The Tennessee Titans currently hold the first-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but nobody should be too surprised if they trade the selection. The team is in the market for a new quarterback after Will Levis failed to make the Year 2 leap, but that doesn’t mean General Manager Mike Borgonzi will select a franchise passer at the top of the draft. Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders headline a weak class of passers, and a recent interview suggests the Titans are open to moving the pick.
Speaking with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Borgonzi dodged a question about trading back in the first round and effectively said it’s too early to know what the team will do with the first pick. This runs in slight contrast to recent history. The Chicago Bears never entertained trading the first-overall pick in 2024, as everyone in the world knew they would select USC’s Caleb Williams. One year earlier, the team made it known early in the process that they were sticking with Justin Fields and were taking calls for the first-overall pick.
“I don’t think we’re anywhere near making a decision if we’re gonna stay put and make the pick or trade out…it’s early on in the process.”
“I think we’re going to need this entire process to get through this and make the best decision for the team.”
— #Titans GM Mike Borgonzi joined The Insiders to discusss, among other things, why a trade out of No. 1 won’t happen any time soon (if at all). pic.twitter.com/UB9LM3i9a0
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 25, 2025
Titans GM Won’t Commit To Keeping First-Overall Pick – Could Trade Selection
Borgonzi will spend the next few months determining if Ward or Sanders have what it takes to pan out in the NFL, but the fact he’s still uncertain does not bode well for his evaluation of either player. As mentioned above, the Bears knew early on that Fields deserved another shot in 2023 and that Williams was the better choice in 2024. Will Levis is nobody’s idea of a franchise quarterback, but Tennessee could get by with him and a veteran like Kirk Cousins competing for the starting job in 2025. While Tennessee might not be in love with the top quarterbacks, the following three teams could make a move for their potential quarterback of the future.
Possible Trade Partners
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders need a quarterback but aren’t in a position to draft one without a trade. Currently holding the sixth-overall pick, Sanders and Ward will probably be off the board before the Raiders are on the clock. First-year head coach Pete Carroll is 73, and he won’t want to spend his final years trying to build a roster around a subpar quarterback. Assuming they don’t trade for Matthew Stafford, the Raiders could swap picks with the Titans on draft day and secure their quarterback of the future.
New York Giants
The New York Giants retained Brian Daboll for the 2025 season, but he won’t be the head coach in 2026 if this team continues to falter. Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito couldn’t get the job done last year, and New York must upgrade the quarterback position to win games with a flawed roster. Seeing as his job in on the line, Daboll probably won’t care about trading up if he falls in love with either Ward or Sanders. Currently holding the third pick, they must move to leapfrog the quarterback-needy Cleveland Browns.
New Orleans Saints
General Manager Mickey Loomis has never shied away from making bold moves in the NFL Draft, but a trade for the first-overall pick may take the cake. Derek Carr is not a part of the organization’s long-term plans, and first-year head coach Kellen Moore will want to rebuild this organization with a long-term answer under center. Perhaps the Titans could trade the first-overall pick for the Saints first-round pick, a mid-round selection, and quarterback Derek Carr. Playing in a weak AFC South, competent quarterback play and additional draft picks could be enough to guide this team to a surprise playoff birth in 2025.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
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