What It Means That The Titans Are Open For Business And Encouraging Offers For No. 1 Overall Pick
Indianapolis – The NFL draft that runs through the Tennessee Titans with the No. 1 pick might go elsewhere because the Titans want offers for that pick.
Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi made it clear Tuesday he's going to listen to trade calls and, indeed, has already done so.
"Anytime you have the No. 1 pick, it's going to be a topic of conversation. I would say we've had some phone calls," Borgonzi said. "I would keep those phone calls close to the vest, but we've had some phone calls."
Mike Borgonzi speaks during a press conference announcing him as the new Titans’ GM at Titans facility in Nashville , Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025.
Callers Not Yet Making Offers
Borgonzi said the calls haven't been so detailed, so he's got no firm offers in hand. But the process has begun.
"I've fielded some calls at this point, but we really haven't gone too much into it at this point," he said.
So the Titans are open for business.
And there is an overriding reason for this.
Andrew Luck isn't in this draft. Neither is Joe Burrow. Nor Matthew Stafford.
(Stafford could be available in trade).
The quarterbacks atop this draft more closely resemble Baker Mayfield or Jared Goff as prospects. They're good. But they're not can't miss generational prospects.
Cam Ward has a warning message for NFL teams who may pass on him in April. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Titans Need Quarterback Help
And that's why the Titans, likely needing a quarterback, are nonetheless initially open to passing on one of those quarterbacks in favor of more draft picks.
And now an NFL lesson: Never mind what teams say. Pay attention to what they do.
The Titans will tell you Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are "impressive," as Borgonzi said.
But what they're doing is, in fact, opening the door to passing on at least one of those impressive players.
So they're saying the right things.
"They're both worthy of the conversation they're in," Titans coach Brian Callahan said. "They're both good players and have both earned the right to be in the conversation."
"As far as where I see them, where I stack them, that's for me."
But they're not yet fully backing up those words by intending to pick one of the two quarterbacks at No. 1.
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (8) prepares to pass during the third quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025.
Titans Keeping Options Open
This doesn't mean the Titans won't draft at No. 1 overall. Or some other team won't see Ward as a possible No. 1. Or view Sanders as a top 5 pick. That's all possible.
And that's why the Titans would like to listen to offers.
The Titans are keeping their options open. Despite having an obvious need to bring in either a replacement or competition for incumbent starter Will Levis, the team is publicly open to taking Penn State's Abdul Carter or perhaps Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter.
And, yes, it's that wide open at the moment. The Titans, who got inconsistent-at-best quarterback play from Levis, might decide to go a different direction to address quarterback.
Perhaps in free agency or a trade.
"At the end of the day, we have to make the best decision for the Titans," Borgonzi said. "And if we deem taking a quarterback is the most important thing right now, then we'll do that. But we have to go through the process here. So this [the combine] is like one touchpoint in the process."
One thing is clear about Borgonzi making a trade a plausible option he's not immediately dismissing: It better be a blockbuster.
Someone would have to come up with multiple first-round picks to get that No. 1 overall pick. And it had better not leave the Titans anywhere outside the first 5-7 selections.
"Any time you're trading the No. 1 pick, you would expect a big return," Borgonzi said. "I think that's our expectations."