NASHVILLE, Tenn. – There was a lot of buzz at St. Thomas Sports Park in August as the Tennessee Titans prepared to start the season. The influx of veteran signings such as L’Jarius Sneed, Calvin Ridley and Ernest Jones IV, as well as the new offensive coach in Brian Callahan, raised high expectations.

Then the regular competition started.

Callahan had some explaining to do after a 1-5 start led to a change of direction that included trading wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, one of their best offensive players, and Jones, one of their best defenders.

“It’s the reality of the NFL business, and when you’re in a place that we’re in – a place we didn’t want to be in – when you get to these crossroads in the season, things like this can happen.” , Callahan said. ‘That’s just the cycle, how it works. And we’re in a place now where we’re trying to find a way to dig out.”

Callahan said Wednesday that he “expects some movement on the roster for the foreseeable future.” Making two moves before the Nov. 5 trade deadline makes it seem like this could be a sign that the Titans are throwing in the towel on the season. That’s a tough sell to players on one-year deals like safety Quandre Diggs.

Diggs admitted the process is frustrating. But he claims he has a job to do anyway.

“I’ve been traded before, so I understand the business,” Diggs said. “I can control what I can control; how I come to work, how I handle my attitude. It’s an expectation when you’ve been doing it for a long time. Come to work and have a game standard.”

The bubble burst Wednesday morning when Hopkins was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs and Jones was traded to the Seattle Seahawks.

Brian Callahan on how he explains what’s going on #Titans veterans playing for their future: pic.twitter.com/Ywhsvq8KLF

— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) October 23, 2024

Tennessee’s goal this season was clearly to win. But the Titans also wanted to see what they had in second-year quarterback Will Levis, who showed signs of being a franchise quarterback after finishing with 1,808 passing yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions as a rookie.

“All we hoped to get out of the season was a really solid, concrete evaluation of Will as the starting quarterback,” Callahan said.

Trading Hopkins, who caught seven of Levis’ eight touchdown passes last season, doesn’t seem to be helping get the best evaluation of their young quarterback.

“I know he and Hop had a good relationship early in Will’s career and certainly contributed to his development,” Callahan said. “That’s part of that process, and you have to find ways to feel comfortable with whoever you’re throwing to.”

Now that group includes Ridley, veteran free agent Tyler Boyd, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and rookie Jha’Quan Jackson. But Levis is listed as week-to-week due to a Grade 2 AC sprain, per Callahan, and the Titans are leaning toward starting Mason Rudolph on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX) against the Detroit Lions (5-1) .

The early season promise has deteriorated into a franchise undergoing a minor fire sale. Callahan remains confident that Tennessee is still focused on winning for now.

“My vision is to try to win as many games as possible,” Callahan said. “We’re going to do everything we can to put players in position to win. There may be different players playing, but that’s exactly what it is.”

The season is not yet a lost cause. Veteran outside linebacker Arden Key said the remaining players need to be focused on the team and play together. Key believes if they can do that, good things will follow.

“I feel like if we win against the Detroit Lions, which is a great team and they’re playing high football right now, I feel like that’s going to snowball some wins for us,” Key said.

It won’t be impossible for the Titans to pull themselves out of the AFC South cellar, but catching up will be difficult if the snowball effect doesn’t start sooner rather than later.