Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - CAM WARD COMPARISON: Dak Prescott, Baker Mayfield, Jordan Love & Closing Time for Burks and NPF

Episode Date: April 1, 2025

The Tennessee Titans are set to take Cam Ward at #1 overall and make him their franchise quarterback, but Titans fans need to have the correct expectations. Players like Dak Prescott, Baker Mayfield and Jordan Love should be examples of what a good outcome for Cam Ward would be. Also, two recent busts in Treylon Burks and Nicholas Petit-Frere were given votes of confidence this week and it makes zero sense. The truth is the Titans aren't going to crush these guys publicly whether they want them around or not. Finally, some league rules changed on Tuesday and some benefit the Titans with Cam Ward. 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 Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime. Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. 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)

Of course, the Tennessee Titans should hope that Cam Ward is elite, but if he can just be a second tier quarterback, that'd be a big hit for the Tennessee Titans. I'll give you some good comparisons for Cam Ward 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 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 Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account, use the code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase on today's show. I'm going to go over some comparisons for Cam Ward and the level of play that Tennessee Titans fans and the team should be hoping for. And I know that a lot of you may not agree. Also, we'll talk about Traylon Burks and NPF continuing to get chances on this roster and why it makes me roll my eyes. And finally, there were some big league rules that got changed on Tuesday.

I'll go over why I think some of those rule changes actually help the Tennessee Titans. Before I get into all of it though, do want to thank you for making Locked on Titans 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.

Speaking of every day, shout out to my every dayers out there tuning in Monday through Friday. If you aren't an every dayer, you need to be one because the draft is right around the corner. And next week we are going to start our 2025 locked on Titans NFL draft preview series, where I our 2025 locked on Titans NFL draft preview series, where I go over 100 to 200 NFL draft prospects, height, weight, speed, play style, strengths, weaknesses, what round they should go.

And I'm going to go over the day one, day two, day three options at every position. Make sure that you get subscribed, stay subscribed to your team every day. But again, I want to talk about some cam ward comparisons here because I feel like, and I say this all the time that there is a culture now online where things are either trash or treasure, either elite or garbage. And there's very, very little room in between. Even nowadays you hear the term mid M I D it's mid. Well, now that means bad, but in reality, mid is just middle of the road. Mid is just middle. You know what

I mean? So nowadays, even the middle, even good is considered bad. If you're not great, if you're not elite, then you're bad. And that is just such a toxic way to view sports in my opinion, especially when you're talking about player value and player rankings, you know, a guy like Cody Barton, Cody Barton signed by the Titans to be middle linebacker in free agency is Cody Barton and elite linebacker. No, does that mean he's bad? No, he's somewhere in between.

And I think that, especially when we're talking about quarterbacks, the idea is if you don't have an elite quarterback, then your quarterbacks not good enough. And I think the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, I think both of those teams proved you don't necessarily need one of the top four elite quarterbacks, you need a second tier quarterback and a great roster. That's the difference. If you have a really good roster with a second tier quarterback, you can

beat teams with an elite quarterback. I would say that the Kansas city chiefs over the last few years have had just a, a good roster with a great elite all time quarterback, but a team like the Eagles, Jalen hurts as an elite, nobody's acting like Jalen hurts is elite. Matthew Stafford maybe was elite, but when he won it for the Rams, he was just a really, really great quarterback. Not one of the elite top four guys. Matthew Stafford is not an elite top five quarterback.

Like that's just not where he's at. That's not where he is at when they won the super bowl. And again, the conversation is so toxic now that me saying that people are, Oh, you hate Matthew Stafford. Why? I think Matthew Stafford is high in the second tier of quarterbacks in the NFL. That's exactly where he was when they won the super bowl. But the point is you don't need any lead quarterback to win a super bowl.

