Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - BREAKING: Elic Ayomanor STARTING for Tennessee Titans, Cedric Gray Wins LB2 & Dike Takes Returner

Episode Date: September 2, 2025

The Tennessee Titans released their first OFFICIAL depth chart of the season and one of the biggest surprises was rookie receiver Elic Ayomanor being listed as a starter on offense. This is a huge development for the Titans as they need their rookie receivers to step up in a big way. On defense, we finally got our answer at the linebacker position with Cedric Gray being the clear winner. Gray certainly earned the role after being behind James Williams at the start of camp. Finally, the Titans confirmed their belief in Chim Dike as a kick returner on Tuesday and that should make fans excited, but also very very nervous. All that plus injury updates!! Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitans TicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=asc Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitans Follow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPod Subscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videos Listener SurveyWe’ve put together a survey to learn more about our listeners and make your favorite podcasts even better. Go tohttps://lockedonpodcasts.com/survey/ to get started. Everyone who completes a survey will be entered for a chance to win one of ten $100 Amazon gift cards. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DoorDashWith DoorDash Streaks, you save every Saturday you order — stack it up all season and you could save up to $250. Order this Saturday. Keep the streak alive. Fuel your gameday — only with DoorDash. Terms apply. Promo period through 11/18. Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnfl for 50% off your first year. UpsideDon’t let this offer drive on by, download the free Upside app now using my limited time promo code TOUCHDOWN for a limited time 25 cent per gallon bonus! Offers vary by user and location, Go to upside.com for terms and conditions.Click Here to download the app: https://getupside.onelink.me/zlLr?af_xp=custom&pid=barrington&c=barrington_lockedon25&deep_link_value=promo&deep_link_sub1=lockedon25&af_dp=upsideapp%3A%2F%2F Yahoo FantasyPresented by YahooFantasy #YahooPartner. Draft now at https://yahoofantasy.com/lockedonnfl.PrizePicksDownload the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Massive news Titans fans, rookie wide receiver, Alec Iyo Manor, has been announced as a starter for week one. This is a huge development for the Tennessee Titans, and I'm going to break it down on today's edition of Locked On Titans. You are Locked on Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast I am your host Tyler Roland Titans fans Today's edition of the Locked on Titans

podcast is brought to you by Mazda Just like there's more to every player More dedication, more attention to detail There's more to a Mazda vehicle Stay tuned later in the episode for this week's moving the game forward On today's show We're going to go over a massive news drop

From the Tennessee Titans we got our first official depth chart of the season heading into week one against the Denver Broncos and we got some big things to discuss. Number one, Jim D.K. is your top returner and it's not a game. Also, Cedric Gray wins the linebacker two job, but we got to start with the biggest news. Elicio Manor winning a starting wide receiver spot for the Titans.

This is huge. We'll discuss before we do. Thank you for making the Locked on Titans podcast, your first listen each and every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. Make sure that you get subscribed, stay subscribed. It's your team every day here on the Locked on Titans podcast. Speaking of every day, shout out to my everydayers out there. Tune in Monday through Friday.

If you aren't an everydayer, now is the perfect time to be one. We're gonna have crossover Thursday tomorrow. I'm gonna have my football Friday game preview for you guys. I'm gonna be going live. immediately after the game ends. You're not going to beat all of the Tennessee Titans content that I'm putting out all season long for free. So again, make sure you get subscribed, stay subscribe,

and stay locked in with the Locked-on Titans podcast. With that being said, though, the biggest news of the day, rookie wide receiver, ELEC I-O Manor, has beat out Van Jefferson for the starting X wide receiver spot. And guys, I have been talking about this potential since I.O. was drafted. He is the only guy on the roster that combines the size, the speed that the Titans don't necessarily have with the long-term potential. Look, Van Jefferson at 6'1, 6'2, 200-some pounds has great speed as well.

But Van Jefferson is just another guy in the NFL. He's just another depth-wide receiver. He's not somebody who's going to be with the Titans long-term. He's not going to be someone who changes this franchise, which is what we want. Elek Ayo Manor at 6'1, 6'1, 6'2, 215 pounds, being a rookie who's already ascended to a starting role, that is someone who has the ability to flip this franchise and be someone that can support Cam Ward. I think at the end of the day, what Tennessee Titans fans are hoping for is some more star players. We need some more star players. I'm tired of the Nick Westbrook Aquinas getting

all the shine. Why can't we have another A.J. Brown? I, yes, the NWIs of the world, the Bryce Oliver's are such a good story and I think Titans fans because we haven't had a lot of superstars throughout the Tennessee Titans history or at least not as many as a lot of other teams and especially at key positions like quarterback and wide receiver. Titans have had plenty on the O line, the D line and running back but where's all the other stuff? You know what I mean? the idea that Ellick I.O. Manor could turn into, you know, a bona fide star for the Titans is what makes everybody so excited about him.

