Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Cam Ward STRUGGLES CONTINUE at Tennessee Titans OTAs as Robert Saleh SHOWS SUPPORT for Young QB

Starting point is 00:00:00 I believe in Cam Ward, and no bad week of practice in the middle of June is going to change my mind. I'll 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 Rowland Titans fans on today's show. We're going to break down everything. You need to know from Tennessee Titans OTAs on Thursday, their final voluntary OTA practice.

Starting point is 00:00:44 We're going to talk about all the veteran players that showed back up to get ready for mandatory minicamp next week. We're going to talk about the second year standouts because there's a lot of guys going into year two that are having good practices right now. But we got to start with more Cam Ward conversation because it was another tough practice for Cam Ward. Ward to cap off a week long of rough practices at Titans OTAs, but I don't care.

Starting point is 00:01:13 I believe in Cam Ward. I am committed to Cam Ward and a bad week of practice in June isn't going to change my mind. That's truly what it comes down to. Look, what I prefer for all of the reports to be positive, would I prefer to just slice and dice the defense every day. He's perfect. Pass never hits the ground. Touchdown after touchdown. Success nonstop. Would I like to hear that? Yes. Wouldn't you? Wouldn't you like to hear positive things? Don't we all love to hear positive things? But the reality is life isn't full of positive things.

Starting point is 00:01:54 Every practice isn't going to be great. Every throw isn't going to be great. That is not a realistic outcome for any quarterback, even the best quarterbacks in NFL history. They didn't all have great practices, great OTAs, great training camp sessions, great games for that matter. That's not the way that it works. And I'll tell you this, if I'm going to stop believing in Cam Ward, if I'm going to lose my commitment to Cam Ward

Starting point is 00:02:22 as the face of this franchise and the franchise quarterback, the guy who's going to lead us out of the abyss, who's going to turn this franchise around and get this team back to winning and give us the superstar quarterback that we've been longing for for so long. If I'm going to give up on that dream, it sure is heck ain't going to be because of a week of practice in June. Now, that is not me saying that these practices don't matter.

Starting point is 00:02:47 I am team, everything matters. I have said throughout the process, these practices matter. But they matter from an individual technique standpoint, an individual growth standpoint, a connection to your teammate standpoint. They matter for the things that they set up and the foundation that they lay. They are not going to be the determiner in whether Cam Ward's career is a success or a failure.

Starting point is 00:03:11 Whether Cam Ward can be that guy that we just described for the Tennessee Titans, whether he can do that. These practices are not going to make or break that. And we've talked all week about the circumstances. New system. New teammates. This time of year is when you're supposed to be in the lab, working on your craft, trying things, doing things. talked about that all week long to contextualize the struggles

Starting point is 00:03:39 that Cam Ward is happening right now. And if you didn't believe me, maybe you'll listen to Robert Sala. Because Robert Sala, Tennessee Titans head coach, provided some support to his young quarterback as well before practice. He said, I'll put myself out there.

Starting point is 00:04:00 I think it's very safe to say that we've got a really, really, really good quarterback and we're in good hands. He says, Dable does a great job. They're scripted practice in a way that gets the entire offense better. We're making sure that he has a chance to see every single look. We're trying to make sure that he sees everything.

Starting point is 00:04:20 I think he's been great this time of year where he's got to try some things. He's got to see what he can and can't do. The head coach of the team is explaining it to you. dable does a good job we're making sure he has a chance to see every single look they're testing him with every single possible complex coverage that they can so that he can see it now

Starting point is 00:04:46 work on it now and then when we get to training camp when we get to preseason games and more importantly when we get to regular season games he's seen those coverages and those looks multiple times but he's seeing some stuff for the first time that he's ever seen it in this system right now So it's going to be more difficult. I add in as I've added in the context all week,

Starting point is 00:05:08 they've been working on two-minute drill, third down, red zone, third and long, got to have its situation, strike zone situations where you've got to throw it to the end zone from 25 yards out. When you see Cam Ward went like Terry McCormick reported Thursday, Cam went 12 for 24. Well, you know, like we've seen in other practices, that's not just 12 for 24 in a regular game.

