Among the monumental decisions to be made during this NFL offseason, few are bigger than what looms for the Tennessee Titans.
Attempting to reboot their franchise, with an overhauled front office and the need to find a franchise quarterback, Tennessee holds the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, which begins on April 24 with Round 1.
What the Titans decide to do -- and when they decide to do it -- will set in motion events that go far beyond what happens to their own franchise.
While it’s early in the process, Tennessee has an open mind with the first pick, sources say. All options are on the table, including possibly trading the pick, and the Titans are expected to receive calls from other teams.
The last time the No. 1 pick was traded was in 2023 when the Chicago Bears dealt the top selection to the Carolina Panthers, who selected Alabama QB Bryce Young, in exchange for four draft picks, including two firsts, and veteran wide receiver DJ Moore.
If Tennessee does explore trade talks, which the Bears never did last year before they selected USC QB Caleb Williams, it will have dramatic ramifications.
According to most high-level evaluators, Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are the two quarterbacks who would be in consideration for the No. 1 pick, and after that there are questions. Plenty of talent, but questions.
NFL Network draft expert Daniel Jeremiah recently said of this year's QB class, “Fit has never been more important. I don’t see any of them as universal talents” in a post on the social media site X, formerly Twitter.
In other words, they can be successful, for sure. But they may not transcend every organization and every scheme. It takes the right setting.
Which makes the Titans -- who have Will Levis under contract through the 2026 season, could still add a veteran QB, may not be just one QB away from being successful, and could use plenty more talent on their roster for years to come -- the perfect team to explore moving the pick.
The Cleveland Browns pick No. 2 overall and will likely add two QBs this offseason, potentially with one coming early in the draft. The New York Giants pick next at No. 3. They need a QB and explored trading up last year for Drake Maye, whom the New England Patriots selected third overall. The Las Vegas Raiders (No. 6), the New York Jets (No. 7) and the New Orleans Saints (No. 9) also loom as teams that could potentially trade up in the right situation.
President of Football Operations Chad Brinker made headlines last month when he emphasized that while the team needs a QB, it won’t “pass on a generational talent,” an indication Tennessee could take a non-QB if the talent fits.
New general manager Mike Borgonzi, whose previous team, the Chiefs, built through the draft and are playing on Sunday for their third Super Bowl title in a row, made clear that using draft capital wisely is a priority.
“We’ll supplement free agency, but we want to build through the draft,” Borgonzi told reporters on Jan. 22. “We need to build that core foundation of players really to change the culture, and that takes a little bit of time.”
A trade could bring a bounty of picks, allowing Tennessee to accelerate their build. Or they could stick and pick a QB at No. 1, provided they view that passer as a generational talent. Those evaluations are ongoing.