And look, we still don't know that that's going to take place. I still think that, you know, he's a rookie wide receiver. He's going to come along a little bit slowly. But the fact that Iyo was able to beat out Van Jefferson already. And look, again, I'm not sitting here saying that Van Jefferson, you know, is some world beer who's going to be impossible to beat out. But teams don't just elevate rookies to be starters right away, especially a late fourth round rookie.

Like, they took Chim D.K. over I.O. So let's not pretend like this is a first or a second round receiver who was immediately going to be a starter right away. That was not guaranteed. So the fact that Iyo was able to perform in the preseason, show his explosiveness, show his size, show the route running ability, show a great connection with Cam Ward. That is something that you should be excited about.

Titans fans should be overjoyed. They should be over the moon right now. The I.O., a late fourth round rookie receiver, was able to climb the depth chart during training camp in the preseason and become a starter week one. Now, obviously the Tennessee Titans don't have a great wide receiver group and that's going to make it more possible for a mid-round rookie, a day-two rookie

to climb that ladder, of course. But look around the NFL right now. Look at teams that have bad wide receiver groups and you go find the fourth round wide receiver that's immediately the starter week one. It's not going to be very often. It's not impossible. It's not never going to happen.

But it's not going to be very often that a guy drafted as late as I.O. is elevated to a starter. whether that be on a team with a bad wide receiver group or a team with a good one. So again, no matter how you want to slice it, no matter what you want to say, this should be an incredibly exciting, incredibly optimistic development. Now, again, is it a complete total shocker? No, we talked about how the skill set of I.O. Manor makes him somebody who is unique to the Tennessee Titans and can play a specific role in the offense.

they don't have a lot of people that can do it. So, of course, that gives Iyo Manor a better chance. But again, we are talking about a late fourth round rookie becoming a day one starter. That's massive. That just doesn't happen. And we should all be so hype for that. So don't let anybody kill your excitement.

This is one thing that everybody says, I'm negative. There's nothing to be negative about here. Yeah, the Titans wide receiver group isn't great, but I have so much faith in I.O. Watching him destroy Travis Hunter in college still sticks out of my mind. This is a guy who, if he puts it all together, I think he's got, like, I would say, let me say this, let me not get crazy.

Let me not get crazy here. Let me try not to get crazy. But to me, I.O. can be Drake London. I think ELEC-I-O manner could be just as good as Drake London. He could be a top 15 wide receiver in the league of L. everything hits. His size, his speed, his route running ability, his contested a catch ability, his ability to block his lust for physicality. Let's call it love, because I don't think it's fake or temporary.

Okay? Or driven solely out of passion. Either way. I think he could be that good. Now, I also think that Elyon Manor could be a Michael Pittman type. And if the Titans got a Michael Pittman type who's a top, I would say top 40, top 45 receivers, in the NFL, if the Titans could have I.O. be a Michael Pittman type. That would still be absolutely nuts and see the vision, folks. Walk with me. Walk with me. I.O. is your big physical X receiver.

Calvin Ridley is your aging slot receiver. And then the Titans go out in 2027 and get a first round receiver like a Ryan Williams, a Jeremiah Smith. I know I'm down the line, but I'm just saying if Iyo can turn into a bona fide solid starting receiver, which I think he's on his way to doing, just absolutely massive for the Tennessee Titans. Now, some other things on the offensive side of the ball

that I want to point to here, Julius Chestnut is the number two running back after Tony Pollard. So Calell Mullings, the rookie who switched to number 31, by the way, another piece of news, will be the third string. That makes the most sense. I think they have more faith in Chestnut to carry the football than Mullings early on.

Also, worth noting here, Jackson Slater listed as the backup center. Very, very interesting right there, not listed as a backup guard. And then I do got to mention here, Gunner Helm is listed as tight end too. He is not tight end one. And I had some people say,

hey, I thought you said Gunner Helm would be tight end one. And I'm saying, I was early. Not wrong. Gunner is going to be the tight end that has the most snaps this season. I don't care what you got to say. I like Chig. I think Chik can be an explosive player,

but nothing can shake me off of that from what we've seen in the preseason, what we've heard about Helm. Helm will take the most snaps at Tide-in this year. I fully believe it. All health included. So, yeah, he's not tight-in one on the depth chart, but let's not play games here.

