NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- There was a buzz at St. Thomas Sports Park in August as the Tennessee Titans were gearing up to start the season. The influx of veteran additions like L'Jarius Sneed, Calvin Ridley, and Ernest Jones IV, and also new offensive-minded coach in Brian Callahan, sparked high hopes.
Then the regular season started.
Callahan had some explaining to do after a 1-5 start led to a change of course that included trading wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, one of their best offensive players, and Jones, one of their top defenders.
"It's the reality of the NFL business, and when you're in a spot that we're in -- one that we didn't want to be in -- when you get to these juncture points in the season, things like this happen," Callahan said. "That's just the cycle, how it works. And we're in a spot right now trying to find a way to dig out."
Callahan said Wednesday he'd "expect some movement on the roster for the next period of time." Making two moves before the Nov. 5 trade deadline would make it seem like this could be a sign of the Titans throwing in the towel on the season. That's a tough sell to players who are playing on one-year deals, like safety Quandre Diggs.
Diggs admitted the process is frustrating. But he maintains that he has a job to do regardless.
"I've been traded before so I understand the business," Diggs said. "I control what I can control; how I come to work, how I handle my attitude. It's an expectation when you've been doing it for a long time. Come to work and have a standard of play."
The bubble broke on Wednesday morning when Hopkins was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, and Jones was traded to the Seattle Seahawks.
Brian Callahan on how he explains what's going on to #Titans veterans who are playing for their future: pic.twitter.com/Ywhsvq8KLF
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) October 23, 2024
Tennessee's goal this season was obviously to win. But the Titans also wanted to see what they had in second-year quarterback Will Levis, who showed signs of being a franchise quarterback after finishing with 1,808 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and four interceptions as a rookie.
"Everything about what we were hoping to get out of the season was a really solid, concrete evaluation of Will as a starting quarterback," Callahan said.
Trading Hopkins, who caught seven of Levis' eight touchdown passes last season doesn't seem to help get the best evaluation of their young quarterback.
"I know that him and Hop have been a good connection together for the early part of Will's career and aided in his development for sure," Callahan said. "That's part of that process, and you have to find ways to get comfortable with whoever you're throwing to."
Now that group consists of Ridley, veteran free agent addition Tyler Boyd, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and rookie Jha'Quan Jackson. But Levis is listed as week-to-week because of a Grade 2 AC sprain, according to Callahan, and the Titans are leaning toward starting Mason Rudolph on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX) against the Detroit Lions (5-1).
The promise at the start of the season has deteriorated to a franchise undergoing a minor fire sale. Callahan remains steadfast that Tennessee is still focused on winning now.
"My outlook is to go try to win as many games as possible," Callahan said. "We're going to do everything we can to put players in position to go win. We may have different players playing, but that's just what it is."
The season isn't a lost cause just yet. Veteran outside linebacker Arden Key said the players that are left have to be focused on the team and playing together. Key believes if they can do that, good things will follow.
"I feel like if we get a win against Detroit Lions, which is a great team and they playing high football right now, I feel like that'll snowball some wins for us," Key said.
It won't be impossible for the Titans to pull themselves out of the cellar of the AFC South, but playing catch up will be tough if the snowball effect doesn't start sooner than later.