Starting point is 00:05:31 that situational drills that are happening that could be and should be and based on what we're hearing here of how they're throwing different looks at them more difficult than what you're going to see in a normal game script flow throughout the year. So all of that context is important here. But again, outside of the context

Starting point is 00:05:52 of why these struggles are not something to freak out about, outside of it all, again, I'm committed to Cam Ward. Like, that's what it comes down to. I have seen this guy make incredible plays in football games during moments where it counts. I've seen him make clutch plays falling away,

Starting point is 00:06:14 escape, throw it across the field to his teammate, bomb one down field, the big throw against the Cardinals, the big throw against the Texans to tie things up to Chick. Like I have seen Cam Ward display incredible arm talent, generational playmaking skills, leadership abilities

Starting point is 00:06:32 with the worst coaching and the worst weapons and supporting cast. in the entire NFL. And now a supporting cast is better. His coaching is better. He's a year stronger and better with more growth. You think I'm going to give up on him now? After I have watched every single snap

Starting point is 00:06:51 that Cam Ward has played on the All-22, the coach's tape, I have watched every single snap, five, six, seven times at this point. And you think that these June practices and OTAs are going to make me come off of the way that I feel, on the tape that I watched of the real games? Again, I am not here to tell you that these OTAs don't matter

Starting point is 00:07:14 and that it doesn't matter that Cam Ward is not playing his best. He needs to get better. He's got to play better and he's got to grow. But it's not unexpected. And as I pointed out yesterday, and as many Titans content creators at this point have pointed out, and people have pointed it out so much that people are saying it back to me in my comments of videos

Starting point is 00:07:33 where I mention it. Caleb Williams, Drake May, numerous examines, throughout NFL history of young quarterback struggling during the all season with big changes. Look at Caleb Williams and Drake May, scheme change, coaching change, new faces, new places, struggles early on, and that pressure and that adversity and those obstacles and those struggles and those bad practices that those guys had in the summer, the pressure made diamonds. and they turn into superstar breakouts during the year. So that's just where I'm at.

Starting point is 00:08:11 We can talk about the context, this, that, the third, I don't care. At the end of the day, it comes down to this. I am committed to Cam Ward. I'm going to continue to support Cam Ward. I am going to ride on the Cam Ward bandwagon until the wheels fall off until real NFL games, real actual tangible games that we all watch together

Starting point is 00:08:30 until Cam Ward struggles, plays, cost the Titans games, makes them lose, and proves to me that he is not the franchise quarterback that I believe that he is until he proves it. I'm not going to lose faith in. In real games, not summer practices. It's that simple. Now, Buck Rising had a real good explanation of all of Cam's throws.

Starting point is 00:08:53 He was low to Tajay, had an out-of-bounds ball deep to Cornell Tate, which we've seen a lot of a miss on play action to Chim Dek. He was behind Elic I-O Manor. That was all in the first team period. The final team period was completely forgettable. He had a quick sit-down. He had a slant to I-O, this and that and there.

Starting point is 00:09:15 There was a sack, a false star, a couple other things. There were four plays on the final team. But it wasn't even all bad. The middle-team drive, the second team period that they had. Cam hit a sit-down to Xavier Restrepo, a slant to I-O-Manner,

Starting point is 00:09:30 hit Gunner, over the middle in the deep range, hit him in the flat, another slant to E.O. Manor, like it wasn't even all bad in practice. It was just, as some folks have said, more bad than good. Underwhelming. He stunk. I'll let you guess who said that he stunk. But, you know, it wasn't all good.