We know which Tide-N is going to be the best tight-end for the Titans this year. And, well, maybe it is up for debate, but I'm going with Gunner Helm. So that's what I have to say on the offensive side of the ball. Also, worth noting, J.C. Latham back at practice. good to go for week 1. That was an injury that we were monitoring. He's good to go. No worries there.

Other than that, offense is healthy, ready to roll. Denver on the way. Remember, guys, crossover Thursday is tomorrow. We'll be talking with my guy Sayer from Locked on Broncos. Two straight days. I basically game preview to get you ready for week 1. But now, let's talk about the defense. Today's episode is brought to you by Mazda. moving the game forward. It's brought to you by those who believe it's not just about playing the game, it's about redefining it because these moments do more than win. They push what's possible. They remind us to go that extra yard, shift

into that extra gear, keep the game moving forward. Look, for the Titans this year, they absolutely need to get the game moving forward. The Titans need to create that positive momentum so that they can keep driving their team forward and eventually the Titans might be able to drive the team to greatness. That's what keeps fans and players alike moving forward is they're always chasing that next great moment. When you follow what moves you, the unexpected is only the beginning. And just like there's more to every highlight, there's more to a Mazda vehicle. It's Mazda, move and be moved.

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and quite frankly there's just too much news there's too much to discuss the titans released their depth chart they added a new linebacker and i wanted to take a moment and say that as of tuesday this is my six year anniversary with locked on i'm going into my seventh season and i just want to tell you guys how thankful i am that you're rocking with me here on locked on titans i get to live my dream every single day and all I hope that I can do is give the same passion and energy and dedication that you would give if you were doing this show because at the end of the day I'm just like you guys. I'm just a big fan who went pro but with that being said again thanks again shout out everybody at locked on happy anniversary to me at the end of the day but

with that being said let's talk about defense because the biggest development on the defensive side of the ball and something that we have seen coming for quite some time now is Cedric Gray starting at inside linebacker. Now, I will admit defeat on this one. I will gladly take my L here, all right? I thought James Williams was going to win that job. I thought James Williams had a big advantage. And quite frankly, James Williams did have a big advantage.

James Williams was healthy during his entire rookie season and played more than Cedric Gray. James Williams was established as the starting linebacker early on in the training camp process. Cedric Gray not only won the linebacker job, he took it away from James Williams. No doubt about that. He took it away.

James Williams had every advantage to win that job. And I thought for certain that he would find a way to win that job. But Cedric Gray's explosiveness downhill in the run game, his ability is a blitzer. Just he found a way to do it. He found a way to take the spot away even when James Williams had the advantage. And remember, we talked about the linebacker,

job and I could say I think James Williams is going to win it. You could say you think Cedric Gray is going to win it. We could all, but what really, really matters for the Titans is that one of those linebackers is good. Like, they need one of those linebackers to be good. That's what really matters. It's not about, you know, this guy beating out this guy. Heck, I'll beat my brother in golf. Doesn't mean I didn't shoot a 50. You know what I mean? Like, that's not how it all works. It's not about who wins. It's about the winner being worth it. Okay? And I think this. Cedric Gray has shown that he can do some things. Now, I'm still a little bit worried about

Cedric Gray in coverage. I want to make sure that he's comfortable because it felt like James Williams with that safety experience might be a little more comfortable in coverage, even though he's a little bit of a bigger guy. But if Cedric Gray is going to be as explosive downhill and that good as a blitzer and that physical and that quick to read his keys, like the mental part of the game, Cedric Gray has been a linebacker for much longer than James Williams has. So it could be a situation where Cedric Gray and James Williams physically are pretty similar. But Cedric Gray is just dominating with the mental aspects,

reading his keys, knowing where to be, reading the offensive route combinations, understanding what's coming. I think I can point to at the time I didn't really freak out about it. But in the very first preseason game, I've been going back through the tape watching Femi a little bit over the last few days. and on one of the big plays

in the Tampa Bay game the Titans did a trap coverage where they blitz a cornerback and they drop back into coverage but the defensive end instead of dropping, and it was Femi instead of dropping into the flat the defensive end actually drops into a hook curl

over the middle of the field and the linebacker which was James Williams has to go over and replace the blitzing slot cornerback. And what you can do is, if the quarterback doesn't notice it, as James Williams slides over to replace the cornerback, if there's a slant or an end-breaking route coming,

well, the quarterback is going to throw hot, right? That's what you do, you throw at the blitz, because that's where the space has been vacated. The quarterback did that, and Williams was super late. It should have been an interception, and maybe a pick six. The Titans called a perfect coverage trap play to get an interception. And Williams was late.

