Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Cam Ward Tennessee Titans FIRST ROOKIE CAPTAIN, GREAT Injury News & Biggest Questions for Broncos

Episode Date: August 28, 2025

The Tennessee Titans announced their 7 captains for 2025 and Cam Ward was one of them and becomes the first first-year captain since Marcus Mariota in 2015. This is a great sign for the Titans and a reminder that Ward's biggest possible contribution to the franchise will be his leadership. We also got a ton of updates on injuries at Wednesday's practice, but not all of them were positive. JC Latham was still not at practice and it should be somewhat of a concern, but Brian Callahan did say he is tracking for Week 1 against the Denver Broncos. That goes for others like T'Vondre Sweat and L'Jarius Sneed who were full participants in practice. With Denver 10 days away, the Titans have a few final questions that we may have the answers to like Chimere Dike being the team's full-time returner. 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!RugietHead to Rugiet.com/LOCKEDONNFL and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get 15% off today. 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.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.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)

Cam Ward is the first Tennessee Titans rookie to be voted captain by their teammates that I can remember and it shows again that Cam's biggest impact on the franchise will be his leadership. I'll break it down on today's edition of Locked on Titan. 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. 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 Locked on NFL for $20 off your first purchase. On today's show, we're going to talk about the biggest questions

remaining for the Titans as they head towards week one against the Broncos. We got a ton of injury updates from Brian Callahan on to Andre Sweat, Kevin Winston, Legerius Sneed, and J.C. Latham. But we're going to start with the Tennessee Titans naming their seven captains for the season. And of course, Cam Ward is one of them. Before we dive into it, I 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 it to my everydayers out there. Tuning in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys.

every dayer. What are you waiting for? The season is just a little over a week away. I am going to be keeping you guys up to date with injury updates with the biggest talking points from every single game. The film conversations that make you the most intelligent fan you could be not going to get better Tennessee Titans content than you're getting here with me on Locked on Titans and the Ticktack Titans film channel as well. So make sure you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. It's your team every day. With that being said, the Tennessee Titans did announce their seven captains. Cam Ward, obviously, as we said, elected captain by his teammates, Calvin Ridley, Tony Pollard on the offensive side of the ball, on defense,

Cody Barton, Jeffrey Simmons, Amani Hooker, and then Morgan Cox, the KG veteran, the special teams captain for the Titans. And again, I believe, based on my recollection, going back as long as I could possibly remember, that Cam Ward is the first Tennessee Titans rookie to be voted captain by their teammates before the season even began. I can't think of a non-quarterback

who would have been able to check that box and be a rookie captain for the Titans for as long as I've been following them as a team and of course, you know, following the team in the early 2000s and stuff when I'm in middle school and things like that. Maybe I'm forgetting, you know, Javon Curse had a great ear.

He wasn't voted captain before the season. You know, that's a big honor for a rookie, and usually that's only going to happen for a rookie quarterback. And some of you out there are saying, Tyler, what about Marcus? Tyler, what about Marcus? Well, listen. Marcus Marriota did end up being a captain his rookie season in 2015, but he was elected captain by the head coach. It was a self-elected captain for the coach, and it was during the middle of the season. It wasn't at the beginning of the season.

We know, and look, I'm not trying to hate on Marcus. That's not what I'm doing here. But I just want to make sure that we're all on the same page. What Cam Ward has done here to be elected captain of the team as a rookie before he ever played a game, that has never been done in the Tennessee Titans era by a rookie quarterback. That's never been done, period. So what Marcus did was different than what Cam Ward's done here.

And Cam Ward has earned that from his teammates, which, listen, I'm not trying to, again, hate on Marcus and take away from Marcus. his place in Titans history is important. He did what he did to raise this team up to the next level where we got the Ryan Tannahill and had the second best Tennessee Titans run in franchise history, right? Outside of the Super Bowl run, it's the Derek Henry Tannahill A.J. Brown run.

