Tag: Titans

How much would it cost the Saints to trade up for the first overall pick?

How much would it cost for the Saints to trade up with the Titans to grab Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders? This B/R writer has the answers

The New Orleans Saints are still in pursuit of their quarterback of the future. Derek Carr is only an answer in the immediate future, maybe. Though he wasn’t able to win a game, the door shouldn’t be completely closed on Spencer Rattler.

What if New Orleans wanted to make a more aggressive move to get a young quarterback? Tennessee Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker said the Titans are “going to look at all avenues as far as that No. 1 pick.”

That leaves the door open for a trade. You only make that trade for Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders if you’re the Saints. You don’t trade up to the first overall pick for any other position.

Tennessee trading down to ninth overall isn’t likely, but Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton broke down what it would cost for the Saints to move up to the top of the draft.

Moton has New Orleans giving up a first and third round pick this year and a first and second round pick in the following draft. This is the furthest trade back Moton has the Titans making, so the Saints also give up the most compensation.

This is a little less than the trade the Panthers made to grab Bryce Young. They added DJ Moore to the mix while also giving up back to back first and second round picks.

Giving up that many picks would be rough on New Orleans. They have a roster that needs an insertion of young talent. Making this trade would hopefully give you the answer at the most important position, but could lead to you struggling to support him.

The Titans are unlikely to make a trade to the outskirts of the top-10, and New Orleans should be cautious of giving up too much capital to build the team.

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Dolphins hiring former Titans, Chargers assistant as ST coordinator

The Dolphins filled the final spot on Mike McDaniel’s coaching staff.

The Miami Dolphins are hiring Craig Aukerman to be their new special teams coordinator, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Aukerman, 48, began his coaching career in 2000 and entered the NFL ranks as a defensive assistant with the Denver Broncos in 2010. He eventually transitioned to special teams while an assistant with the Jacksonville Jaguars and became the special teams coordinator for the San Diego Chargers in 2016.

He later joined Mike Vrabel’s Tennessee Titans staff and was promoted to special teams coordinator in 2018. During his sixth season with the team, Aukerman was fired after two Titans punts were blocked on back-to-back drives.

Aukerman didn’t coach during the 2024 season.

The Dolphins relieved Danny Crossman of his duties as special teams coordinator earlier this month after his sixth season in the role. While Jason Sanders was one of the NFL’s best kickers in 2024, Miami’s special teams miscues included the Patriots blocking a Jake Bailey punt and the Dolphins getting bamboozled by a Texans fake punt even though they knew it was coming.

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Dolphins executive leaving to take front office job with Titans

Reggie McKenzie didn’t become the Titans’ general manager, but he’s leaving to join the team anyway.

Reggie McKenzie is joining the Tennessee Titans in a senior scouting role, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, after six years in a similar position with the Miami Dolphins.

Earlier this month, the Titans interviewed McKenzie for their general manager position and he was reportedly considered a favorite for the role before Tennessee hired former Chiefs executive Mike Borgonzi instead. But now McKenzie is headed to Nashville anyway.

McKenzie, 61, is a Tennessee native who was born and raised in Knoxville before playing linebacker for the Tennessee Volunteers.

After his NFL playing career, McKenzie began his scouting career with the Green Bay Packers in 1994 and eventually became the general manager of the Oakland Raiders in 2012. McKenzie joined the Dolphins in 2019 as a senior personnel executive, a few months after he was fired by the Raiders.

While the NFL has a rule that awards compensatory draft picks to teams who lose minority coaches or executives to other teams, the Dolphins would’ve only received a selection in the 2026 NFL draft if McKenzie became the primary football executive (i.e. general manager) of the Titans.

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Chiefs WR DeAndre Hopkins says the chance at a Super Bowl is a ‘childhood dream’

Kansas City #Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins says the chance at a Super Bowl is a ‘childhood dream’ | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are playing in their seventh consecutive AFC Championship game this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. The seemingly routine trip will be new to one of the league’s best receivers in his long career.

Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins spoke with reporters on Wednesday during his press conference. He discussed his record against Buffalo and the possibility of fulfilling a childhood dream.