It makes it easier to have one for sure. But my point with all of this is if the Titans take cam ward number one overall, of course, of course I hope that he's elite. I hope that he's up there with my homes and Lamar and burrow and Alan. Those are the only four elite quarterbacks in the NFL. My homes, Alan burrow Lamar. That are the only four elite quarterbacks in the NFL. Mahomes, Allen, Burrow, Lamar. That's how I'd rank them. That's the top four and everybody else is after those four guys. No one else is on that level. So when the Titans take Cam Ward number one overall, of course you

hope that he's one of those elite guys, but the reality is that's probably unlikely. And while I want that to happen, him being one of the elite top five quarterbacks in the NFL is not the only way that taking him number one overall is a success. I pointed some other quarterbacks in the NFL. I think Cam Ward is very similar in talent level to a guy like Dak Prescott at the NFL level, not Dak Prescott, the prospect, but at the NFL level, I think cam ward's talent level could have him on the same level as Dak Prescott as a player. And a lot of people went nuts online when I said that and Mina times from ESPN was agreeing

with me. We were talking about this after I retweeted one of her highlights, comparing Dak Prescott's ability to throw within tight windows at the intermediate level to Cam Ward. And I agree with the comparison. Dak Prescott has a good arm. Cam Ward has a good arm. Is it elite like my Holmes? No, but they can throw a tremendous velocity.

They can throw with anticipation, hit tight windows over the middle of the field, Dak Prescott was rookie of the year. Dak Prescott got second in MVP voting, runner up in the MVP in 2023, just two seasons ago. He's the second team All-Pro. He's been over 4,000 passing yards. No Tennessee Titans quarterback ever has thrown for 4,000 yards. Dak Prescott has gone over 4,000 three times in his career,

including 4,900 yards. Dak Prescott has gone over 4,000 three times in his career, including 4,900 yards in a season. He's had over 30 touchdown passes three times. In 2023, he went for 4,500 yards, 69% completions, 36 touchdowns, nine interceptions. He's won 76 games and lost 46 in his career. Like that would be the best, or right up there with Steve McNair for the best quarterback in Tennessee Titans history.

Statistically, that would blow away any other quarterback in Tennessee Titans history. That would destroy even Ryan Tannehill's best years. So like I just feel like we don't talk about this the proper way. If the Tennessee Titans got Dak Prescott level play, if the Tennessee Titans got Jordan Love level play, if the Tennessee Titans got Jared golf level play, if the Tennessee Titans got, uh, Baker Mayfield level, Baker Mayfield and Jared golf were number one overall picks. They are not failures. Their careers are not bus.

They are good quarterback. The Lions are perennial contenders. Baker Mayfield gets his team to the playoffs all the time. Jordan Love has won big time playoff games and got his team to a conference finals. Now, you're going to say all those quarterbacks had good teams. He has won big time playoff games and got his team to a conference finals. Now you're going to say all those quarterbacks had good teams. They have good teams. Well, the Titans have to have a good team too. Again, I would love if cam ward was an elite Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes level quarterback, but the reality is second tier quarterbacks

can win super bowl and we just saw Jaylen Hertz do it. Yes, you need to have a great roster, but that is life for 28 NFL teams that don't have one of those top four guys, right? Your quarterbacks rank them, go on to tear maker or grab a piece of paper and a pen, rank your quarterbacks from one to 32. I got the four elite guys up top, but after that Justin Herbert, Jaylen Hertz, Dak Prescott, Jared golf, Matthew Stafford, Jayden Daniels, Jordan love Baker Mayfield. Those eight guys, nine guys are my next group of guys. Those are the great quarterbacks.

They're not the elite, but those are the great quarterbacks in the NFL. And then the third tier is Brock Purdy, Gino Smith, Derek Carr, Kyler Murray, Bo Nix, Trevor Lawrence, CJ Stroud, Tua, Sam Darnold. I would say guys like Michael Pennex, Drake May, Bryce Young, Caleb Williams. I don't know about those guys yet. I don't know where to put them yet. They're too young. They're too unproven.

And then Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rogers, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, Daniel Jones, Anthony Richardson, Deshaun Watson, all those guys. You need to move on. Those guys are bad. Those are the worst quarterbacks in the NFL and you need a new one. But again, people act like it's trash or treasure, trash or treasure, and there's nowhere in between and that's not the truth. So when I say, I hope Pam Ward is as good as Dak Prescott, Baker Mayfield, Jordan Love, Jared golf, and people look at me sideways, I'm looking sideways right back at you because the lack of nuance and the lack of detail to the conversations, especially online now. It's, it's just abhorrent.

I don't know how else to say it. It's so annoying. You can't have any real discussions. The Titans would be blessed to have Dak Prescott on their team. So yeah, I want Cam Ward to win more playoff games than Dak Prescott, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But I'm saying the level of player that Dak and Baker and love and golf, the, the level of player that those guys are is exactly the type of player that the Tennessee Titans need at quarterback.