That's the second best. I would take that over the, you know, C.J. 2K years, whatever. Anyways, moving right along. But again, to me, it's different than having the head coach say, you're our rookie quarterback, you're playing well during the season, you're a captain. Before you ever even play a real game saying,

we all, all of us, think he's our leader. To me, that means something. That means something to me that Cam Ward's able to get that vote of confidence. And the big thing is, like I said at the beginning, Cam Ward's leadership is going to be the most important thing for this franchise

if Cam Ward works out. If Cam Ward hits and Cam Ward's the player that we all hope that he can beat. His leadership, his demeanor, his attitude, how he carries himself, that's what's going to change the Tennessee Titans. When Cam Ward was drafted,

we talked about how not only could this make the team win football games, which some of you guys only care about three hours on Sunday, you want to win the football games and you're happy. The fan experience is more than that to me. I want the Titans to be hot. I want the Titans to be fun. I want other people to like Titans players. I want the Titans to get attention.

I want to see Cam Ward highlights all the time. I want to hear people talk about Cam Ward all the time. Maybe you don't care about that stuff, but I think that's part of the experience of being a sports fan, not just watching the games themselves. So, again, the leadership. of Cam Ward throughout this process is what earned that captaincy

from his teammates is his leadership the picture in Atlanta like Mike Borganzi said in his press conference on Wednesday or Thursday showing up at 4.30 5 a.m. Tyler Lockett, Tony Pollard saying he's the first guy in the building every day. He has really earned it from his teammates. They believe in him.

And I'm sorry but that starts small but it grows big because eventually what happens is when the team believes in him first he believed in him his family believed in him but then the team starts to believe in him

and once the team starts to believe in them and the Titans start winning games well then all of a sudden others outside of the Titan's fear start to believe in them and then the magic starts to happen and then the Titans go to one of the most fun teams to watch in the NFL. And then the Titans go to one of the franchises that you're proud of and you're arguing with people in your comments and they're like, oh yeah, the Titans

have some good players. Some respect for the football team that you love and I'm not going to apologize for wanting that to happen. That's part of my excitement for Cam Ward and I know deep down if you're honest with yourselves. That's part of your excitement too. It's not just that Cam Ward can make the Titans win games, it's Cam Ward can make the Titans cool. You know? Like, let's just all be real. He can make the Titans fun and cool. And the biggest part of that

actually isn't the winning games. You need the winning games. But the Bengals haven't made the playoffs in the last couple of years, but the Bengals are cool because Joe Burrow made them so. Now, part of that is winning and the Super Bowl run is why that's there.

But look around. You know? Like, we need our Cam Newton. We need our Joe. borough. We need that guy to kind of flip how the team is viewed and how the players are seen and the conversations around the team. It'll just be more fun to be a Tennessee Titans fan if they're not only good, but they're also fun. And Cam Ward, and it's not just his leadership with the team.

He's been doing interviews lately with the green light and he did buss in, did another one recently. I can't remember the name of, but he's done a bunch of interviews lately. and it's just the way he carries himself. It's critical. It's critical to flipping this franchise. It can't just be a football thing. The soul of the franchise has to change with Cam Ward. That's what we need.

So I'm most excited that him being voted as captain kind of confirms that for me that what we really want, what really has to happen, it's happening. It's happening. So I love to hear that. I do want to also say Cody Barton, Being named captain, I predicted that.

A little pat on the back for me. If you don't do it, who else is going to do it for you? You know what I mean? But I'm just saying Cody Barton's impact on the team and his leadership was obvious early on too. So nice to see that recognized on the defensive side. But with that being said, we got a ton of injury updates and most of them are pretty good.

