Could the Tennessee Titans potentially look to trade running back Tyjae Spears in the final year of his rookie deal?
JT Ruhnke and Easton Freeze break down the pros and cons of potentially moving on from Tyjae Spears before the 2026 season
Video Transcript
Here's a little mini topic to get us started.
And again, today we are gonna spend the majority of the show talking about where the Titans' newly renovated wide receiver room stacks up amongst the rest of the AFC South.
But we never got to this, and we're not going to unless we get to it right now, so let's spend five minutes on it.
Josh Jacobs being arrested and then released from the Brown County Jail, over some pretty serious and violent, charges that the DA of the county has chosen to, do further investigation on before formally pressing said charges.
So I just wanna be legally correct.
Please don't sue us.
That is an interesting conversation as it pertains to what the Packers might do if Josh Jacobs has to miss any time.
Because if you followed the story, you know that the things that he was initially charged with and arrested for on, Tuesday morning, I believe, are unfortunately not that shocking to see, if I'm being totally honest.
Unfortunately, amongst athletes, we, we have seen this story before.
It is not un- as uncommon as it, as it should be.
And, and that, the tra- the personal tragedy is, of course, the most important thing.
But as somebody who focuses on the business of football, it can absolutely have an impact on the actual football side of things.
And if Josh Jacobs' legal troubles keep him from participating for the Packers, they are, capital S, Screwed.
I don't know if you've seen the rest of the running back room.
It is the worst in terms of depth on their roster.
Okay, this is the year Marshawn Lloyd actually- I mean, their next best running back on their team, I think, is Marshawn Lloyd.
Yeah, I think that's it.
If he- I think he's the best guy that In, um- I mean, he steps onto a football field and his legs just seem to explode, so, like- Wow can we really count on him?
And then there's Jackrabbit legend, what's his name?
Pierre Strong Jr. is on that roster.
So that's what we're working with up in Green Bay.
Let's spend two minutes on this, 'cause I wrote about it at azsports.com yesterday, JT.
would you entertain a little swaparoo with the Packers?
Because the Titans just so happen to have kind of a little bit of a crowded running back room.
If they were desperate enough to come calling, would you entertain those calls, and who would you be interested in moving?
I mean, I, I would, first of all, I would not want to take on Josh Jacobs with- No, no, no.
N- sorry, not taking on Josh Jacobs.
Okay.
Sending them a player for something else.
I see.
Not Josh.
I mean- Two come to mind for me.
I- it, it'd be a hard sell on Tony Pollard.
I mean- I would not move Tony Pollard.
I would not move Tony Pollard.
But at the, at the same time, right, you look at the options that the Titans have and you say, "Is Tyjae Spears someone that they would, they would be interested in?"
I mean, I, I get it, right?
He has never been a bell cow or a workhorse back or the main featured back, but when you're looking at the room in Green Bay, beggars can't be choosers at that point.
Mm-hmm.
So, like, if they came calling, my first instinct would be to get, to offer Tyjae to get Nick Singleton more opportunities earlier- Mm-hmm in his career.
Yeah, that's where my head went im- immediately when I started to think about this yesterday.
And, where here's the comment from Burley.
"Crowded?
They have one proven running back," yes, Tony Pollard, and then four guys behind him that are k- fighting for two, maybe three spots.
They add Michael Carter, who was a rookie, draft pick by Saleh when he was with the Jets, and so he's got familiarity.
They bring him in as a free agent.
They draft Singleton in the, in the, on the third day of this past draft.
They draft, Kalel Mullens on the third day of the previous draft.
So, and Singleton is a guy that I think we all want to see enough from to feel one way or another going into next year because Pollard and Spears are both on expiring contracts, right?
Like, Singleton is If, if we don't get to the end of this season feeling a certain type of way, good or bad, about Singleton, it's going to be a big throw our hands up in the air about what the running back situation is next year.
You know what I mean?
Like, that's a guy you, you need some answers on this year.
Sure.
Now, you gotta feel real good about him and his broken foot to move on from a Spears, but if the Packers are desperate and want to send you a mid-day three pick, like a fifth-round pick, a sixth-round pick for Spears, who I think we've all kind of penciled in as a guy that's not going to get a second contract, like he's gonna play out this year, and then the Titans will move on, then, it really all comes down to how they feel about Singleton, right?
Yeah.
I would, I would say that that's the key, right?
And so, I mean, I wouldn't give him up for nothing.
Like, I would not give up Tyjae Spears for a seventh swap, right?
Like- No I, I would need e- I would need to move up in If, if anything, I would need to move up a round, or two- Mm-hmm in a swap with, for him.
Mm-hmm.
so- So I agree with not giving up- That's where I am, but- nothing for, for Spears.
I would not give up nothing for Spears.
Would you give up nothing for Kalel Mullens?
I, I, at this point, I would.
Like, it feels like- Yeah he is the odd man out.
especially just because his role has seemingly become special teams dependent- Mm-hmm in breaking through there.
And when you bring in Michael Carter and you still have Julius Chestnut on the roster as two guys who can play special teams, it's gonna get a lot more crowded.
So at that point, you know, just because of his also injury concern, that would make more sense to me.