Of course they want elite, but the odds are very low that they get elite. So I am telling you have proper expectations with proper comparisons. If cam ward is Jaylen hurts, Dak Prescott, Jordan Love, Baker Mayfield, Jared golf, that is a massive, massive hit for the Tennessee Titans with the number one overall pick. But with that being said, talk about some other picks that, uh, didn't hit for the Titans. Do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by Game Time.

Look, the college basketball tournament is coming to a close. You only got a few opportunities left to go see it in person. Imagine watching your favorite team live, feeling the energy of the crowd, witnessing those unforgettable moments. Again, there's nothing like experiencing that big game in person. And getting tickets to those games shouldn't be stressful. And that's where game time comes in, making it easier than ever to grab last minute seats

at unbeatable prices. I love game time because they have the best features in the industry. You got game time picks, which brings the best deals and the best value on the best tickets directly to you. You get a panoramic view from your seat. So you literally know what you're going to be looking at when you sit down. There's no surprise fees at checkout and game time has the game time guarantee, which means you get the lowest price or game time is going to credit you 110% of the difference, take the guesswork out of buying tickets with game time, download

the game time app, create an account, use the code lockedonNFL for $20 off your first purchase. That's L-O-C-K-E-D-O-N-N-F-L for $20 off. Download GameTime today. Last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed. Titans fans. Let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Again, I gave some what I think are accurate comparisons for Cam Ward, not really as like a, uh, a skillset or a style, but in terms of talent level and where we hope that he could be within the rankings of NFL quarterbacks and what the Titans need for this pick to be a hit, but now I want to talk about some guys who we may be at the beginning

of cam ward, but we need to be at the end for these players. And I'm going to start with trailing Berks. How many chances is trailing Ber'm going to start with Traylen Berks. How many chances is Traylen Berks going to get? So at the owners meetings, the league meetings that are happening right now, Brian Callahan gave some quotes to local media and media in general during a breakfast with the coaches, which man wouldn't it suck to have to eat your breakfast while answering a bunch of questions from media. It doesn't sound like a very peaceful breakfast to me, but anyway, Brian Callahan said, quote, Trey did some good things.

I'd like to see more from him. He'll have an opportunity like everyone else. Again, it's a position we need guys to step up. And I'm like, what good things did Traylen Burks do last year? You'd like to see more from them. I'd like to see less. But seriously, here's the reality with the Traylen Burks situation. He's got a bum knee. They already said earlier in the all season over the weekend that Traylen Burks probably

not going to be ready for training camp, but should be ready for the regular season. So what else are they going to do? If you were hoping to maybe flip him for a sixth or seventh round pick, just the team wanting to take a chance on him in the lack, we just saw Jonathan Mingo go for a fourth, I could get a seventh rounder out of Traylen Burks. Right. But I can't do that while he's got a torn ACL. So the Titans are basically stuck.

And with Traylen Burks, you don't save any money. There's no savings. If you cut Traylen Burks, he's going to count $4.5 million against the salary cap regardless. Whether he's on the team, off the team, you know, he is owed $4.5 million in salary cap space. I believe that's the amount. So, you can cut him, but what's that for? And your wide receiver group doesn't look good. And if you cut him, you ruin any opportunity that you could maybe trade him in the summer.

If somebody gets hurt, you know, it just, it just, you're playing your cards too soon. You might as well check and just get another look at things. So while I know that it's probably frustrating for some folks to hear Trey did some good things, I want to see more from him. The reality is with his injury situation, there's really not much else for the titans to do. It's either cut him or just keep him around and leave your possibilities open. So not cutting him now when they don't really need the money, they have $30 million in cash base approximately still available.

There's no need to sell your scrounging up change and you need to go pawn off Traylon Burks to get a little bit of money back. Plus again, you're not going to save any salary cap money. That the money is done. There is no saving money by cutting Traylon Burks. That's not happening. So it is what it is. It's not like where there's dead money, but you get some cap savings

because there's non-guaranteed salary that you get rid of. No, it's all guaranteed. It's his rookie contract. It's, like where there's dead money, but you get some cap savings because there's non guaranteed salary that you get rid of No, it's all guaranteed. It's his rookie contract. It's it's there so there's really no point to rush a decision and if you get into the summer and You do need a little bit of cash Now you might be able to flip Berks For somebody else to use his money to maybe help yourself out. Or if you need a little bit of money in the summer, now you can go to the next guy that