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Swipe, tap, Ticket, go, download game time today. edition of the Locked-on Titans podcast. We talked about the Tennessee Titans captains and why I think it's so important that Cam Ward was voted captain and again, Marcus was named captain by the coach. It's not the same as Cam Ward. I hate no Marcus

but let's give Cam Ward his credit for what he's done here. But now we got a ton of injury updates to go over. Brian Callahan gave us updates on a ton of different guys. Some updates are better than others but all of them generally are pretty good with one exception that I'm a little

worried about. And we'll get to that first. But first I do want to thank you again for making Locked On Titans your first listen. If you wouldn't mind Locked On wants to hear from you, go to Lockedon Podcast.com slash survey to get started. Everyone who completes a survey will be entered for a chance to win one of 10, $100 Amazon gift cards. Again, that's locked on podcast.com slash survey. You can find the link in the show notes as well. Thanks for helping us out. But with that being said, Brian Callahan said that J.C. Latham who missed practice on Wednesday

and he's been missing practice for a little while since after Atlanta or Minnesota but Latham should be back for week one they're going to see how the next week or so goes now he made it feel optimistic everybody's tracking to be good to go for week one

but he did have a little more asterisk to the J.C. Latham conversation and he gave a little bit more of an explainer there, said they're going to watch him into next week, see how he's doing next week. But I mean, think about it, folks. Denver is about, you know, nine days away,

depending on your math and when you're listening to this. Denver is very close, and the fact that J.C. Latham is like, hey, we're going to watch him in the next week. I know that Callahan said everyone is tracking to be good to go. He said that they're in a pretty good spot from an injury standpoint. All of that, you know, that's great. but it does make me a touch word because one of the big things that we're counting on this year

is the Tennessee Titans offensive line to be one of the best units on the team. Tennessee Titans' offensive line has to be good because the Titans' wide receiver group isn't awesome right now and the only way for Cam Ward to have success is to have enough time to find holes in the defense and run around and do the things that he does best. He's not going to be able to overcome

a mediocre wide receiver group and then a bad offensive line. Like, that's just not going to be attainable. We saw Will Levis try to do that last year, and, you know, maybe there are some quarterbacks who could survive, but that was a tough task anyways. So you don't want to put that on Cam Ward, okay? So I'm really hoping that this J.C. Latham thing is not something that lingers.

And let me just say, Latham is a guy that, like, never missed time in college. I would be salty if all of a sudden the Titans have, like, the best-looking offensive line they've had in years. And now J.C. Latham is going to be out. Like, I hope. I'm just saying this doesn't seem like something that should happen based on what Brian Callahan said

but I will say this the Titans kept Ali Odu the Titans kept Brendan Crenshaw Dixon Blake Hans can also be an offensive tackle the Titans brought back Andrew Rupsich on the practice squad who can have tackle versatility if needed although they would prefer him at guard

Also, I saw some people say that John Ojuku should be back soon on the Titans practice squad. I think it was my guy Justin Mello who does a great job doing updates around this time of year who said, you know, don't worry about it. So if John Ojuku is back on the practice squad, that's a lot of offensive tackles.

And credit to Mike Borgonzi. We'll talk about cornerback here in literally just a second with Legeria Sneed and then the waivers. But Mike Borgonzi said that offensive line and cornerback are two spots that are very difficult to find help at during the season. So the Titans are heavy on offensive line and cornerback on the practice squad

and on the roster. Well, that could just be face value, that's the answer, or the Titans could have loaded up on tackles because maybe J.C. Latham might be doing a little short-term IR. I'm not predicting that.

I'm not saying it's going to happen. I just want to examine all the possibilities here. Like maybe Latham's a little more banged up, Maybe he doesn't respond super well over the weekend. Come back and they're like, maybe it's just better to shut him down with the hip, hip soreness or whatever is going on for a month and let him come back and we'll play the other offensive tackles.

