NFL draft speculation is one of the most entertaining sports-related activities you can engage in. It's right up there with grabbing beers and eating wings for a big game and then inappropriately taunting a group of middle schoolers who are rooting for the opposing team. Not that I've ever done that before...
NFL draft speculation is fun because it allows you to tread water in the "what if" territory of football. It gets even more fun when you wade into bigger and bigger "what if" scenarios.
So what if the Tennessee Titans are looking to get a draft haul comparable to what the St. Louis Rams received from the Washington Redskins for the No. 2 overall pick?
Rookie Zach Mettenberger didn't light up the league for the Titans in his limited playing time this past season. But he did showcase a big arm and produced an 83.4 passer rating in seven games. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt could be willing to give Mettenberger more time to develop before making a final ruling on him.
This moves makes even more sense if the Titans aren't in love with either of the top two QB prospects - Oregon's Marcus Mariota and Florida State's Jameis Winston - in this year's draft. Some NFL observers have argued that the duo's draft stock is inflated due to the lack of franchise QBs across the league.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports seems to think the Titans could be looking to move down in the 2015 NFL draft.
My early hunch is that the Titans try to pull off a RG3-type deal with someone moving up to 2nd overall to nab Winston
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 7, 2015
No, La Canfora's above tweet is not an official NFL report. But he isn't the only one who's echoed those sentiments.
"The Titans will be hoping for several [quarterback] needy teams to emerge in order to maximize their opportunities to trade out of the No. 2 spot, collect more picks and address other needs," ESPN's Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky wrote.
The Titans finished in the bottom half of the NFL in passing yards per game (213.3), rushing yards (90.4), opposing passing yards (235.8) and opposing rushing yards (137.2). In other words, they need help all over their roster. Trading down and getting extra picks over the next few seasons would enable them to address several needs and speed up their rebuilding efforts.
The Rams snagged three first-round picks and one second-round pick from the Redskins in 2012. Now the team is stacked with a dangerous front seven and some solid skill position players. They're very close to contending in the NFC West. Tennessee could follow a similar route if offered a King's Ransom for the No. 2 pick. With the Jets sitting at No. 6 and even the Rams themselves at No. 10, the Titans will not want for suitors.
