Mike

Borgonzi

Well, they’re taking Cam Ward barring something completely unexpected over the next 48 hours. It doesn’t seem to be any more complicated than that.

While this outcome has seemed obvious to some from the jump, it is worth remembering that early mock drafts frequently listed Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter as the Titans’ presumed pick. Brian Callahan reportedly said “I think anytime you can find a quarterback that can lift your football team and that you feel is the caliber of player you’re talking about, those guys are worth more – there is really no price on those guys.” If the Titans identify a franchise quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, they will not trade away the No. 1 overall pick, no matter what another team offers them. It’s yet another layer of what looks to be either an obvious Cam Ward No. 1 overall pick or an abrupt rug pull.

When asked about the conversations around the No. 1 pick and trading it, new general manager Mike Borgonzi said the Titans are not “anywhere near making a decision if we’re going to stay put and make the pick or trade out.” The Titans will have a decision to make on whether or not they should make a pick at No. 1 or trade out. A quarterback is a need, but in a weaker class, Tennessee could look to pick another top prospect - like Penn State’s EDGE Abdul Carter - or trade out for a haul. Either way, the Titans’ new general manager has an important choice to make over the next couple months.

Brinker is likely attempting to obfuscate their plans while ideally driving up the No. 1 overall pick’s trade value. The league knows that the Titans need to find a starting quarterback but muddying the waters as to whom they may select could scare a team in need of an elite pass rusher, or other non-quarterback, into trading up so as not to miss out on their preferred high-end prospect. Brinker also stated new general manager Mike Borgonzi will have the final say on what the Titans ultimately choose to do with the pick.

The move was widely reported this morning, though Schefter noted that a deal wasn’t officially done until later in the day. After winning three Super Bowls in Kansas City, Borgonzi is now tasked with turning things around Tennessee, starting with the No. 1 overall pick. He will presumably get a shot at hand-picking his franchise quarterback to go along with a young head coach in Brian Callahan. Though it’s not an easy job by any means, Borgonzi walks into a situation that gives him plenty of resources to work with, which is more than many first-year general managers can say.

Other sources have reported it as a done deal. Schefter, on the other hand, says no contract offer has been made and the two sides “haven’t started negotiations yet.” Still, both sides want to get a deal done sooner rather than later, and we fully expect them to do so. Borgonzi has already had two interviews with the Titans and another with the Jets this offseason. He joined the Chiefs in 2009 as their administrator of college scouting and has worked his way up the corporate ladder ever since. Borgonzi was promoted to assistant general manager in 2021. Assuming the contract talks go smoothly, Borgonzi’s tenure in Tennessee will begin with a franchise-shaping decision via the No. 1 overall pick.

Borgonzi, widely viewed as a strong candidate for the Jets’ GM opening, is among the many front office candidates interviewing for the Titans general manager vacancy. Tennessee enters the offseason with the first overall pick in the 2025 draft. Borgonzi has been closely involved in the Chiefs’ roster building throughout the Mahomes era and should land a GM job sooner rather than later.

“There will be several others,” Rapoport writes of his report linking Borgonzi, John Spytek, and Ian Cunningham to second interviews with the Titans. The process, folks, is truly the best. Whoever the Titans hire will ultimately wind up working under president of football operations Chad Brinker, but only so many general manager vacancies exist in the league. Borgonzi has been with the Chiefs since 2009 and is currently second-in-command to GM Brett Veach in Kansas City.

Given the parameters set by the Titans — namely having to work under president of football operations Chad Brinker — Borgonzi would be a strong hire for a position that doesn’t seem to have much decision-making power on paper. Borgonzi has been with the Chiefs since 2009 and is currently the No. 2 to Brett Veach in Kansas City. Prior to joining the Chiefs Borgonzi also worked as a recruiting coordinator with Boston College.

Borgonzi got his start in the league in 2009 as the Chiefs’ administrator of college scouting and has risen through the organizational ranks in the years since. He was promoted to assistant general manager in 2021 and continues to work closely with the team’s professional scouting operations while serving as an advisor to GM Brett Veach, per the team’s website. The Chiefs’ success with Borgonzi speaks for itself, and makes him a worthwhile interview for any team looking to upgrade their front office personnel.