It is trade rumor time in the NFL, and the Tennessee Titans have a few names surfacing as potential candidates for the trade block after a winless 0-4 start.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported before the Week 4 loss that running back Tony Pollard was someone that teams could have conversations about. That makes sense because he is a steady runner who can stay on the field for all three downs, and since he is in the last year of his contract, it would mean the team trading for him wouldn't be inheriting a long-term commitment.
Trading Pollard would make a lot of sense for the Titans if they can swing it. Pollard has been a solid piece for the offense since they signed him, but the team will need to make another commitment to the running back room this offseason (both he and Tyjae Spears are free agents after this season).
Tony Pollard and Calvin Ridley make sense as Titans trade candidates
Trading Pollard would allow the Titans to fully evaluate rookie Nicholas Singleton, which will give them a better idea of how much of an investment they need to make at the position this offseason. Is Singleton going to be a real contributor? Or is he somewhere below that on the depth chart? Dealing Pollard would allow the Titans to get a draft pick and answer a notable question at the same time.
ESPN insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano had an article up on Wednesday that mentioned wide receiver Calvin Ridley as a potential trade candidate. The Titans did something similar with DeAndre Hopkins a few years ago, so why not repeat history and see if they can get a deal done with a team like the Kansas City Chiefs, who need receiving help?
The ESPN insiders also mentioned that the league is hungry for EDGEs and included Jermaine Johnson's name as an option. That is one trade that the Titans can't make.
Titans should keep Jermaine Johnson II despite potential trade interest
This defense is already struggling to get pressure on the outside, and Johnson just had his best game as a rusher (including a sack). If he can build on this, the Titans need to re-sign him and start building this defense around him and Keldric Faulk on the outside, with Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers in the middle.
If he doesn't develop, the NFL is always going to be hungry for EDGEs. That means that he will get a solid deal in free agency, and he could bring back a compensatory pick with better value than the pick the Titans trade him for (if the Titans aren't going to be big spenders in the offseason this year).
While Johnson's departure would create more snaps for Faulk and Femi Oladejo, Johnson is only 27 years old. He could absolutely be a contributor for multiple more years and shouldn't be viewed as someone who is stopping the progress and development of the young talent on this roster.
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