The Tennessee Titans said goodbye to a franchise great on Monday when the team traded safety Kevin Byard to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a player and a pair of draft picks.
According to reports, Tennessee received safety Terrell Edmunds, along with picks in the fifth and sixth rounds, both of which will be the highest selections the Eagles have in each round.
Despite the fact that the Titans were sitting at 2-4 and going nowhere, Byard did not request to be moved and instead preferred to finish out his career in Tennessee, according to Terry McCormick of Titan Insider.
Kevin Byard story updated with new info: Source says Byard did not request that the #Titans move him and still would have preferred to finish his career in Tennessee. https://t.co/Bu3SM1Ftu2
— Terry McCormick (@terrymc13) October 23, 2023
While we can certainly appreciate Byard’s commitment to the only team he has ever played for during his NFL career, this was a move the Titans had to make, even with the lackluster return.
After all, the Titans are in the midst of a lost season and are in desperate need of draft capital for 2024 with the team set to rebuild. It made sense to trade a 30-year-old safety who won’t be part of Tennessee’s long-term plans.
Now, the Titans are only missing a pick in the third round with their new draft selections, and it’s possible Tennessee acquires more picks in the next week, as the trade deadline doesn’t hit until Oct. 31.
