With the Tuesday, October 14th NFL trade deadline looming, two of the leagues more talented wide outs; Roy Williams and T.J. Whos your momma Houshmandzadeh, could be ripe for the taking.
The talented receivers current employers, the Lions and the Bengals, have combined for 0 victories on the season and both putrid franchises may be willing to sacrifice a skilled receiver in return for a jump-start on rebuilding via a high draft pick.
Should a team such as the Tennessee Titans, who may be a de facto #1 WR away from being a truly elite squad, jump into the potential Williams/Houshmandzadeh sweepstakes?
Pros
Housh/Williams= immediate upgrade
As Andrew mentioned in his Titans grades article, the receivers have combined to catch only 33 passes for 479 yards and a measly 1 touchdown. Housh (31, 351, 3 TDs) has almost surpassed those totals by himself and Williams, despite only catching 15 balls this year, has averaged over 61 catches and 912 yards per season during his five-year career.
Attaining either one of the talented wide outs would be an immediate upgrade.
The Titans need a true #1 WR
Entering the 2008 offseason, it was the belief of many, including yours truly, that the Titans needed to secure the services of a legitimate #1 WR.
Unfortunately, 2008s free agent market lacked a true #1 guy. The Titans sat patiently as other foolish franchises overspent on the likes of Bernard Berrian, Jerry Porter and Donte Stallworth.
Housh and Williams are players that have consistently produced over the course of their careers, and both guys are clearly better receivers than the players that the Titans passed on last March during free agency.
The Chris Chambers precedent
Last year, the Chargers sent a future #2 pick to the Dolphins for the rights to the #1 WR they were missing, Chris Chambers. Chris paid immediate dividends for the Chargers, catching 35 passes for 555 yards as the team won eight of its last 10 regular season games en route to an AFC Championship appearance.
Could Housh/Williams be the missing ingredient for the 2008 Tennessee Titans?
Cons
A draft pick/rich contract could be too much of a price to pay
In addition to a high draft pick, attaining either T.J. or Roy will also mean extending their contracts. Both players are in the final years of their deals and are looking to cash in on lucrative new contracts.
It may be asking a little too much for the usually fiscally conservative Tennessee Titans to break open the piggy bank for a brand new WR.
If it aint broke, dont fix it
The lack of a de facto numero uno WR hasnt been a thorn in the side of this years Titans, who have raced out to an impressive 5-0 record. The teams traditional formula of a dominant running game/defense has led the way to the franchises best ever start.
As evidenced by their 166-133 run-to-pass ratio, the Jeff Fishers boys love to play smash-mouth football, so paying such an expensive price for Housh/Roy may be unnecessary for a run-oriented team such as the Titans.
The Ghosts of Free Agent WR Past
Do the names Yancey Thigpen, Carl Pickens and David Givens ring a bell? Under Floyd Reeses regime, the Titans were consistently burned in their search for what many pundits considered as the teams missing piece to a championship: a #1 WR.
Whether its because of past hurts, fiscal responsibility or team continuity, I have a hard time believing that the Titans will be making a deal for a premium receiver before next weeks deadline.
So, what do you guys think? Should the Titans reach into the WR cookie jar prior to the trade deadline, or should they stay the course with their current wide outs?
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