The Tennessee Titans are one team that many people are keeping an eye on during the 2023 NFL Draft. There have been a lot of rumors that the team is seeking out a way to add a quarterback in this year’s draft class. Where there is smoke there is usually fire, and for Tennessee, it could mean finding a new home for Ryan Tannehill.
Tannehill is likely in his last season with the Titans as his contract voids after the 2023 season. Finding a long-term option at the position is atop the team’s to-do list as Malik Willis doesn’t look like he will be in. His sample size during the 2022 season was relatively small but not encouraging.
Slated to pick No. 11, it seemed unlikely that they would be in a position to select one of the top signal callers in this year’s draft class. However, based on recent draft intel shared at ESPN, there is a chance one of them could fall right into Tennessee’s lap.
The recent buzz is that the Houston Texans, who pick No. 2, are seriously considering not selecting a quarterback. That would turn the draft upside down as they were one of the franchises many assumed would be a lock to select a signal caller.
With Bryce Young still widely projected to go No. 1 to the Carolina Panthers, that could mean a slide down the board will occur for one of the quarterbacks. C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State looks to be the odd many out right now.
The Indianapolis Colts, who select No. 4, reportedly have their sights set on Will Levis out of Kentucky. If the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Las Vegas Raiders all opt to go in a different direction, Stroud could be in play for the Titans at No. 11.
There is a belief that Stroud could experience a slide similar to what Justin Fields had during the 2021 NFL Draft. A fellow Ohio State product, Fields’ drop was stopped by the Chicago Bears, who made a move up the board in a trade with the New York Giants.
The Titans wouldn’t have to make a trade, as some negative reports have seemingly knocked Stroud down a few pegs recently. He reportedly didn’t score well on the S2 cognitive test and some criticism of his coachability has changed his narrative. A bizarre story about the Manning Passing Academy didn’t help matters either.
At this point in the offseason, there are always smokescreens and information needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Teams could be releasing negative press hoping a player falls into their lap and that could very well be the case with Stroud and the Titans. Tennessee would be ecstatic to stop Stroud’s slide by calling his name as the No. 11 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
