Titans trade defensive back to Chargers for draft-pick compensation

The Tennessee Titans are trading versatile safety Elijah Molden to the Los Angeles Chargers. NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Chargers are sending late-round draft pick compensation back to the Titans. The trade arrives one day after general manager Ran Carthon finalized his initial 53 man roster.

Molden technically entered training camp as a starting safety opposite Amani Hooker. The Titans didn't select a safety in the 2024 NFL Draft, but Carthon would soon make two veteran additions that bumped Molden way down the depth chart. The Titans signed Jamal Adams on July 11th. Approximately one month later, Quandre Diggs, Adams' ex defensive backfield partner in Seattle, joined the team on August 6th.

Molden was presumably unhappy with how his role on the defense was impacted by their arrivals. The Titans kept five safeties on Tuesday's initial 53 man roster. The full list included Hooker, Adams, Diggs, Molden, and Mike Brown.

Another development occurred on Wednesday when the Titans claimed rookie safety Julius Wood off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys. Wood's addition meant a sixth safety joined the roster. Carthon likely knew he'd soon be parting ways with Molden when submitting the claim.

The Titans haven't initially added any safeties to their practice squad yet, creating a need for a fifth player on the active roster. That defender will be Wood, who created three turnovers with the Cowboys throughout an impressive preseason. Wood will serve as insurance for Hooker and Adams, who are injury prone.

Molden's departure means Dillon Radunz is the lone player left in Tennessee from ex-general manager Jon Robinson's disastrous 2021 NFL Draft class. The team cut Caleb Farley on Tuesday and Rashad Weaver on Wednesday, ridding themselves of three 2021 draftees in less than 24 hours. Other draft picks that year were Monty Rice, Dez Fitzpatrick, Brady Breeze, and Racey McMath.

Molden appeared in 15 games for the Titans last season with eight starts. He became a more prominent every-down player following the midseason trade that sent Kevin Byard to the Philadelphia Eagles. In those appearances, Molden recorded 73 tackles, 16 stops, four pass breakups, and one interception throughout 2023.

The Titans will move forward with Hooker and Diggs as their starting safeties in defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson's base defense. Adams will be utilized in a rotational role in certain sub-packages to keep him healthy and impactful. Wood and Brown will serve as reserve safeties in a completely revamped room where only Hooker remains from 2023.