In a shocking turn of events, the Tennessee Titans have traded All-Pro safety and veteran defensive leader Kevin Byard to the Philadelphia Eagles for S Terrell Edmunds and 5th and 6th round picks, according to Ian Rapoport.
After trading a longtime Titan who was one of the best defensive players in the league over the last eight seasons, the Titans have made it clear they're ready to rebuild for the future with young players and draft picks.
With that in mind, let's look at two more big trades the Titans could make in a fire sale before the NFL trade deadline next week.
Derrick Henry to the Baltimore Ravens
Through the first seven weeks, the Ravens have one of the best defenses in the league (13.9 points per game allowed) and have stayed committed to the ground game offensively, rushing the ball 230 times to 201 passing attempts on the season. Baltimore ranks in the top-5 of total rushing attempts, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns…but there's plenty of meat being left on the bone by the committee of Gus Edwards and Justice Hill.
Enter Derrick Henry, who the Ravens are plenty familiar with after years of epic battles between the two teams. With JK Dobbins out for the season and heading to free agency, Gus Edwards turning 29 next year, and Hill not profiling as an early-down back who can carry a big workload, the Ravens have a need both in the immediate and next season for a running back who can grind out yards and break the big one.
Adding Henry, PFF's No. 4 ranked RB this season, would be a big boon to Baltimore's playoff chances in the stacked AFC and a perfect fit stylistically. While trading the franchise's most recognizable and beloved player would be incredibly difficult for Tennessee, cashing out on a 29-year-old running back for a rebuilding team is absolutely necessary.
The Ravens have been known to make big trades for impact players around the deadline in the past (the Roquan Smith trade with Chicago netted the Bears a 2nd and 5th-round pick last season), and a somewhat similar deal for Henry might not be out of the question.
DeAndre Hopkins to the Detroit Lions
There's no sense in keeping a veteran wide receiver like Hopkins, who will turn 32 next season, around for much longer if the Titans want to rebuild. While it's unclear what kind of trade market Hopkins would have after remaining a free agent through training camps this offseason, a contender like the Lions could use another proven receiver next to Amon-Ra St. Brown, especially given the struggles of Jameson Williams since his return from suspension.
Trading Hopkins for Williams, the 12th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, would be a solid lottery ticket acquisition for a Titans team that doesn't have a whole lot cooking behind Treylon Burks for whatever young quarterback ends up winning the job long-term. Williams needs a fresh start, and the Lions could use someone who can consistently beat single-coverage to complement Amon-Ra St. Brown's ability against zone defense. Hopkins has shown this season he has plenty of juice left, and the Lions could gamble that pairing him with one of the most accurate quarterbacks of his career in Jared Goff could help take them to the next level offensively.
The Titans should get something for Hopkins while they still can, as injury and a natural decline in performance seem likely, especially if the Titans transition to rookie Will Levis with Ryan Tannehill likely to miss time with an ankle injury.
Jeffery Simmons to the Los Angeles Chargers
The Titans don't have to trade Simmons, who is still young (26) and productive and could realistically remain on the team through a rebuild. But if the trade of Kevin Byard signals a true rebuild or fire sale, Simmons could probably fetch the best asset haul as a pass-rushing interior lineman who could bolster struggling defenses.
The Chargers haven't made nearly enough of an investment to the interior of their defensive line, and the results have been unsurprisingly bad. Los Angeles routinely struggles to stop the run inside the tackles, and the edge-rushing combo of Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack aren't as effective as they could be due to the pocket rarely being pushed. The Chargers are facing a future cap crunch of their own, so making a deal for a star like Simmons now may be the best window to acquire talent moving forward.
The Titans don't need to sell as low as they did with Kevin Byard, but getting younger and cheaper is the right move to make. Any potential contender would be extremely lucky to get a defensive lineman of Simmons's quality.
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