we're going to talk about and that's Nicholas Petit Ferrer. Now NPF is not a good NFL player folks. It's, you know, I, I, I feel bad, but that's the truth. It's proven out. He's had plenty of opportunities. He's had plenty of snaps, plenty of reps. We've all seen enough. All right. NPF is not a starting level tackle. I don't even know if he should be on an NFL roster, probably practice squad level player, but via Paul Kowarski, Mike Borganzi said, quote, I see him competing in camp for one of those spots, maybe swing tackle role at this point, but it'll be there

competing. All right. Look again, this is another situation where there's just no reason to cut NPF right now because you don't need the money. Now when you get into the summertime and you want to go out and make a free agent signing, a trade is available to you, something like that, and you maybe need a little bit more room, you want to sign your draft picks. Well now the three million dollars that I can save on the salary cap with NPF, now I'll do that. Now I'll take, I'll take that money now. They don't need it right now.

But here's the truth. Blake Hance was brought in in free agency as a versatile offensive lineman. Jalen Duncan still on the roster. And I think that they like Jalen Duncan as a player more than NPF personally. You go into the draft, you can draft a developmental tackle. You can bring in another undrafted free agent. You could sign another veteran free agent between now and the draft or now in training camp. So I guess I know that it's frustrating and people are freaking out.

Like, why are they giving Traylen Berks another? Why are they giving it? Well, the reality is that cutting them right now is just not necessary. The Titans don't need to. They're not in a situation where they need that space or that money. It just doesn't make sense to do things now. So just let it play out.

I'm sick of them getting chances, but I feel very confident that Brian Callahan is going to make the same mistake he made last year. He played Traylen Berks for too long. It should have been NP or it should have been NWI. He's not going to make the same mistake again. He even admitted that it was a mistake and he should have went to NWI quicker. He's not going to turn around and make that same mistake again. So the Titans are going to add a wide receiver in the draft.

I think they're going to sign a veteran at some point as well. Who knows what they could do as we get into the summer, but I guess I'm just not taking these comments as, oh, this is what they're saying and nothing will change. Like, there's no way that Traylen Burks could be off this team. There's no way the NPF won't be there competing in training camp. Like things change quick folks. So I'm not overly concerned and I'm not going to take that as a final statement on these two players and their status.

But with that being said, some rules changed in the NFL this week. I'm going to go over some of those changes and why I think a couple of them really benefit the next version of the locked on Titans podcast. We talked about some fair comparisons for Cam Ward and where I hope that he's able to get to. We talked about NPF and Traylen Burks and their current situation, but now I wanna talk about some topical NFL news that I think does affect the Tennessee Titans. Before I get into it,

thanks again for making Locked on Titans your first listen for your second listen. Check out Locked on NFL Draft. It's draft season. I'm starting my draft preview for the Titans next week. You gotta start getting, diving deep into the draft info if you haven't already started. Locked started locked on NFL draft free Monday through Friday, just like locked on Titans, make sure that you check that out.

But the biggest change or non change, I guess, is with the tush push. So the brotherly shove, whatever you want to call it. The Philadelphia Eagles specialized quarterback sneak. Well, it sounded like early in the week that the tush push was going to get banned by the NFL, but it turns out only 16 of the 32 teams agreed to ban it. And you need 24 teams to ban or to make any of these changes. You need 24 signatures to do it. Only 16 were there. So the NFL tabled the discussion until May when there are some more league meetings.

But I think if you're the Tennessee Titans, you don't want the tush push band. I think Cam Ward, while Cam Ward is not the runner that, I'll admit, I thought Cam Ward had a little more mobility to him in the college football season than I do right now. And my expectations for what that mobility can be production wise are a little bit lower. Now, again, I think that he's more in the Dak Prescott, Baker Mayfield,

Jordan love area of athleticism, like CJ Stroud level, where he could pick up things with his legs. He can extend plays. He's not a statue, but he's nowhere near Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jaylen Hertz, Kyler Murray, even Jaden Daniels. Like. He's not on that level when we talk about mobility and athleticism from the quarterback position, he's not quite there.

