At this point in the season, it's clear that the Tennessee Titans won't be pushing for a playoff appearance. Through their agonizing 0-5 start, the timeline for being truly competitive has been pushed back a year or two.
With multiple veterans on expiring contracts, general manager Mike Borgonzi has a few difficult decisions to make. He may look to trade some of those veterans for draft capital, but he can't risk hindering Cam Ward's development in the process.
Even if this season is already a lost cause, Borgonzi's roster management will be critical in setting the Titans up for success in 2027 and beyond.
Titans should trade Tony Pollard while they still can
Per PFF, Tony Pollard has posted the lowest average yards per attempt, yards after contact per attempt, and breakaway rate of his Titans career so far this year. He's still decently efficient, but his explosiveness simply isn't what it used to be. At 29 years old, there's little chance that the veteran back will wear a Titans uniform next season.
He wouldn't bring back much in a trade, but running back injuries elsewhere could push a team to give up a draft pick for Pollard. Would the Philadelphia Eagles or the Green Bay Packers consider making a move for him?
Jermaine Johnson is pushing Titans toward an impossible decision
The Titans pulled off a rare player-for-player trade this offseason, sending T'Vondre Sweat to the New York Jets in exchange for Jermaine Johnson. But instead of immediately extending Johnson, they chose to let the season play itself out.
The edge rusher is in the final year of his rookie contract. Spotrac currently estimates that he will earn $18.3 million per year on his next deal, which may be too steep for an edge defender who doesn't bring much as a pass rusher.
If the Titans are going to bring him back, there's no reason to waste any more time. But if they're going to let his contract expire, they need to at least explore his trade market.
Titans should take whatever they can get for Calvin Ridley
No, Calvin Ridley isn't technically on an expiring contract. He's signed through 2027, but the Titans will almost certainly cut him if he's still on the roster at the end of this season. He has already fallen out of the starting lineup this year. Instead of allowing the inevitable to play out, Borgonzi should do what he can to trade the veteran wideout away.
Ridley's contract will be the main prohibitive factor in a potential trade. Any team trading for him would owe him almost $20 million next season. Still, a receiver-needy team looking to make a playoff run might be desperate enough to send Tennessee a late-round pick.
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