Not only was he able to, or not only did he not get the interception, double negative, my English professors are rolling in their grave, but not only was he not able to get the interception, he didn't even get a pass breakup, and it was a completion. And when you call a specific trap play,

and it sets up perfectly, and your player just doesn't execute, I could see how Dernard Wilson could be saying, Mentally, James Williams is just not quite quick enough to where we need to be right now because that needed to be an interception. It was easy money. Great play call by Dinard Wilson. It was really cool. Look, guys, I still learn all the time. I am not, you know, it's not like I figured out football and I have nothing to learn ever.

I'm learning a ton all the time from people smarter than me about the game. And seeing that coverage play out and then I sent the play to somebody who I go to as a resource and they're like, yeah, this is a trap coverage. And like, seeing it all happen, I'm like, whoa, whoa. So cool to learn about the game like that. And hopefully you guys learn along with me here on the show and on the Tick-Tac Titans YouTube. But Cedric Gray deserves the win.

He was not the favorite early on and he found a way to fight all the way back. Now, some other things that stand out to me on the defensive side of the ball is, you know, Kevin Winston and Chondre Diggs are both ahead of Mike Brown. That's not really a shock or anything like that. but with Winston not being, you know, in the, in practices for a few weeks, and then Quandre Diggs being brand new, you didn't really know how that would shake out.

But to be honest with you, other than, you know, Cedric Gray winning linebacker, too, I don't really see anything on defense that, you know, really stands out to me. It's pretty much exactly what you would think. Now, I do want to say this on the defensive side of the ball. The Titans added a linebacker on Tuesday, and it's a veteran linebacker, White, okay, White played for the Arizona Cardinals last year, and man, he had a productive season. 17 games. 137 tackles. Yeah, a hundred and 337 tackles. Two and a half sacks, nine tackles for loss, three passes defended, one interception. This is one of the most

productive veteran linebackers in the NFL. Now look, is Kazir White going to be a starting linebacker for the Titans, no. He's going to be a depth linebacker. Him and James Williams are going to be, you know, fighting for those linebacker three duties. But Cazir White is a guy who super solid average starting linebacker in the NFL

if they need to be. If, you know, because we talked about this. I just said it. It's not about who wins the linebacker battle. It's are either of them good? And Cedric Gray won. But if Cedric Gray in year two isn't performing well

then the Titans are going to go to a guy like Kazir White. And what I like about White the most is, he is a great blitzer. He is a phenomenal blitzer. Look at his last four seasons. Two and a half sacks, two sacks, one and a half sacks, one sack with the chargers. Like in the last four years, what, quick math, two plus two and a half is four and a half, plus one and a half is six plus one. Seven sacks in four years for a lineback. Again, we're not talking about a pass rusher or something like that.

You know what I mean? We're talking about a lineback. That's good blitz ability right there. And let me also say something about Qazir White that I think really, really matters for the Tennessee Titans. And I talked to my guy Alex Clancy from Locked on Cardinals. And I saw a clip. I think my guy, Zach Lyons, from F words, retweeted it.

But it was the Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator saying he named his son after Cazir White because of how great of a man that he is in the locker room. And then my guy, like I said, Alex Clancy, my dog from Locked-on Cardinals, first thing he said to me when he texted me

when he saw it was, he's going to fire up the locker room. So not only are the Titans getting a super, super solid veteran player at linebacker where they needed a fourth guy who can blitz and fits in their scheme, but they're getting somebody who is really a. culture guy in the locker room. Super accountable, honest, willing to grill himself if he makes

mistakes. And I think having a guy like that in the linebacker room with young guys like Cedric Gray and James Williams, it will teach them more accountability. It will teach them more humility. It will teach them. I am the type of person personally. I know it may not seem that way. But I am very willing to criticize myself, especially with sports and different things that We're doing like, I'm willing to look at it and say, hey, I did not do a great job. Especially in cooking, I'm going to be the first person to tell you this meal sucks. I messed up. This isn't good enough.

