Titans Draft Preview: Let's Make A Deal

Exploring potential trade scenarios involving the first-round pick, No. 29 overall

Jon Robinson has made it clear that he is willing to trade.

In four years as the Tennessee Titans general manager, he has made three deals involving first-round draft picks, two in 2016 and one in 2018. Numerous other choices have been made after he moved up and down the draft board.

“If we’re able to acquire some picks via moving around, I think we’ve proven that we’re more than open for business when it comes to navigating around the draft board and positioning ourselves to get as many picks as possible,” Robinson said this week.

With that in mind, and with the start of the 2020 NFL Draft just hours away, we look at – with help from the ProFootballNetwork.com draft simulator –the types of trades that the Titans could make Thursday given the seven picks they currently have.

TRADE WITH MIAMI

The goal: To add to the overall number of selections and to get into the fourth round, when a lot of good players are still available.

Titans give up: First round pick (No. 29) and fifth round pick (No. 174)

Titans get: Second round pick (No. 39), fourth round pick (No. 141) and fifth round pick (No. 153)

The risk: Tennessee moves out of the first round and makes its first selection 10 choices later than originally scheduled. The hope is that a player or players they want will still be available at that time.

The reward: The Titans add one pick overall, get into the fourth round and move up 21 spots in the fifth. This creates the opportunity to get a lot more out of the third day.

TRADE WITH L.A. RAMS

The goal: To add to the overall number of selections and to get into the fourth round, when a lot of good players are still available.

Titans give up: First round pick (No. 29) and fifth round pick (No. 174)

Titans get: Two second round picks (Nos. 52 and 57) and fourth round pick (No. 126).

The risk: Tennessee drops into the back half of the second round. It would create the longest wait since 2001 for this franchise to make its first pick. It also would mean no picks in the fifth or sixth rounds.

The reward: The two second-round selections combined with the one the Titans already have (No. 63) would give them three in a span of nine picks at a time when there is still plenty of high-end talent available. Plus, they get into the all-important fourth round and gain one selection overall.

TRADE WITH CELEVELAND

The goal: To drop out of the first round but get a lot out of the second day (Rounds 2-3).

Titans give up: First round pick (No. 29) and two seventh round picks (Nos. 237 and 243)

Titans get: Second round pick (No. 41) and third round pick (No. 97)

The risk: The Titans don’t select in the first round and lose one choice overall, which leaves them with just six for the entire draft.

The reward: They make two selections each in the second and third rounds, all between Nos. 41 and 97. They never go two full rounds without a choice, and they keep the earliest of their three seventh round picks (No. 224). And don’t forget, they made just six picks in 2019 and did just fine with those.

TRADE WITH DETROIT

The goal: To back out of the first round but not fall too far into the second.

Titans give up: First round pick (No. 29), third round pick (No. 93) and fifth round pick (No. 174)

Titans get: Second round pick (No. 35), third round pick (No. 67) and fifth round pick (No. 149)

The risk: Minimal at best. Tennessee drops out of the first round and waits just six picks before it gets to make its first choice.

The reward: No additional selections overall but the Titans select a player 26 spots sooner in the third round and 25 spots sooner in the fifth. Those could be significant gains on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

TRADE WITH MINNESOTA

The goal: To move up in the first round in order to select a specific player who is not expected to last to No. 29.

Titans give up: First round pick (No. 29) and second round pick (No. 61)

Titans get: First round pick (No. 25) and third round pick (No. 105)

The risk: The Titans end up without a second-round pick, which leaves a gap of 68 choices between when they make their first and second selections.

The reward: They get the player they want in the first round, whoever it is, and they end up with two picks late in the third round (Nos. 93 and 105), which helps negate the absence of a fourth-round choice.