I'm just saying with, I'm trying to piece together certain things to see what could be coming. I hope that's not the case. It would be very disappointing. But let's hope that Brian Callahan was being as honest as possible. And when he said, you know, everyone's on track to play week one. but including included in that statement

of ready to play week one is Tavondre sweat Big Boy Sweat meatloaf back out on the practice field and according to Tehran Davenport and I guess Brian Callahan said it after practice when he was asked but Devonre Sweat was full go

they're not that worried about his conditioning he seemed good to go is what Brian Callahan said so I first saw that reported by Tehran Davenport who also said that Calell Mullings and Kevin Winston we're back out on the practice field doing some side field work Kevin Winston warmed up, did some individual drill according to that report and then went to the side field

so we got Winston back on the field we got sweat back on the field we got Mullings back on the field that's all really really good news especially with the running back stuff you know we're all worried about the running back position but if Mullings is good to go and they feel confident that he'll be ready for week one then I guess I'm less concerned about the lack of action

at running back but we'll talk about that more And just a second, Kevin Winston back out on the field. That's great news. I think the Titans want to use him in the defense, for real. Like, he's going to have a big time role in the defense with how good he looked early. Let's just hope that they didn't run him into the ground. You know what I'm saying?

Like, shoo, let's hope not. And then finally, Legerius need. Also, full go at practice. Team, individual, all that. According to the reports, Ligerius is tracking for week one is what Brian Callahan and said afterwards,

looking good, looking like that's going to happen. And I've talked about Legerius Sneed. Again, like we talked about when he was activated from PUP, I'm cautiously optimistic, even with him practicing and all that. Like, I just want to see him out on the field before I believe it. But Legerius Sneed is an X-factor player for this team because of Sneed can be back and Sneed can be healthy.

And Sneed can look like the Legerius Sneed that he was in Kansas City. That could have amazing. major impact on the Titans defense because that's a all pro pro bowl level player and anytime you have guys that I mean we were talking about Legerius Steed like a top three cornerback in the NFL and even if he's not that if he's top five if he's top seven and Jarvis Brownley Jr. gets to go against number two wide receivers and Daryl Baker and Marcus Harris and the two waiver guys don't have to be out there and Roger McCreary stays in the slot and then you can use a bunch of safeties because the Titans have four safeties I would feel comfortable with playing on defense. Now you can be so versatile and so matchup based and so scheme varied in the back end

with the talent that you have that it has the ability to compensate more for the Titans' lack of pass rush. And if the secondary can be really, really, really, really good which it can only be with a really, really, really good legurious need, then that might allow the Titans to have a good defense this year, even with the pass rush issues that I don't see an answer to, quite honestly. But with that in mind,

what are the biggest questions for the Titans? Right now, the roster is basically set. We're just going to get small transactions. I don't see the Titans, you know, doing anything crazy from here until week one. So what are the biggest questions that we need to answer before week one against the Broncos? I'll be honest with you, I think we got some answers. on Thursday. Today's episode is brought to you by prize picks.

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after you play your first $5 lineup. That's code Locked on NFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5. Price Picks run your game. Titans fans, let's cap off. Today's edition of the Locked-on Titans podcast. We talked about the Titans voting captains and Cam Ward getting one. We talked about some injury updates that are mostly positive.

Now I want to get into the, I guess, the final questions that we have for the Tennessee Titans before we get to week one. Before we do, thanks again for making Locked-on Titans your first listen. Next week, I'm going to start doing my predictions. I'm going to tell you to my Titans record predictions. to start the week. I'm going to do my Titan superlatives who's going to be the Titans MVP who's going to be their breakout candidate who's going to disappoint. I'm also going to look at some statistical projections. We're going to get into injury updates before week one. I'm going to have

crossover Thursday for you guys with the guys over at Locked on Broncos and then we'll have our first game preview of the year. Going to have a game day snack segment again this year. Can't wait to dive into everything with you guys and then also the Locked on Titans fantasy league coming up this week be on the lookout on first show of next week. Sorry so much promo, so much coming into this year. Just want to make sure that you guys know about everything. But the biggest questions for the Titans. Running back? Are they going to do anything there?

And it doesn't look like it. Brian Callahan said, again, that Calell Mullings was working on sidefield. They feel confident in Julius Chestnut. They said they know that Tony Pollard can handle the load like he did last year. And Taj Spears will be back. Eventually. I don't know that I agree with all that. I don't think that Julius Chestnut's very good.