Having people around who are willing to criticize themselves and take that accountability and be a thumb pointer, not a finger pointer. It's infectious. You can't avoid being like that if everyone around you is being like that. That's how accountability, accountability is policed by the locker room, not the coaches. It's the other players around you taking accountability that makes you feel embarrassed if you don't. That is culture. That's what you need.

And Cazir White is a guy like that. Now, White was added to the practice squad. And a lot of people are like, oh, does this mean, you know, James Williams is going to be cut? Or does this mean he's starting or, you know, they added Cazir White to the practice squad. And this is a good moment to talk about cap logistics and cap gymnastics. What the Titans are doing is if you're a veteran player and you're on a roster week one, your salary is guaranteed for the season. If you're a veteran and you're on a practice squad and you get elevated on game day

and then you get signed to the active roster in week three, now your salary isn't fully guaranteed for the season. can cut you without losing that cap space. So, Khazir White will be on the Titans, 53 man roster. It may take, this is what I was talking about with Corey Levin and James Prochet, that it might be like that with them as well, you know what I mean? But this is cap gymnastics. Now, here's what I'll say.

I was wrong about James Prochet being back on the roster in a couple of weeks because the Titans are not kidding about Chim Dekh being their starting returner. Today's episode is brought to you. you by Yahoo! Fantasy. The NFL season is right around the corner and you can feel the buzz. Fantasy football season is here. Everyone's researching, drafting, building their championship squads. If you haven't joined a league yet, now's the time and it's all happening on Yahoo Fantasy. This year, I am going to be playing fantasy football on Yahoo Fantasy and you should too, whether you're a first-timer or a veteran creating their millionth league.

So let me lay this out for you guys. We are going to be doing a Locked-on Titans fantasy Football League. There are some things going behind the scenes that have delayed when I can roll that out to you guys and get everybody signed up and all of that. I'm hoping that I might be able to roll that out on Friday show, the game preview. If not, I'll do a special bonus episode to roll that out to you guys, but got some great stuff coming down the line and it will include playing some awesome fantasy football on Yahoo! Fantasy season kicks off on September the 4th. So now is the time to start playing Yahoo Fantasy football. You could do a guillotine league, which is what we're going to be doing

where the lowest scoring team gets eliminated each week. You want to play with your friends. They have a new draft with friends mode. You want to play the classics, join a head-to-head private league. You got no crew to play with. Just join a public league. It's the easiest way to play. The NFL season kicks off September the 4th. So don't wait. Start your league now. Draft now at Yahoo!Fantasy.com slash locked on NFL. That's yahoofantasy.com Slash Locked on NFL. Today's episode is also brought to you by Fandul Sportsbook. Look, the NFL season is here, as I just said.

And Fandoa is making sure that you're ready for kickoff with a can't miss offer. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you'll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Again, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you'll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. I love using Fandul. Number one, the app is so visually stunning. It looks so incredible.

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I got to hedge my bets. But if you are ready to play and you should be, download the Fandual app now by visiting Fandr to get started. That's fandle.com to place your first $5 bet. We talked about Cedric Gray as the starting linebacker and adding Cazir White. Now we've got to talk about the special teams, folks, because I thought, I thought, I thought that the Titans were just playing roster games

and that James Prochet would be elevated to the active roster to be the punt returner. And that after a couple of weeks, James Prochay would be the Titans punt returner and added to the active roster. But I think I was wrong. Because Bones Fossil, the Titans Special Teams coordinator, came out today. And he, how do I, so a couple of weeks ago, I don't want to call him a liar, but he lied, he's lying.

And he could do whatever he wants, coach speaking out of every once, but Bones Fossil just simply lied to everybody. A couple of weeks ago, Bones Fossil said Chim D.K. was not ready to be the Titans full-time returner. And a lot of people in the media, including me, who watch the pressers and listen to every single quote, and do this for work. Looked at that and said, oh, well, that means James Prochet is going to make the roster. James Prochet is going to be the starting kick returner because he literally just said

that the only other guy who could possibly take that rule isn't ready. Well, Bones Fossil was asked about it again on Tuesday and he said that, basically he said he wasn't lying, he wanted Chim D.K. to earn it. So if you're Bones Fossil and you heard me say, he's a liar, he would say, I didn't lie, I said he wasn't ready for it, I was telling the truth, and over the last couple of weeks, he's earned it. Now, I don't know how you could earn it with the minimal amount of reps that Chim D.K. could have gotten since Bones Fossil said that

comment, but either way. Either way, nonetheless, what I think is, I think it was nonsense all long, I think that it was a coach being like, oh, we're going to make the rookie earn it. We're not going to let the rookie have it early on. We're going to blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and say that he's not ready for it. And blah, blah, blah, blah, all the while knowing that they were never going to keep Prochet on the roster and keep seven wide receivers. And they were going with Chim D.K. all long as their returner. So I don't buy the coach speak story.

