Titans taking calls on No. 1 draft pick as combine gets underway
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Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi has a lot of needs to address following the team's 3-14 finish a season ago, and says he is open to all possibilities to help fix the roster.
Borgonzi was named the Titans' new general manager on Jan. 17 after serving in various roles with the Kansas City Chiefs' organization from 2009-24.
The Chiefs have been a hallmark of success in the past 12 seasons since Andy Reid was hired as head coach, making 11 playoffs appearances with five Super Bowl appearances, winning three.
It will take a lot of work to reach that level of success in Tennessee, where the team has missed the playoffs three seasons in a row and finished in the bottom five in points scored and points allowed a season ago.
"Anytime you have the No. 1 pick, it's going to be a topic of conversation," Borgonzi said of trade talks when speaking at the NFL combine. "I would say we've had some phone calls. I would keep those phone calls to the vest, but we've had some phone calls."
The NFL Draft, scheduled for Apr. 24 in Green Bay, is going to be an interesting one for the Titans.
The team struggled offensively last season with Will Levis as their quarterback. The second-year signal caller threw 13 touchdowns against 12 interceptions and went 2-10 in 12 starts.
The top pick in the draft is typically reserved for franchise-changing quarterbacks, with six of the last seven first overall picks spent on the position.
But this year's top QB prospects have question marks, leading the Titans to re-evaluate how they're going to spend the valuable pick.
"At the end of the day, we have to make the best decision for the Titans," Borgonzi said.
"And if we deem taking a quarterback is the most important thing right now, then we'll do that. But we have to go through this process here. So [the combine] is like one touchpoint in the process."
Quarterback is always the most position in the NFL though, and Borgonzi is considering his options for how the team can improve the position.
Tennessee has drafted eight quarterbacks since 2010, tied for the most in the NFL with the New York Jets and New England Patriots.
They took a big swing on Marcus Mariota with the second-overall choice in the 2015 NFL Draft, but Mariota led the team to just one playoff appearance in four seasons before the team traded for Ryan Tannehill from the Miami Dolphins.
"You have to get that right. We have to solidify [the quarterback] position," Borgonzi said. "We have one quarterback on the roster, so we're bringing people in. And Will will compete with them as well."
As far as recent history goes, the Chicago Bears received a large haul for the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft from the Carolina Panthers - they acquired two first-round picks, two second-round picks and star wide receiver D.J. Moore.
The Titans could use a similar haul, if they can find a willing trade partner, to start to fill some of the holes on the roster.
"We're trying to fill probably as many holes as we can before the draft," Borgonzi said. "At this point, you have a free agency board, you have a draft board. You're trying to see the depth in free agency, the depth in the draft, and where you might be able to acquire those players. You certainly want to try to fill as many holes as you can in free agency. We have some work to do on the roster."