Report: Titans explored trade up with Cardinals for C.J. Stroud

The Tennessee Titans have reportedly explored a trade up with the Arizona Cardinals for the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft in order to select Ohio State quarterback, C.J. Stroud.

The news comes from Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston, who also reports that the Texans are not expected to draft Stroud at No. 2 overall, with one source saying it would be “a major surprise” if they do.

If the Texans were to draft Stroud, sources emphasized, it would be considered a major surprise at this point and a departure from the direction they’ve been headed in during the latter stages of the draft process. Not drafting Stroud is not expected to have anything to do with him being represented by David Mulugheta, former Texans Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson’s Austin-based agent. It would simply be a football decision based on Stroud’s ability to process on the fly, read defenses and run the Kyle Shanahan-Gary Kubiak offense being installed by offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

The Tennessee #Titans have explored trade-up scenarios for the Arizona #Cardinals’ No. 3 overall pick with the target, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, per league sources @KPRC2 https://t.co/OylLCC62Fd

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 27, 2023

This report echoes what ESPN’s Dianna Russini said on Wednesday, which was that the Titans are looking to trade up for a quarterback, and likely for Stroud.

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The Titans “have their eyes on a QB, and they’ll do everything they can to go get him”@diannaESPN pic.twitter.com/RyN9jn7jsm

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) April 27, 2023

Ladies and gents, there is more than enough smoke to think the Titans will do what it takes to move up to No. 3 and get Stroud, which would no doubt add plenty of extra juice to this draft and offseason for Tennessee.

As far as what a package might look like for the Titans to trade up to No. 3, we go back to the San Francisco 49ers-Miami Dolphins trade in 2020 that saw the Niners move up from No. 12 to No. 3 for Trey Lance.

The Niners gave up 2021, 2022 and 2023 first-round picks, along with a 2022 third-round compensatory selection (No. 102 overall). Hopefully it doesn’t end up taking that much, but it should be something similar.