The Tennessee Titans are enduring a worst-case scenario season in 2025. They have been a train wreck in nearly every facet, and even rookie quarterback Cam Ward could not help himself when giving his honest assessment of the team.
All fans are waiting on the inevitable announcement of Brian Callahan's firing, which is virtually guaranteed to happen at some point. Fans are also anxiously waiting to see what players get dealt at the upcoming trade deadline, as the Titans are assured to be aggressive sellers.
They already traded Jarvis Brownlee for little return, which, given Mike Borgonzi's offseason moves, is another telling sign of what he thinks of players acquired by previous GM Ran Carthon. While the Titans will keep exploring opportunities to acquire draft capital, Kevin Zeitler is one player who should virtually be off limits.
Titans have to resist urge to trade veteran guard Kevin Zeitler at the deadline
The Titans signed Zeitler in the offseason to bolster their offensive line. Unfortunately, the whole unit has still struggled to start the season. Granted, they have been held back by injuries and difficult assignments, so it is one of the few areas on the team that truly has yet to get a fair opportunity to prove themselves.
Regardless, Zeitler has been a steady performer. The offensive line missed him dearly when he missed Week 3 due to injury. Zeitler is an excellent player on a one-year contract who could draw interest from Super Bowl contenders as the trade deadline approaches, but the Titans should be extremely reluctant to move him.
This season is about developing Ward and ensuring he is put in the best possible position to succeed. The Titans have already failed to support him adequately, so getting worse on the offensive line shouldn't be under consideration. Getting rid of Zeitler puts Ward in an even worse situation than he already finds himself in.
The only possible upside to trading Zeitler would be getting rookie Jackson Slater some experience before he's counted on to potentially be a starter next season. It is highly unlikely that Slater is far along enough in his development to replace Zeitler immediately. It would probably go poorly.
You also have to consider what the return for Zeitler might be. If he were to fetch back a top-100 pick, then the Titans might strongly consider that. But realistically speaking, a 35-year-old guard on an expiring contract is unlikely to command such a high asking price.
The Titans would be much better off keeping Zeitler and letting him adequately protect Ward. They should think long and hard about trading any offensive player who would negatively impact Ward's development. Of all the realistic candidates they should not trade, Zeitler tops the list.
