Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton waits for the snap against the Arizona Cardinals. Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Titans LB Named Trade Candidate

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Oct 16, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Tennessee Titans are expected to be sellers at the NFL trade deadline, which is scheduled for Nov. 4.

A 1-5 record has weighed the Titans down in the AFC standings, so making some trades to acquire future draft capital could be in the best interest of the team. Bleacher Report writer Kristopher Knox listed Titans linebacker Cody Barton as a trade candidate.

"General manager Mike Borgonzi, who arrived this past offseason, may not be eager to move players he just added. If he's looking to the future, though, trading inside linebacker Cody Barton would be sensible," Knox wrote.

"Barton, who now has 49 starts on his resume, signed a three-year deal in free agency. However, he'll turn 29 in November and might be more valuable to the Titans in the long term as a trade chip.

"Tennessee could expect a reasonable return for Barton, who has logged 38 tackles and two passes defended this season. Teams in need of linebacker help — because of injuries or poor play — should have his name circled."

Titans Could Trade Cody Barton, But It's Unlikely

Knox listed the price for Barton as a fourth-round pick, which could definitely help the Titans down the road. The team has Cedric Gray as one of the NFL's leading tacklers, so they could slot in someone else instead of Barton for the rest of the season.

While the fit makes sense on paper, it's hard to imagine the Titans trading Barton after signing him to a three-year contract this offseason. If Barton were a free agent this spring, it would make far more sense for the Titans to trade their starting linebacker.

A year ago, the Titans traded starting linebacker Ernest Jones IV to the Seattle Seahawks, but that was under former general manager Ran Carthon. With Borgonzi in charge, it's unlikely that he would trade one of his premier signings of the offseason.

Contenders like the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers would be willing to pay a pretty penny to get Barton, but the Titans need to have a veteran leader on defense, especially one at the linebacker position.

While the Titans have undergone massive changes by firing head coach Brian Callahan, the team doesn't need to tear everything down that has been built up over the past year. Too much change will force the Titans to fall behind even further than they already are at this point in their rebuild.

This article first appeared on Tennessee Titans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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