Starting point is 00:09:49 12 to 24, two sacks taken. Again, like I said, the numbers reported. I'm not going to sit here and tell you it was a good practice or that I wouldn't prefer to hear good things. But again, the point at the end of the day is, I'm going to trust Cam Ward. And we also have to acknowledge a reality here that would be very common in gun-slinging type quarterbacks like Cam Ward.

Starting point is 00:10:11 Some of these guys just aren't great practice players. Some of these guys just can't play their best unless they are in the fire and they can feel it and touch it and smell it. Cam Ward's a gamer, man. We know that Cam Ward is a gamer. So I'm sorry. Would I love Cam Ward to have great practices? Sure.

Starting point is 00:10:27 but until Cam Ward fails me in real football games, not practice. A game. I'm not going to jump off this bandwagon. I'm not going to stop supporting. I'm not going to stop believing in Cam Ward. So if I'm on the island alone, I'll be on the island alone. But if Cam Ward has no fans left, it's because I'm dead.

Starting point is 00:10:52 With that being said, though, we've got to talk about his fellow draft classmates or standing out at practice. Do want to let you know that today's episode is brought to you by Indeed. Workplace chaos can show up fast. The problem is finding the right candidate can take a lot more time than most businesses can afford. That's where Indeed sponsored jobs comes in. Indeed sponsor jobs helps you reach candidates who actually fit what you're looking for

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Starting point is 00:12:11 Indeed.com slash podcast. Terms and conditions apply need to hire. That's a job for Indeed sponsored jobs. Let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Breaking down Thursday's practice for the Tennessee Titans, the final voluntary organized team activity with mandatory mini-camp coming next week. I'm going to be here next week to break it all down to open sessions. I'm going to be covering it all, getting you guys ready to go for mandatory minicamp.

Starting point is 00:12:54 And then, of course, the dead season of the NFL year is coming. But I have a ton of content playing for you guys to get us through until training camp. So make sure that you stay locked in with the number one Tennessee Titans podcast in the world. Locked on Titans. but Gunner Helm, Gunner Helm. I continue to hype this man. I have been hyping Gunner Helm up since the moment that he was drafted. I liked Gunner Helm coming out in the draft out of Texas.

Starting point is 00:13:22 Everything about him that I thought that he could do at the NFL level. He showed me last year. It's just about dialing everything up a little bit more. It isn't, hey, Gunner Helm hasn't shown me he can do that. I don't think he can do that. Gunner Helm can do that. No, he can do everything. He's just got to do it all more.

Starting point is 00:13:40 And I think a big part of that will be more opportunities because last year, old Bozo Clownahan played Chigacroo more than Gunnar Helm. Gunnar Helm is a better player than Chigna Conklo. Even if you don't believe it, you'll know soon. But he's gotten bigger, physically stronger, and Robert Salah literally talked about that before practice. said Gunner Helm looks like a legit dude. That's the quote. A legit dude. From a physical standpoint as well, let me translate. Football speak. If you don't know what

Starting point is 00:14:21 legit dude means, what Robert Sal is trying to say is Gunner Helm looks like a real contributor. Gunner Helm looks like a bona fide starting tight end. He's a legit dude. like he's somebody who's going to make a difference on Sundays. He's going to impact football games. He did in the limited capacity that he was put in last year. Broke records for Tennessee Titans' rookie tight ends. Helm is going to be a major factor. And I said it on the Titans squad show earlier this week

Starting point is 00:15:00 with Brad Hopkins and my guy Julian. I said, would it be crazy if Gunner Helm was the third highest receiver on this team. It's Cornell Tate, Wondale, or Calvin Ridley, and then Gunner Hill, couldn't you see Gunner Helm with 60 catches, 630 yards, 4 touchdowns? I could. And again, I think that there's a chance Gunner Helm makes a leap here

Starting point is 00:15:29 to be one of the top 10 tight ends in the entire NFL. And I don't think it's that hard to break in. The tight end group is not, like there's only one or two elite tight ends. If there are any at this point with Kiddle Hurd. So, Tide N is a group in the NFL. You can make your name pretty quickly. And to hear Robert Sala point out, yeah, Gunnard Helm is a legit dude. He's a guy we're going to count on.