“This year, I’m 0-2 against those guys, so hopefully I can go out and get a win. “said Hopkins. “They beat me when I was in Tennessee, and they beat me when I came here. So, I’ve got some familiarity with them and played them in previous years as well. They were a good defense and a good team. We’ve got to go out and execute.”

Hopkins, acquired mid-season in a trade with the Tennessee Titans, relishes the opportunity to play in high-stakes postseason games, including the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl.

“Childhood dream, I played Madden, growing up always, trying to get to that Super Bowl game,” said Hopkins. “So as a kid, that’s a lifelong goal, and I don’t like looking ahead, so, got to go out and practice today. And, you know, be perfect. It’s the preparation that I enjoy about it, more so than anything.”

Hopkins wasn’t targeted much in the divisional round, but the odds are in his favor of seeing more opportunities from a determined Patrick Mahomes this Sunday.

Patriots to interview Dolphins assistant for defensive coordinator vacancy

Mike Vrabel may poach a member of the Dolphins’ coaching staff as he builds his staff in New England.

The New England Patriots requested permission to interview Miami Dolphins outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow for their vacant defensive coordinator position, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Crow joined the Dolphins in 2024 after spending the previous six seasons on Mike Vrabel’s staff with the Tennessee Titans. Last week, Vrabel was announced as the new head coach of the Patriots.

While the Patriots requested permission, the Dolphins can only block assistants from interviewing for lateral positions. As a defensive coordinator appointment would be a promotion for Crow, Miami has no choice but to grant the request.

Crow, who was once a walk-on linebacker at Bowling Green, had brief coaching stints at Purdue, Baldwin Wallace, and Ohio State before joining the Titans in 2018 as a defensive assistant.

In his first season with the Dolphins, Crow didn’t get to work much with Bradley Chubb or Jaelan Phillips, as the pair of veteran pass rushers dealt with serious injuries. But 2024 first-round pick Chop Robinson improved as the season went on, transforming into one of the NFL’s most productive pass rushers in the second half of the year.

The Patriots defense finished 2024 with the No. 22 ranked defense in the NFL.

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Report: Saints front office exec eyed for role on new Titans staff

The Titans are building a new front office staff. New Orleans Saints personnel advisor and former Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler might be part of it:

As teams look to fortify their staff for this year’s upcoming season, there’s always the potential for some upheaval within other organizations. Teams that hire new head coaches and general managers, will often look to other teams staff to fulfill their duty of building one.

The Tennessee Titans recently made their selection for teams new general manager in Mike Borgonzi, former assistant GM of the Kansas City Chiefs. Borgonzi will now have to build a staff rather quickly in preparation for the 2025 NFL draft. One of the names that has been mentioned in assisting Borgonzi is New Orleans Saints personnel advisor Dave Ziegler.

Ziegler, former GM of the Las Vegas Raiders, was brought to New Orleans last offseason to help lead the personnel department alongside Micky Loomis, Jeff Ireland and Khai Harley. Ziegler has recently been working with the team this month in their search for a new head coach. Loomis mentioned in his end-of-season press conference that he along with Ziegler and others have all been a part of the interview process when examining their candidates.

If Ziegler were to join another team’s staff, the Saints would undoubtedly lose a prominent voice in their front office. Ziegler’s experience in New England during their prime years as well as his elevation to GM in Las Vegas, makes him an attractive option for any team looking for help in that department. We’ll see if anything comes to fruition in the coming days but nonetheless a name to watch around the league.

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Dolphins executive a favorite to become Titans’ next GM

The Dolphins’ Reggie McKenzie is reportedly the “lead candidate” to become the Titans’ next GM.

The Tennessee Titans announced Friday that they completed a virtual interview with Miami Dolphins senior personnel executive Reggie McKenzie for their vacant general manager position.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, McKenzie may be the “lead candidate” to fill the role in Tennessee.

McKenzie, 61, previously spent 17 years in the Green Bay Packers’ personnel department before taking over as the Oakland Raiders’ general manager in 2012. While the team finished 12-4 in the 2016 season, it regressed in the following two seasons and McKenzie was fired in 2018.

A couple months later, McKenzie joined the Dolphins in February 2019 and he’s served as a senior personnel executive ever since.