So. ability and athleticism from the quarterback position. He's not quite there. So with that being said though, he's still very bulky for a size. Cam ward is a thick built guy. All right. And he's smart and savvy about the way he runs. So I think with cam ward's build and his ability to get low and drive his legs and run with some power, I think the Titans would actually be really good at the tush push with cam more. So I, and the Titans are a team that is looking for a bigger

offensive line now think about Aaron Brewer, you know, and how small Aaron Brewer was and think about Kush who's six foot five, three 13 way bigger. All right. Zeitler think about more at six foot six and what they did with JC Latham and taking Peter Skowronski who was a tackle into a guard spot. The Titans won a monster offensive line, which I think helps with the tush push as well. So the tush push not banned as of right now could be banned when the next league

meetings happen in May, but not right now. And I think that's a good thing. And I think for the Titans, they need to vote against banning the tush push. Also, they changed the touchback rules. This is something that we heard could be coming. I've mentioned it before in the show in passing, but they've changed the kickoff rules where a touchback will actually bring a team out to the 35 yard line. And I think this benefits the Tennessee Titans.

Number one, teams are more likely to kick the ball in a returnable place. They're not just going to kick touchbacks because 35 is significantly more likely to produce a score. Then the 30, like it was the 25 and the 20 before that. All right. So now teams aren't going to be as willing to kick it into the end zone for a touchback. And last year, Joey sly Titans new kicker went from like 85% in 2023 to like 67% touchback rate.

I'm telling you, I am a sick, sick individual in my head that I can from memory, pull up the touchback percentage of the Titans new free agent kicker. Folks, I am sick in the head. All right. And if you ever wonder why I was able to do this as being a college dropout and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, it's because of something wrong with me. Okay. I don't know why, but I can tell you off the top of my head that about 67% of his

touchback opportunities and in the touchbacks. And it's because Joey Sly was with the Patriots and they were a team that strategically used the kickoff more than other teams who would just kick touchbacks. Joey Sly has a cannon for a leg. All right. He could kick a million touchbacks if you want, but he also last year with the Patriots had the opportunity to do a lot of directional kicking. And I think that new Titan special teams coordinator, Bones Fossil saw that. And that's why he went after Joey Sly.

Hey, this guy can bomb 60 yard field goals. And he also is a weapon with the kickoff. And now you don't want to do that. Pinning returners in certain areas based on what your coverage team is doing is going to be more important and more valuable than ever. Also on the flip side of that, if you have a good return unit and you have good return ability as a special teams group, that can be even more of a weapon because teams are going to have the opportunity to return kickoffs more than ever now.

So if you're a good special teams group, this is going to help you in a major way. And with bones fossil taken over and the Titans bringing back Justin Hardy, who was their best special teams player, the Titans resigned him on Tuesday, their best special teams player. Now you're back. You got James Prochet it. Bring in Johnny Hecker. Bring in Joey Sly. I trust Bones Fossil to make the Titans one of the better special teams groups in the NFL. He's proven he can do it over and over and over again throughout his career. So this kickoff change is going to be a big help to the Titans if that proves to be true Some other things that happen More assisted replay so from the booth instead of taking time to go replay and have the referee look in the thing Now they're just going to you know, look at it at the league office and tell them more of that speed up reviews and replays

Speed them up. Let's go There's an overtime change. Both teams get the ball no matter what. Both teams will possess the football in overtime. Just like it was for the playoffs recently, they put it into the regular season. I don't know that I like that, but regardless, it's here. And then they did finally change the first down thing. They're still going to have the chain gang on the sideline for a backup, but they are going to do the microchip in the ball. I've talked about why I'm totally against that.

I want less robots. I want less science in my sports. Keep the human element, keep the drama. When the chain gang slams down the chain and it shows that it's an inch short on a fourth down and the crowd goes wild. That is a way better moment of drama and sports and human nature than, well, the robot tells us that it was a first down by two tenths of an inch first down. Telling you guys, the more we put science into art, the worse that it gets, the worse that it gets. And sports are art.

They are human art. So I won't go on my societal rage against the machines, Tyler against the machines diatribe for you guys, but you know, how I feel about the first down chip and robot umpires has a lot to do with how I feel about, you know, AI and all that, you know, and this fake art that we're seeing everywhere. Watch Terminator folks. They tried to warn us. What are we doing? Get the robots out of my sports. But with that being said, old man yelling at the cloud, Tyler is back and it's probably time for me to drink a warm glass of milk and go to bed. But with that being said, that's going to do it for me today, folks.

As always, I am your host, Tyler Rollin, and this was Locked on Titans.