Starting point is 00:15:58 He's going to make, and then every single practice, Gunner Helm here, Gunner Helm there. He doesn't get the highlights that Cornell Tate and the White. receivers do. But it's every practice. His name pops up in there. Maybe not in the highlight section. Maybe not leading the show.

Starting point is 00:16:17 But there's Gunner Helm tidbits throughout every report, every observation, everything you see. People whispering, talking about Gunner Helm. Had a big catch over the middle today and I think that's what he's going to do so, so well. As a big target with big hands in small windows,

Starting point is 00:16:38 Cam's going to be able to find Gunner Helm over the middle of the field in those holes in the zone and Gunner Helm's going to bring it down. Incredible hands. Incredible contested ability. Had it since college. And I've continued to mention that that type of skill set works perfectly with Cam Ward,

Starting point is 00:17:00 especially if he's a bit of a gunslinger throwing the ball all over the place, you know? You need those guys with the big catch radius, big hands, good focus to step up. Chim DK, too, had a 60-yard bomb touchdown from Will Levis at practice. DK had a couple of catches earlier, had some catches this week, had a big day on Tuesday where he had four or five catches and a couple of touchdowns, one from Trubisky, one from Will Levis, but he's all over the place.

Starting point is 00:17:33 I continue to say one of the storylines that we have to monitor throughout the season is, is Chim D.K. better than Calvin Ridley. Can Chim Dekay take over that Z-roll? Can Chim D-K prove to the Titans coaching staff, hey, we don't need another wide receiver too. I'm the wide receiver too. You have Tate, you have Chim, you have Wondale.

Starting point is 00:18:02 That's our big three. And yeah, we can have IOMANor rotate in for anybody. We can continue to add wide receivers in the draft because you always need wide receivers in the draft. You can never have too many good wide receivers in today's NFL. But our starters, our big-time three receivers, our main three, I'm a part of that. That's what Chim D.K. can do this year.

Starting point is 00:18:26 And since he came back as a full participant in practice, it's every single day he's making huge plays. And I will remind you, a lot of Tennessee fans, Tennessee Volves, listening to the show that are Titans fans. Brian Dable drafted Jalen Hyatt. Jalen Hyatt would probably be best as a vertical slot.

Starting point is 00:18:53 Wondale Robinson plays the normal slot so who could be the vertical slot? Chim D.K. I see Chim Deky being used in the role that Brian Dable wanted to use Jailen Hyatt. Just, no offense. Jalen Hyatt's not very good. It was never a very good route runner.

Starting point is 00:19:11 And D.K. isn't some elite route runner either. That's where he's got to take a step forward as a speed guy. The Steve Smith breakdown on Chim DK. I thought was excellent where he talked about how he rounded off his routes and things like that and how he has to improve there. But if D.K. does that, Brian Dable's system already has a way to unlock that skill set. Could be a big year for Chim DK.

Starting point is 00:19:34 And then on defense, Kevin Winston. Robert Sala with more high praise for Kevin Winston saying he's doing a really, really nice job. Understanding the deep safety role. He talked about how earlier this week of practice, he got caught on a post route. I think it was the deep ball to Cornell Tate. And he just immediately went to the sideline and told Robert Sala or told his coaching staff, hey, this is what I should have done. I see it now.

Starting point is 00:20:02 I understand why I'm doing it this way, where I got to be on that. Great. He's been flashing. He had an interception on Cam Ward earlier in the week. He had a forced fumble on a Calvin Ridley RPO at practice on Thursday. Now, someone said that he took Calvin Ridley to the ground. It was Calvin Ridley's first rep. Should he have done that?

