The early window of NFL action on Sunday decided the order at the top of the draft board for 2025. Week 18’s results have left the Titans in place to select first overall. 
Tennessee lost in Houston, leaving the team with a 3-14 record. That mark was matched by the Browns with their loss yesterday as well as the Giants since they lost on Sunday afternoon as well. New York was in the lead for the top spot heading into last week’s action, but a win over the Colts moved the Patriots into pole position entering the final week of the campaign.
Relying mainly on rookie quarterback Joe Milton III, New England won out against a Bills team which rested Josh Allen amongst others since they were locked into the AFC’s No. 2 seed. With that win, the Patriots dropped from first to fourth in the projected order (pending other results from Sunday’s games). As a result, it will be the Titans kicking off the draft in April.
Tennessee made a number of changes this offseason, the most notable of which being the decision to hire Brian Callahan as a first-time head coach. The former Bengals offensive coordinator was tasked with guiding quarterback Will Levis into a long-term solution at the position. Selected 33rd overall in 2023, Levis entered this season as the team’s undisputed starter, but injuries and poor play (especially regarding turnovers) resulted in Mason Rudolph briefly seeing time atop the depth chart. Levis still considers himself a starter with the Titans or another team, but his future is in the air at this point.
Two more year remain on the 25-year-old’s rookie pact, but even if Tennessee elects to keep him in place competition should be expected. That is especially true since Rudolph is on an expiring deal. Free agency will offer plenty of options for a quarterback addition, but holding the No. 1 selection will obviously give the Titans the opportunity to again take the draft route to find a franchise passer. Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are the highest-ranked QBs in a 2025 class which is not held in high regard.
Well before a decision on the top pick is made, of course, the futures of Callahan and general manager Ran Carthon will need to be sorted out. The latter’s job security could be in question after two years at the helm, but if he is retained by owner Amy Adams Strunk the way he proceeds with the No. 1 pick will be critical. Using it on a quarterback (or another prospect like two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter) would add to the team’s core, but as usual the number of teams looking for a franchise passer will outweigh the availability of qualified QBs. As such, trading down could become feasible based on the trade market which emerges.
A rebound from this season’s showing will be expected for Tennessee in 2025. Today’s outcomes will prove to play a large role in that effort, though, given the team’s prime draft position.
The Titans should trade back and stock up on future picks. The Giants are probably desperate enough to move up from 3 to 1 so the Titans could still stay near the top and get Travis Hunter
It wouldn’t be a bad idea, but if they retain Carthon, it seems like he’ll be on the hot seat. I think that will motivate him to take a QB. I’m sure it’s hard to be patient as a GM when the team owner is always impatient.
Or just wait at 3 for a QB. Really no incentive to trade up for a QB this year.
Titans can take a QB if they want but they’d just be wasting years on Ridley and Pollard. They need a veteran QB. Take Hunter.
Browns aren’t taking a QB. They’ll bring in a veteran QB cause Miles Garrett isn’t sticking around for a rebuild. They go QB Garrett probably demands a trade.
That leaves Giants at 3 with their choice of QB.
The only other teams within range who need a QB are Raiders but they can jump to 2 or stay at 6 and take second best QB cause patriots jaguars jets panthers arent trading up for a QB. Saints could trade up but probably see what they have in Rattler for a season. Everyone else isn’t jumping up cause neither Ward or Sanders are Williams Daniels type of prospect.
Top two picks will be QBs. After that, Hunter at three and the rest is a crap shoot.
This is what I think as well. I could see the Titans and Browns both trading back after teams convince themselves that Sanders and Ward are their guys
“Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are the highest-ranked QBs in a 2025 class which is not held in high regard.”
Sure they will. QBs going 1-2 has only happened 7 times since 2000 but they’ll totally go 1-2 in a draft class teams don’t seem eager about.
How many of those seven times were in the past 10 years? I know it’s happened three of the past four drafts, including twice where QBs went 1, 2, and 3. It’s becoming more and more the norm. Shedeur and Ward are better than Kenny Pickett as a prospect, the one draft class of those in which QBs didn’t go 1 and 2.
Teams are more desperate than ever to find their franchise QB. It’s not a matter of the QBs in this class being worthy of going 1 and 2. It’s a matter of how desperate teams will be to take a chance on them. A team like the Giants who have a GM and coach both fighting for their jobs will feel more inclined to make the move to get their guy. The Raiders could be in a similar situation as well
To see the giants and patriots each throw away the #1 pick two weeks in a row was something
As a Pats fan, I’m beside myself. Pathetic win today. And the Bills purposely lost to stick it to them. That single win set the rebuild back at least a year.
Imagine somebody named Amy running your football team. My condolences, Nashville.
Between your nakedly racist comment on the Mayo post and this, you’re painting a pretty clear picture of yourself
A sensible person? Thank you?
Well, she’s been offical owner since 2015. Has only won the division twice in 9 years. And not like it’s some powerhouse division with Houston Jacksonville and Indy.
We can all acknowledge the owner sucks without implying it has to do with their sex
I live here and know all about it. Skunk, Stunk, Shrunk, or whatever, just another clueless, nepo baby.
Every trash franchise has a trash owner. The fish rots from the head down.
Value draft as it seems. You look backwards to see who was right. Now forwards. lol