Why Titans chose linemen instead of trading top draft picks
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon became a popular man when his team was on the clock with the No. 7 pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
Prospects such as wide receiver Rome Odunze and quarterback J.J. McCarthy were coveted targets by the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings, respectively, and they were still on the board after the New York Giants selected Malik Nabers with the sixth pick.
“We had a ton of calls,” Carthon said on the first night of the draft as he saw that Minnesota moved up to No. 10 to select McCarthy.
The Titans resisted the urge to trade down and made sure they fulfilled their need to get bigger along the offensive and defensive lines with their first two picks. That’s exactly why offensive tackle J.C. Latham and defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat are now headed to Nashville.
“We added maybe 700 pounds worth of player in two picks,” coach Brian Callahan said. “It’s a big man’s league. And you need big people to move the line of scrimmage.”
It was clear the Titans had plenty of roster holes to fill, but the team only had two picks inside the top 100 because of previous trades. Sticking and picking likely cost Tennessee an opportunity to get more selections to address those needs through the draft.
The Titans gave up their third-round pick in this year’s draft as part of the deal with the Arizona Cardinals to move up in the second round and select quarterback Will Levis in 2023. That deal included the 41st and 72nd picks last year, plus a 2024 third-round selection sent to Arizona for the 33rd pick. The Titans also got last year’s 81st pick, which was used to select running back Tyjae Spears.
Before Carthon arrived in August 2022, Tennessee had sent a 2024 fifth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for left tackle Dennis Daley and a 2024 seventh-round pick. The team also had dealt a 2024 sixth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for safety Ugo Amadi and a 2024 seventh-round pick. Both Daley and Amadi were off the Titans’ roster by last season.
