Roger McCreary started his day as a member of a woeful 1-7 Tennessee Titans team. Tomorrow, he gets a fresh start on a 5-2 Los Angeles Rams team with Super Bowl aspirations. While the trade is certainly a win for McCreary, we’ll break down how it affects both teams below.
Here are the details of the trade, per multiple sources:
- Rams receive: CB Roger McCreary and a 2026 conditional 6th-round pick.
- Titans receive: 2026 conditional 5th-round pick.
One interesting quirk of the trade is that the Titans are receiving their own 5th-round pick, which they had previously sent to the Rams to acquire linebacker Ernest Jones IV.
“The Titans are trading cornerback Roger McCreary to the Los Angeles Rams in a move that includes the teams swapping draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft,” Jim Wyatt, a senior writer/editor for the Titans, wrote in a team press release.
“McCreary’s rookie contract is set to expire at the end of this season, when he is scheduled to become a free agent.
McCreary has played in all eight games for the Titans this season, with three starts. McCreary was a second-round draft pick of the Titans in the 2022 NFL Draft.”
Does the Trade Make Sense for the Rams?
For the Rams, this is a low-cost, potentially high-reward investment. McCreary, 25, is a solid slot cornerback who not only strengthens the Rams’ secondary this season but could become a long-term starter should the team choose to re-sign him in the offseason. The Auburn alum has 33 combined tackles, two pass deflections, and one interception in eight games this season. His 66.4 PFF grade ranks 36th out of 113 eligible cornerbacks.
While McCreary has experience playing on the boundary, he is expected to become the starting nickel corner immediately. He’ll fill out the Rams’ cornerback room alongside Cobie Durant, Emmanuel Forbes Jr., and Darious Williams, who have rotated playing time throughout the season. The team has been without cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon after he suffered a broken clavicle in Week 2.
The Rams’ defense has been one of the most dominant in the league so far this season. The team is allowing just 16.7 points per game, which is second-best in the NFL. Adding McCreary for a pick-swap seems like a no-brainer for Los Angeles.
Does the Trade Make Sense for the Titans?
For the Titans, trading McCreary continues their in-season tear-down. The team released veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett and fired head coach Brian Callahan earlier this month. They also traded cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. to the Jets in September. GM Mike Borgonzi is clearly looking to accrue as much draft capital as possible, and the Titans should be expected to swap more players for picks as the Nov. 4 trade deadline gets closer.
While this approach seems practical, as the team is non-competitive this season, it may feel like an unending cycle for Titans fans. McCreary is a talented player entering his prime. Even if that prime doesn’t sync up with the Titans’ playoff window, he will be difficult to replace with a 5th-round pick.
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