Best Options WIth Titans' Top Two Picks and Why a Trade is So Vital

By MIKE HERNDON, COLUMNIST

Free agency isn’t over, but with the calendar turning to April and the NFL Draft just over three weeks away, we have reached the point where teams are zeroing in on draft strategies, hosting visits with players of interest, and fine-tuning their draft boards. For the Tennessee Titans, that means figuring out what to do with the eight picks at their disposal, most critically picks No. 7 and 38.

A thought that I can’t escape as we get closer to the draft is that Tennessee cannot exit this draft having only picked twice in the top-100 selections. Whether that means trading back in the first round or the second, Ran Carthon has to find a way to add another Day Two pick or two.

I’ve laid out my reasoning for this belief previously, but I’ll hit it again here. The cupboards are bare when it comes to young, up-and-coming talent on this roster at virtually every position group. It’s far too early to make definitive statements about any of the 2023 draft class, but the only other player currently contributing at a high level on a rookie contract is third-year cornerback Roger McCreary. You could make an argument for Chig Okonkwo as well, but his hot-and-cold 2023 season at least raises some questions about his trajectory and ceiling as the team’s top tight end.