With the Tennessee Titans displaying no signs of being a legitimate playoff contender in 2023, Ran Carthon should be one of the busiest GMs leading up to the trade deadline.
Star running back Derrick Henry and starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, both pending free agents, are two names to follow closely on the trade market. But if the Titans decide to begin a rebuild now, they could also shop offseason free agent signing DeAndre Hopkins.
The 31-year-old Hopkins signed a two-year deal worth $26 million earlier this summer. Since he’s under contract beyond this season, Hopkins would likely garner a greater haul in a trade than both Henry and Tannehill.
If the five-time Pro Bowler hits the trade block, the Cincinnati Bengals should be among the teams interested. They have the cap space to make the move, and it’s time for the front office to be aggressive at the trade deadline for once.
Cincinnati could offer fellow wideout Tee Higgins to Tennessee in exchange for Hopkins and a 2025 third-round pick. Losing Higgins isn’t ideal, but at least they’d be replacing him with a very capable no. 2 in Hopkins, while also getting a day 2 draft pick in exchange for the 24-year-old wideout who’s in the final year of his contract.
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Hopkins has 27 passes for 376 yards on a struggling Tennessee passing game. Imagine what he would do working alongside Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase.
This wouldn’t only be a move to help Burrow and the Bengals now, but it would also protect them moving forward, with Higgins and Tyler Boyd both slated to enter free agency next spring.
Cincinnati had a chance to extend Higgins this past offseason, but it never came to fruition. He’s likely to leave in 2024 free agency anyway, so the Bengals may as well trade him for another player who can help them win now.
For the Titans, they get a potential long-term piece in Higgins to build the offense around. If he plays well, they can extend Higgins and pair him with 2022 first-round pick Treylon Burks. It’s an ideal move for everybody.
