, Spears looks like an outlier now and in the future. That isn't even taking into account the possibility that the Titans use a first-round pick on a back in next year's draft.

Spears' age (25) and inexpensive contract could make him a sneakily compelling choice for a team in need of backfield help at the deadline. Given the aforementioned factors, Spears may not be too hard to pry from the Titans' grasp, either.

Not a surefire candidate by any means, but an inarguably sensible one on paper.

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