Starting point is 00:20:23 Did Calvin Ridley expect that? Would it have been a forced fumble? I don't know, but all I know is every time we hear Kevin went. Somebody replied to me of the ball was thrown right to his hands on the interception, trying to poo poo. Kevin Winston making the play. Look, I don't care if there's an asterisk on this, an asterisk on that, a this, a that.

Starting point is 00:20:42 Kevin Winston is making plays every single day. The ball is around Kevin Winston every single day. So you could put an asteris on every single good play that Kevin Winston makes as long as he keeps making them and things keep falling into his lap and the ball keeps finding his way to Kevin Winston, I don't care whether you count it or not

Starting point is 00:21:03 because it counts to me. Kevin Winston making plays. Love hearing that. Marcus Harris, continuing to get praise. Robert Sala said he's been fantastic at the nickel. He had a sack on Thursday or on Tuesday off a blitz, had a couple of plays on Thursday. Marcus Harris is the starting slot.

Starting point is 00:21:24 Let's all just accept it. I talked about it last week. There's no competition. They believe in him. They've talked him up. And at this point, if they've talked him up the way that they've talked him up, whether it's Sala, whether it's

Starting point is 00:21:34 Bradley, whether it's Doddrell Hilliard or Hilliard, I forget his first name, the nickelback coach. But either way, I mean, you can't universally talk up Marcus Harris like this and then ultimately replace him. Like, you would just be a liar at that point.

Starting point is 00:21:55 So all of those guys seem to be really showing out right now. But those are young guys. Let's talk about the veterans, they're on their way back right on time. Fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked-on Titans podcast. Breaking down Thursday's practice, OTAs finally over next week, mandatory minicamp. And I'm going to be here to break it all down with you. Make sure that you never miss an episode.

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Starting point is 00:23:23 Locked on Titans every day. With that being said, though, again, some of these veterans are starting to return. We know earlier in the week, Jermaine Johnson came back, and he made plays, he got into the backfield, made a lot of noise, this and that looks good. Everybody says he physically looks fantastic.

Starting point is 00:23:42 That's great to hear. But we started seeing some returns in other places. Alante Taylor, the Titans high-paid free agent number one cornerback, back out on the practice field on Thursday out there. Cordell Flott not quite back out participating fully in practice. Robert Salas said before practice

Starting point is 00:24:04 he is dealing with a little bit of an injury, he's been working on a side field, working on rehab, but Salah did say that Cordell Flot should be back for mandatory minicam. That's good news. Calvin Ridley started rampant

Starting point is 00:24:22 it up a little bit more. Robert Salah said that he would graduate into seven-on-seven work on Thursday. So Calvin Ridley getting some seven-on-seven opportunities. Again, we talked earlier. His very first snap, he caught a slant on an RPO and had the ball knocked out of his hands by Kevin Winston. Now, I don't think he expected to be taken to the ground by Kevin Winston and OTAs with no pads on either, but still hold on to the ball.

Starting point is 00:24:45 Calvin would have PTSD here. But glad to have Calvin back out there so that he can get in the swing of things. That's going to help Cam Ward. as well, having another good target, another speed guy that he can throw to. Cornell Tate back out on the field as well. No big Cornell Tate highlights in today's practice. Sound like Cam went to him on the sideline a couple of times. Wasn't really able to get it done.

Starting point is 00:25:09 But Cornell Tate back out there after the little injury scare on Tuesday, that's great news for everybody. Jeffrey Simmons. Back out there working on a side field. Makes sense. You don't want to push the big guy. too hard. I've said it. If there's anybody on this team that has earned the right to not participate in the voluntary work, it's Jeffrey Simmons. He's going to be fine. I'm not too