I would want somebody better than him. Callow Mullings is still a rookie running back. I don't know how much you can trust that. And the idea that Tony Pollard can handle the workload, Tony Pollard started breaking down at the end of the year last year because he had to handle the workload. And how can you trust that Taj Spears is going to stay healthy throughout the year? I think they're setting themselves up.

Now, maybe in their minds they're saying what we've talked about earlier this summer. Hey, we're going to run Tony Pollard into the ground this year and then we're going to let him go after the year and find new running backs. Like, if that's the plan, okay, I understand that.

But if they want to keep Tony Pollard for the third year of his three-year contract, then I would try to spell him a little bit because I don't think that Tony Pollard is a true bell cow back like the Titans are trying to use him. So I didn't really like those answers from Brian Callahan.

But let's hope that Mullings is just you know, better than expected as a seventh round rookie. But either way, I think we got our answer at running back that they're not going to make a move there and they like what they have with Mims and Jefferson both on the practice

squad as well still. So I guess they like what they got. Sure. Backup quarterback? Nope. Still nothing there. I'm trying to tell you guys, they're going to roll with Brandon Allen because if Cam Ward's hurt, they don't want to win, and Brandon Allen is a good mentor to teach Brian Callahan's system

to him. There you go. Cornerback we talked about. The Titans added two guys on waivers. Legerius Steed looks like he's on track. I mean, corner's going to be hard to find answers at, and the Titans feel like they got two guys who can play.

They really talked up Jalen Armar Davis. Like Mike Borganzi really talked him up. He mentioned how four other teams tried to claim him and how he's a really talented guy that they've had their eye on for a while if he got cut. So they got a guy that they really like And they think can develop So it would be interesting to see how Jalen Omar Davis plays

If he gets on the field this year Edge Rusher The Titans said that they like what they have at edge The group's been good I refuse to believe that I think the Titan should be considered Adding a veteran Like Zedarius Smith

Preston Smith Genevian Clowny But here's the thing You know, those guys are going to want decent money as veterans, and the Titans may say, it's not like this guy's going to make a big difference for us. We'd rather give those snaps to somebody else who's going to cost significantly less.

I think if they want to have any kind of serious pass rush that it could be slightly improved by one of those veterans, but fair enough, that it's not going to move the needle in a big-time way. So if they just feel like the money isn't worth how much better they can be, then it's not worth it. But remember, Preston Smith was linked to... of the Titans a couple of weeks ago in an article by Jeremy Fowler and Tehran Davenport

so maybe the Titans still go there. The final thing is who's going to be the returner now that James Prochet was cut? I thought that the Titans would be elevating James Proche off the practice squad to fill that rule early on maybe because there's a

rule in the NFL with veterans that if they're on the team from week one their salary is guaranteed but if they join the team after a couple of weeks then it's not a guaranteed salary which is just things the Titans have been doing for forever to manage the roster. So maybe Prochet gets added back to the active roster after a couple of weeks to play that little salary cap loophole game.

But Mike Morgonzi and Brian Callahan both said it was Tim D.K. That he's won the role that he's going to be the returner. And just a couple of weeks ago, Bones Fossil said he wasn't ready. It was just like last week. So I guess I'm a little shocked that that's the decision they're making. but D.K. was drafted because he had returnability and he had speed.

And he returned in college. That is a part of it. And I would imagine that the Titans are saying it's not worth having James Prochet on the roster because we don't want to use him as a wide receiver. Let's give D.K. a shot first. And if D.K. doesn't work out,

then yeah, we bring Prochay up to the active roster and do the same salary cap. Loophole. I guess I was thinking. thinking that they were going to bring pro shay up immediately, they still may do that. We don't know the real truth right now. But at least from what they said,

looks like starting returner is ChimDK. So I found that very interesting. But that's going to do it for me today, folks. Again, I'm going to be back with you guys next week to start doing all of my predictions for the season. And it'll be game week. We made it, folks. We made it.

But as always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland. And this was locked on top. fight.