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The NFL offseason has been heating up as the 2023 NFL Draft approaches, and the Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders have emerged as teams that could be looking to make a big move.
According to NFL Network’s draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah on his podcast Move The Sticks last week, the Titans are exploring the possibility of trading up for the 3rd overall pick, which currently belongs to the Arizona Cardinals.
While the Cardinals already have a franchise quarterback in Kyler Murray under contract for the next several years, it would make a lot of sense for them to trade the 3rd overall pick. The Titans, on the other hand, have several needs to address and a quarterback is one of them as Ryan Tannehill has an uncertain future coming off a down season and dealing with injuries.
Jeremiah said on his podcast, “Can I give you the team that I have been told to keep an eye on that’s exploring this and looking into this? Again, this is just people around the league who said do not sleep on Numero 11. The Tennessee Titans. The two teams to keep an eye on with the trade-ups were the Raiders and the Titans.”
AtoZ Sports also confirmed the report about the Titans, adding fuel to the speculation that the Titans are indeed exploring the possibility of trading up for the 3rd overall pick.
The Titans have released several veterans this offseason, including Left Tackle Taylor Lewan, wide receiver Robert Woods, center Ben Jones, linebacker Bud Dupree and kicker Randy Bullock, so their roster has plenty of needs. Trading up for the 3rd overall pick would likely mean giving up significant draft capital, but it would also give the Titans a chance to secure one of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft.
The Cardinals new general manager Monti Ossenfort used to work for the Titans front office as Director of player personnel from 2020 to 2022, joined Arizona in 2023. This connection between the two teams could make a potential trade between them more likely, as Ossenfort may have a good understanding of what the Titans are looking for in this year’s draft.
However, it remains to be seen if the Cardinals would be willing to part ways with the 3rd overall pick, and what it would take for the Titans to make a trade happen.
The Las Vegas Raiders have also been rumored to be interested in trading up for the 3rd overall pick, so the Titans could face competition if they do decide to pursue a trade.
The Raiders made a free-agency splash by signing former 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo but he’s probably not viewed as the long-term answer at the position and Las Vegas could opt to draft a young prospect to develop behind Jimmy G, possibly raw Florida’s quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Overall, the possibility of the Titans trading up for the 3rd overall pick is an intriguing storyline to follow as the 2023 NFL Draft approaches. With several teams in need of a quarterback, it could be a high stakes game of musical chairs as they try to secure the top prospects in this year’s draft.