Starting point is 00:25:37 worried about that. It's really what I've said is with Ben Jeff, it's about his presence, having him around as a leader, having him around as a guy to show the way to the young players, set the standard, especially with the young culture, new culture, early days of the Robert Sala regime. You need big Jeff in there to lay down the law and make that first impression. So even though he's not out on the practice field, what's more important to me is Jeffrey Simmons in the building, in the locker room, in the weight room, and the training staff, all of that different stuff. And having him there, that's good news for me. Now, Dan Moore, J.C. Latham, Amani Hooker, John Franklin Myers were the names that I saw that

Starting point is 00:26:14 weren't out there. Femiola Dejo was dressed, but still wasn't on the practice field. Lai. I'm just at a point where we talked about at the beginning of the show that I'm not losing faith in Cam Ward, I will not get off the boat. You're going to have to shove me off of the Cam Ward boat. I am losing some tangible faith

Starting point is 00:26:42 that Femio turns in to be worth the pick that he was used with. It's just going to be so. When your development, again, it's not like I would feel the same, same for all these other players. When you're a developmental guy, switching positions for a second time, third different year in a row

Starting point is 00:27:03 where you're starting the season at a different position, this time of the year is so, so critical. He's missed so many valuable reps, an individual and team. And when Keldrick Falk and Jermaine Johnson are looking good, Keldrick Falk got another would-be sack, folks. That's three. sacks for Keldrick Fulk in these OTAs, three.

Starting point is 00:27:32 When the advantage goes to the offense. Now again, Dan Moore, J.C. Latham not out there, so you could say that if you wanted to, but I'm just happy to hear Keldrick Fulk is progressing. J.C. Latham was at a dinner with the quarterback. I think there was an offensive line quarterback dinner that took place Titans Report. My Young Buck Titans Report, shout out you. he posted a picture that he got from family member or something like that of Titans players at dinner.

Starting point is 00:28:00 It looked to be the offensive line in the quarterbacks. Levis was there. Cam Ward was there. And J.C. Latham was there. I saw Fernando Carmona in there as well. Peter Skoronsky in there. But Latham was there at dinner. And Latham recently posted that he got a degree

Starting point is 00:28:13 from the University of Auburn in something. So maybe J.C. Latham has missed a couple of practices this week because he's been dealing with that. And Robert Salah said a lot of guys have babies. this time of year, probably because the next six weeks or so, they go around, they go do things, training camp, you know, this and that. But it's funny how that lines up. May have to dig into that more for that to make sense.

Starting point is 00:28:35 But either way, you know, people having babies going to be with their kids, staying to be with their wives, things like that. So there are things going on, but Dan Moore being out so long, it's been multiple weeks of OTAs now that I feel like Dan Moore hasn't been out there. I think he was out the first week of OTAs, but since then hasn't. I don't like that necessarily. Would love to get Latham back out there, but if that's the case, it's understandable.

Starting point is 00:28:58 I don't know where Hooker is or what he's doing. Maybe he had a baby too. John Franklin Myers, you know, I said him and Jeff and Tony Pollard are the guys that I would be acceptable. But it's time to come in, John. Titans just gave you $20 million per year. Like, it's custom in the NFL.

Starting point is 00:29:15 You get a big contract as a free agent that you come into these workouts. So John Franklin Myers better be there at mandatory, at least. So it's really where we're. we're at right now. But overall, I'm just happy that a lot of these veteran players got some time in at OTAs. They showed up for, you know, this last session here to be in the building, get acclimated, get rolling so that mandatory minicamp, we can have perfect attendance, really get some work in before the summer break. So I'm just happy to hear that. But again,

Starting point is 00:29:44 I'm going to be here on Sunday night, get you guys ready for next week. Mandatory mini camp, going to be huge. Our last little taste of Titans football before we get that long six-week break until training camp. So make sure that you're here with me all week long. Feel that rush of Titans football before you can't have it for six weeks or so. But that's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland,

Starting point is 00:30:05 and this was Locked on Titans.

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Cam Ward STRUGGLES CONTINUE at Tennessee Titans OTAs as Robert Saleh SHOWS SUPPORT for Young QB

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