But either way, this is great news for the Tennessee Titans. It's great news. because Chim Dike was drafted in part because he could be a good returner. He was a returner in college. He had some good returns. Like, that is value that as a 6-foot-1 speed receiver, they can play in the slot, they can play Z,

and they can also be your starting returner, that sort of value, like, again, we go back to, I thought Elyke-O-Manner would always end up being a better wide receiver than Chim D.K. But Elet can't return, and the Titans desperately need a returner. They have for years. So, if Chim Dekay is truly able to be the Titans' returner of the future, which sounds funny to say, but whatever,

while also being a constant depth-wide receiver, Chim D-K, I hope, by next year, is Calvin Ridley's direct backup as the Z. Chim Dike could be maybe the starter at slot. I don't know if that's going to be the case. I think the Titans need to still upgrade at wide receiver and with I.O. at X and Ridley at Z. I don't know if the Titans do add a big upgrade at wide receiver,

like, you know, let's say they got a Zachariah Branch or whatever out of Georgia and let him run in the slot. I don't know that he's a pure slot receiver or anything like that, but just an example. If the Titans do that, I just think that Chim D.K.'s best role, and you guys play baseball, any of you guys follow baseball, a utility infielder. I think that Chim Dike should be a utility wide receiver. No, he's not a pure

starter. He's not a bona fide starting. Now, if he turns into that, then great. But I don't know that I see that right now. I think D.K. can be that utility wide receiver while also being the Titan starting punt returner and kickoff returner. And I think that could be a great role. for Chim Dekay going forward and I think a lot of you guys will hear that and be like, oh, no, I want him to, yes, I'd love Chim Dekay to turn into Dishon Jackson. Awesome. But let's be realistic here. If DK is the starting returner and the utility wide receiver,

that's the number four wide receiver that can fill in at multiple different spots, that's still a massive help to the Titans roster. Now, do want to mention, the other kick returner, which I think would have been Tage Spears had he been healthy, is Bryce Oliver. And Bryce Oliver is another guy who, excellent role player for the Titans, if he's able to do that successfully.

And I do find it interesting that both Bryce Oliver and Chim DeK are both kind of bigger guys. I mean, they're not huge, they're not Mike Evans and Megatron, you know what I mean? But they're not small guys either. They're not a, you know, Zay Flowers, Xavier Restrepo, Kyle Phillips, small returner type guy. You know what I mean? They're both over six foot.

So I find that interesting that Titans want bigger, more physical guys doing kickoff return. But Bryce Oliver is another good example. Is Bryce Oliver going to get any Tennessee Titans fans hype like Elyle-O-Manor in the opening segment? No. But the Titans as a professional football team need a guy who can be a great gunner on coverage teams

who can run on kickoff return and catch the ball and can play some depth wide receiver as well. That sort of special teams value is a gunner and a coverage guy and a kickoff return guy and then the utility that he can provide as an X or a Z on offense, that sort of stuff is big. That's important.

So, with that being said, though, that's my thoughts on the Titans' first debt chart. Again, tomorrow we're going to have crossover Thursday with my guy Sayer from Locked on Broncos, go behind enemy lines. I'm going to have my preview episode on Friday. I'm going to be going live after the game. Last thing I want to say is,

I know I mentioned it earlier, but thank you all so much again for listening to the show, getting subscribed, liking even my haters. Even my haters. Thank you. Thank you. I, you know, I say this stuff all the time and I know it sounds like I'm being braggadocious, but I really want to inspire people who may not feel like they're where they need to be. I was homeless at 16. I'm a college dropout. I slept on a mattress on a ground in my brother's spare bedroom for most of my 20s.

I had $20 in my pocket when I started doing this show and I got the opportunity like I was 28 years old I'd given up on my dream to ever talk about sports for a living it was over I thought

you just never know folks like you just never know keep grinding keep pushing don't give up your dream never give up at any time don't let it die you know

don't forget your dinosaur as a stepbrother's reference there for you guys But seriously, thank you all so much, so grateful every single day for all of you guys tuning in and making this real. Let's rock, boys. The seasons right here, tighten up. That's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.

Thank you.