Every Tennessee Titans fan thought they had a good idea what was in store for the team at the trade deadline. Hopefully, the team would ship off some older players or players on expiring contracts in an effort to acquire additional draft capital and get better in the long term.
Then GM Mike Borgonzi threw everyone for a loop by trading Jarvis Brownlee to the New York Jets. That's right, Borgonzi traded one of the team's better young players for scraps.
Fans are now unsure about Borgonzi's rebuilding plan, which prompted us to make a list of the young players this team can't afford to trade away, and in some cases, players that the team needs to re-sign ASAP. For obvious reasons, this list excludes all current rookies who were drafted by Borgonzi this year, but naturally, rookie QB Cam Ward spearheads the rebuilding effort.
Titans must rebuild around Cam Ward, 2025 rookies, and these veterans following shocking Jarvis Brownlee trade
Roger McCreary, CB (extension)
The team's most trustworthy cornerback is also one of their better homegrown talents. When the Titans need good PR, they should just announce a new deal for McCreary, and it would give fans more peace of mind than they have had in a while.
Chig Okonkwo, TE (extension)
Fans are split on re-signing Okonkwo. The idea is that their big, Day 3 pick at tight end is going to take over as TE1 any day now, but the problem is that you could have seen fans pushing that exact narrative last year when the TE in question was Josh Whyle instead of Gunnar Helm. Okonkwo currently leads the Titans in receptions, yards, and yards per target.
Bryce Oliver, WR/ST (extension)
The front office doesn't have to break the bank for Oliver, but he does everything right, and he wears many hats for this team. Oliver is the updated version of Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and every team needs at least one of those guys in the receiver room.
Amani Hooker, S
Borgonzi just signed Hooker to an extension, and from an optics standpoint, you don't want to give a guy a new deal and then trade him. It doesn't exactly inspire confidence in the locker room, and Hooker has been all over the place for a Titans defense without many answers this year.
Jeffery Simmons, DT
The Titans should not trade Simmons unless they receive a Micah Parsons-like offer. Simmons has been downright dominant on a defensive line despite receiving absolutely no help from his pass-rushing teammates.
J.C. Latham, RT
Latham unfortunately suffered a hip injury three quarters into his 2025 debut. However, he seems like a guy with a very high floor when he is actually on the field, and the Titans are desperate for offensive linemen. Hopefully Latham returns to action soon, because the offense misses him dearly.
Peter Skoronski, LG
The next Pro-Bowl-caliber talent to be homegrown on this roster, Skoronski has taken steps forward every season, and he is the one bright spot the Titans can count on. Skoronski is the only good-performing linemen in the lineup right now.
T'Vondre Sweat, DT
Sweat is trending in a dangerous direction amidst questions about his recent placement on IR after announcing himself as healthy.
Embarrassingly enough, that is the entire list. There are plenty of players on the roster that you would prefer to retain next year, like Cody Barton, Tony Pollard, and perhaps Lloyd Cushenberry, but when you talk about untouchables, these are the only qualifying names, outside of Ward and the rookie class.
Who knows if Borgonzi agrees.