The Tennessee Titans need help at multiple positions and it just so happens there may be a team who can help them via trade: the Carolina Panthers.
On Monday, the Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule after a disappointing tenure that severely fell short of expectations. Naturally, this has led to the notion that the Panthers will go through an extensive rebuild in the near future
Translation: high-profile veteran players are probably available for the right price in situations like these.
This case may be amplified due to the Panthers’ lack of draft resources that they obviously need for their rebuild, which could mean that we eventually see them parting ways with an established veteran or two in exchange for future assets.
As for the Titans, they are in the midst of their bye week following a three-game winning streak that got the team above .500 after their disastrous 0-2 start.
Despite their turnaround, the Titans have areas where they would clearly benefit from a midseason upgrade, so they should be calling Carolina.
It’s unclear how realistic any of these potential trades are for the Titans, therefore this article is purely for speculation purposes since the Panthers could/should be preparing to sell over the next few weeks
Having said all that, let’s take a closer look at which Panthers players the Titans should at least be inquiring about.
WR D.J. Moore
This possible trade is polarizing and complicated for a lot of reasons, so this breakdown may be lengthier than the rest. In theory, it makes a ton of sense for the Titans to prioritize making a move like this.
In fact, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky even suggested that Tennessee should be on the phone with Carolina’s front office to discuss the availability of wide receiver D.J. Moore
With Matt Rhule out of Carolina, could the Panthers' stars be on the move 👀
"[For] DJ Moore, if I was Green Bay, I'd call Carolina. If I was Dallas, I'd call Carolina. And if I was Tennessee, I'd call Carolina." —@danorlovsky7 pic.twitter.com/8Ly7lSAydl
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 10, 2022
The Titans desperately need a legitimate playmaker out wide and that’s what Moore has been for the majority of his career.
So much so that he recently signed a three-year extension worth $61.88 million to stay in Carolina through 2025 — $41.61 million of which was guaranteed money.
According to Spotrac, if the Titans were to make a deal for the talented pass-catcher, they would only be on the hook for a little over $730,000 this season.
However, Moore’s cap hits skyrocket north of $16 million after this season for the duration of his contract. Over the next four years, his cap hits are approximately $20 million (2023), $16 million (2024), and $16 million (2025).
In my personal opinion, if the Titans were going to give any wide receiver anything close to this type of money, it should have been to keep A.J. Brown when they had all the leverage in the world for at least one more season.
Nonetheless, that train has left the station, so there’s no real need to keep talking about the would of, could of, should of’s.
But with all things considered, getting someone like the Maryland product is a solid fallback plan if you feel like his best days are still ahead of him and this lackluster start to 2022 is just a fluke.
After being the only wide receiver in the NFL to account for at least 1,200 scrimmage yards in each of the last three seasons (2019-2021), the former Terp has only produced 197 yards and one touchdown on 17 receptions in 2022.
Most concerning is the fact that the fifth-year veteran hasn’t eclipsed the 60-yard mark in a single game this season.
Moore’s recent decline in production, combined with his future contract totals, likely means a team can probably lure him away for a mid-round pick.
At worst, you may have to give up a Day 2 selection to acquire a proven No. 1 wide receiver at the age of 25 who has often displayed special abilities when he’s not playing in a disaster of a situation like he is now.
Again, this is only the type of move you make if you genuinely believe in the Panthers’ star wideout. This is not some one-year, band-aid solution. If the Titans go this route, they must be fully sold on Moore being their franchise wide receiver of the present and future.
At minimum, you must believe he’s still capable of consistently producing 1,100 receiving yard seasons on an annual basis. If the Titans do believe that, then by all means they should be on the phone trying to discuss a deal that’s fair for all parties involved.
OT Taylor Moton
Acquiring a talented offensive tackle like Taylor Moton has its pros and cons.
For starters, there’s no denying that he would be a welcome addition to a struggling offensive line. Moton also comes with a hefty price tag due to his extensive success at right tackle.
Trading for an expensive tackle who excels on the right side and then asking him to flip while also learning a new playbook is a risky midseason proposition.
The Panthers owe ~$20M to the following in 2023:
DJ Moore ($25M)
Taylor Moton ($24.5M)
Shaq Thompson ($24.4M)
Robbie Anderson ($21.7M)
Christian McCaffrey ($19.5M)Matt Rhule ($20M)*
— Austin Gayle (@austingayle_) October 11, 2022
The other strategy could be to allow the Michigan product to stay on the right side while you take your chances that Nicholas Petit-Frere can develop into a more competent left tackle than Dennis Daley presently is.
There’s no denying that Petit-Frere’s best tape historically has been on the right side, but the rookie lineman did receive All-American honors at left tackle during his final season at Ohio State.
Nevertheless, the former Buckeye has performed admirably at right tackle for the Titans this season. Moving him to the blindside could be a recipe for disaster if he ends up struggling.
Again, this is a move they should only consider if they legitimately believe that Moton can be a short- and long-term solution in Tennessee.
OL Brady Christensen
This possible trade is one that intrigues me personally because I was a big Brady Christensen guy when he was coming out of the draft.
During his final season as a cougar, the BYU standout broke the Pro Football Focus record for the highest overall grade by an offensive tackle (96.0) after only allowing three pressures in 2020.
Christensen also possesses the type of versatility that would intrigue someone like Mike Vrabel. On Carolina’s official depth chart, the third-year lineman is currently listed as the Panthers’ starting left guard, as well as their primary backup left tackle.
The Titans could use help at either spot, so his addition would be more than welcome for the right price. This is someone the Panthers could prioritize as a potential building block for the future, but it can’t hurt to at least ask.
WR Robbie Anderson
I’m only including Robbie Anderson because I’ve seen a lot of people suggesting they go after him if they can’t get a reasonable deal for Moore.
What I don’t think many realize is that Anderson currently has a 2023 cap hit hovering over $21 million, per Over the Cap. Chances are the Titans won’t be interested in absorbing that, so the Panthers will have to eat money.
Simply put, if you’re going to pay any Carolina wide receiver anything close to $20 million, it better be the one with actual No. 1 receiver upside.
Putting the money aside for now, the potential interest in Anderson would be understandable. He’s well known for his big-play ability, something the Titans have struggled with this season.
DE Brian Burns
Back in 2019, Brian Burns was one of the most popular names tied to the Titans during the pre-draft process.
The Florida State pass-rusher ended up being selected a few picks before Tennessee was on the clock, and the Titans ultimately took Jeffery Simmons instead.
Now that a few years have passed, both Burns and Simmons have established themselves as dominant defenders at their respective positions.
In reality, any trade for Burns seems highly unlikely. He’s a bonafide franchise pillar who you can build your defense around.
Pressure leaders after Week 5 💪 pic.twitter.com/LCi8ovbWU4
— PFF (@PFF) October 12, 2022
With that said, if there is any way that a fair deal can be made, you absolutely find a way to add an edge rusher of his caliber to Tennessee’s talented defensive front.
CBs Jaycee Horn or Donte Jackson
These are two players I would put in the category of “shoot your shot.” The likelihood of either being available is somewhere between slim and none, but it never hurts to at least gauge any possible trade interest.
Horn was a former top-10 pick who possesses superstar potential. Jackson, on the other hand, just signed an extension before the season and is someone you’d have to imagine they want to keep.
If the Titans were to call on either defensive back, they’d probably get rejected instantly, but it definitely can’t hurt to ask