Three years ago, McKenzie was a candidate to become the Chicago Bears’ general manager before the team eventually hired Ryan Poles to fill the role.

Other candidates for the Titans’ general manager job include Indianapolis Colts assistant general manager Ed Dobbs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant general manager John Spytek.

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Texans QB C.J. Stroud closes out regular season with on top with TD

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud concludes sophomore season after the opening drive against the Tennessee Titans.

Nobody knew exactly how long C.J. Stroud would play on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, but after completing his first six passes for 50 yards and a touchdown, his sophomore season appears to be over.

Well, at the least for the regular season.

The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year will be on the field next week for the Houston Texans in the wild-card round. Entering the afternoon slate, Houston will host against the Pittsburgh Steelers or Los Angeles Chargers as the No. 5 seed.

After a stellar rookie debut, Stroud completed 63.1 % of passes for 3,727 yards with 20 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. Stroud finished with better statistics in all of the categories as a rookie when he won Offensive Rookie of the Year and finished 8th in MVP voting.

Stroud’s regression statistically can partially be blamed on the struggles from Houston’s offensive line, which allowed 52 sacks. Only Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked more.

Aside from the regular season finale, opponents sacked Stroud at least once, including a season-high eight in a Halloween night loss to the New York Jets.

Houston began the season 5-1 with Stroud throwing for more than 250 yards in half of the contests. Stroud also threw 10 touchdown passes in the opening six-game stretch, matching his touchdown total in the last 11 games of the season.

Stroud did close his 2024 season with a strong first drive against the Tennessee Titans by completing six consecutive passes for 50 yards a touchdown.

With a win, the Texans will secure back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since 2019.

WATCH: Nico Collins hit 1k receiving yards with TD catch

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins hit 1,000 yards on the season with a two-yard touchdown catch from C.J. Stroud on Sunday.

The Houston Texans’ first offensive drive went as well as head coach DeMeco Ryans could have hoped.

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud capped the opening drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Nico Collins on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. Houston’s drive lasted 11 plays, 69 yards and over seven minutes.

Despite already earning the 4th seed in the AFC playoff, Houston opted to play its starters in the regular season finale in an attempt to improve after the 34-2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, in which Houston failed to score an offensive touchdown.

Stroud finished the opening drive a perfect 6-for-6 with 50 yards and a touchdown. Collins hauled in four of the six passes for 32 yards and the score. Collins also surpassed 1,000 receiving yards on the touchdown catch.

Collins becomes the first Texans since Brandin Cooks to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

Running back Joe Mixon contributed five carries for 23 yards and one reception for five yards.

Mixon crossed 1,000 yards on the ground, becoming the first Texan to do so since Carlos Hyde in 2019.

With a win, the Texans would secure their second 10-win season under DeMeco Ryans and Stroud.

Houston plays host to either the Los Angeles Chargers or Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round next weekend.

WATCH: Joe Mixon joins Texans 1,000-yard club vs. Titans

The streak is over! Joe Mixon has ended the 1,000-yard drought in Houston!

Welcome to the history books, Joe Mixon.

With a 3-yard run on the opening drive at Nissan Stadium against the Tennessee Titans, Mixon became the fifth running back in Houston Texans history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.

The 29-year-old also becomes the first running back to hit the 1K marker since Carlos Hyde in 2019.

Since arriving in Houston, Mixon has been as advertised. After singing a three-year, $27 million extension following a trade from the Cincinnati Bengals, Mixon promised to be a workhorse and stabilizer for Houston’s ground game.

Consider the mission accomplished as the postseason begins. In 12 games, he’s averaged 92.8 yards per contest. Mixon’s also scored 11 touchdowns off 240 carries while averaging 4.1 yards per attempt.

The 2024 season will mark the fifth time Mixon’s hit the 1,000-yard marker in his career. He joins Derrick Henry as one of two active running backs with at least five 1,000-yard seasons.

With a win, the Texans will secure a second 10-win season under DeMeco Ryans and C.J. Stroud.

The Texans will host either the Los Angeles Chargers or Pittsburgh Steelers next week in the wild-card round.