As NFL teams submit their initial 53-man rosters on Tuesday, the Tennessee Titans have a chance to upgrade their depth in a massive way with claims on the waiver wire. However, that isn't the only way GM Mike Borgonzi can improve his roster.
Tennessee's front office has emphasized building towards the future with their offseason moves. This kept them from chasing big fish in free agency, and it is the reason why they used premium draft picks on prospects like Kevin Winston Jr. and Femi Oladejo, who don't project as immediate impact players in 2025.
With that in mind, it doesn't make any sense to trade away draft picks for older players, right? Under most circumstances, the answer is yes. The Titans showed no interest in trading for big names like Trey Hendrickson, Micah Parsons, D.K. Metcalf, George Pickens, and Joe Thuney this offseason, but Jakobi Meyers, who just requested a trade away from the Las Vegas Raiders, may represent the perfect storm for the Titans.
Titans should consider trading for Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers
Meyers wants out, and the Raiders haven't budged on giving him a pay bump in the final year of his contract. Normally, the assumption would be that the Raiders would get this figured out and the two parties would have a new deal before the season. Which is why it is very interesting that minutes after the trade demand, Vegas signed five-time Pro Bowl WR Amari Cooper to a one-year deal.
Now Cooper joins a receiver room with Meyers and two rookies who were drafted in the first four rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. There is a clear logjam, with a disgruntled receiver in the mix.
It seems like Meyers might actually be available, which is surprising considering he is coming off the best season of his career. Meyers registered 1,027 yards in 2024, which marks the fourth year in a row that he has at least 800 receiving yards. Perhaps his trade request is simply a negotiation tactic in contract discussions.
Cam Ward's development as a rookie quarterback is the most important thing for this franchise, and having a receiver who is that consistent would be a blessing. However, what makes him a perfect fit for the Titans is that he is the perfect partner for Calvin Ridley.
Ridley looks like a big play threat waiting to happen this season, but the Titans can't live and die based on how many deep shots they can hit. They need players who can move the chains while they are setting up these shot plays, and that is a big part of how Meyers wins. He isn't a guy who has a lot of chunk plays; instead, he wins with volume and by chipping away at defenses.
Unlike Van Jefferson and the rookie version of Elic Ayomanor, Meyers can be the "X" receiver who forces defenses to pay attention to him. That is the sort of thing that can prevent teams from shifting extra help Ridley's way.
While Meyers would be a great addition for the Titans, the Raiders can't expect a premium pick for him. He will turn 29 during the season, and is a Robin to someone's Batman, so it is much more likely to be in the fifth-round range (or a trade swap of similar value). Should the Titans offer a 2026 fifth-round pick for Meyers and a 2026 seventh-round pick? Absolutely.
If Meyers can settle for turning 2025 into a "prove-it" season, the Titans could easily give him a sizable pay bump this year and allow him to hit free agency after the season. If he plays well, then he will get a solid contract in free agency next year, and the Titans would get a compensatory pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
That is a trade that can pay for itself, or even make a profit for the Titans in terms of draft capital. While we should expect Mike Borgonzi and Chad Brinker to continue being conservative in player acquisition, these are the kinds of smart moves that great franchises make that give themselves an edge over other NFL teams in the long term.