Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - CAM WARD v WILL LEVIS: Will Levis MUST BE TRADED, Cam Ward DISRESPECT & Titans DECLINE Treylon Burks

Episode Date: April 28, 2025

The Tennessee Titans drafted Cam Ward #1 overall and rolled out the red carpet to greet their franchise quarterback. But now, general manager Mike Borgonzi is at the press conference saying that Will Levis will be competing with Ward for the starting quarterback job and that just makes zero sense. Tyler believes Will Levis will ultimately be moved in some capacity before the season begins despite the team saying they did not try to trade him during the draft. Also, the Titans acknowledged they will decline Treylon Burks fifth year option while giving some insights on some draft prospects. Finally, while some Titans fans are frustrated with the Titans draft class, the outside world seems to be praising the Titans efforts. 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!Amazon Fire TV Stick 4kDid you know your Fire TV is also an Xbox? Turn any TV into your gaming and entertainment hub with Fire TV Stick 4K devices — no console required. Head to Amazon.com/firetvlockedon to get started. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and compatible controller required.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 AND FIFTY 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)

The Tennessee Titans just said there will be a quarterback competition between Cam Ward and Will Levis. I'll tell you why that's utter nonsense and why Will Levis must be traded 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. Today's edition of the Locked On Titans podcast is brought to you by Amazon fire TV stick 4k, turn any TV into an X-Box, no console needed head to amazon.com slash fire TV locked on to learn more on today's episode. I'm going to go over everything that Mike Borganzi and Chad breaker had to

say at their post draft press conference, which included saying that will Levis will be in a quarterback competition with Cam Ward. I'm going to tell you why that's utter nonsense. Why I guarantee Will Levis is not on this roster by week one. Why this furthers the Cam Ward disrespect that quite frankly might be the best thing for him. We'll also get some notes on some other draft prospects, Traylon Burke's future with the Tennessee Titans. And I'll explain to you guys why most of the rest of the NFL world is praising the Tennessee Titans draft class.

Before we get into all of that, do want to 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. Speaking of every day shot to my every dayers out there tuning in Monday through Friday, couldn't do it without you guys and the next two episodes.

I'm going to look at short-term roles for the rookies. Then I'm going to look at long-term roles for the rookie. So make sure that you're locked in the locked on Titans every single day. But with that being said, Mike Borganzi is at the press conference and he says, we did not try to trade Will Levis during the draft. Will Levis adds great competition to our quarterback room. They said, we're not naming any starters right now. And I just want to sit here and say, I am not frustrated at the Tennessee Titans for saying that. Okay. The Tennessee Titans should be saying that they should be hyping up Will Levis at every opportunity. So I do not expect

Mike Borganzi to come out there and say, yeah, we're done with Will Levis. We'll probably move off of them. At some point, Cam Ward's our quarterback of the future. He's he to come out there and say, yeah, we're done with Will Levis. We'll probably move off of them. At some point, Cam Ward's our quarterback of the future. He's going to be the starter. So we're done with Will Levis. And that's just what it is. That would be the dumbest way to handle it. Now on the other side of that, I will say utter nonsense. There is no quarterback competition between Cam Ward and Will Levis.

It's absolutely not what's happening. There is no world, there is no world where Will Levis is starting over a healthy Cam Ward. There is no way that that would happen. I'm sorry. I refuse to acknowledge that. The Tennessee Titans rolled out the red carpet for Cam Ward. They literally got Warren Moon to come and give him his retired jersey number. And you're telling me that they're going to have a true competition between him and Will Levis. And competition makes the whole roster better. I do agree with that philosophy, but that's not how it works at quarterback. And again, I guarantee, and I'm willing to stand on this, I guarantee that bar and cam were getting a serious injury, which knock on wood, you know, but I guarantee that Will Levis is not on this roster week one. I guarantee it.

There's no way. It makes no sense. It's so dumb Will Levis is a guy who has been in this locker room for two years has relationships with a lot of these dudes You think that will Levis is gonna come in and be like yeah, I'm the backup now. It's cam ward's job I'm just gonna will Levis even talked about before last season. Hello Taking his leadership to the next level, feeling like he is the quarterback of the team and not behind Ryan Tannehill shadow and how that's the next step in his development as a player and all that. You think he's just going to stop and what about when Will Levis tells a guy, Hey man, I want you at this depth on this route.

And cam ward goes out and says, actually, I would prefer you there. What does the wide receiver do? What does the coach do? It's just awkward, man. I feel like some people think this is madden and there's no locker room and you just go out there. And why can't we'll let us be third on the debt chart the entire season, why I have cam ward, why not?

You know what I mean? But that's not how it works in real life in the locker room with real people. The politics of human beings and how it works. You want to set up Cam Ward for success to lead this franchise and empower him? Cam Ward is on the phone with the general manager while they're making picks. Asking them, hey, who are you picking? What's their phone number? It would just be so awkward, so weird, so divisive, like so strange, confusing to have Will Levis in the locker room with Cam Ward long-term.

It just makes no sense whatsoever. So in my opinion, the reason that Mike Borganzi said what he said is because he's not going to deflate Will Levis' value and you can laugh and say, Will Levis has no value, but you can get a conditional seventh round pick out of Will Levis right now. Hey, if he plays this many snaps, it's a seventh round pick in 2027. You could do that right now. If you wanted to just give them away. But what you do is you continue to say, we believe in Will Levis.

We think he could still develop into an NFL starter. It's a quarterback competition. He's going to push cam ward. We think he's still develop into an NFL starter. It's a quarterback competition. He's going to push Kim Ward. We think he's worthy of that opportunity. And then when a quarterback gets hurt in training camp, then when oh, Pop Derek Carr injury went. Oh, Aaron Rodgers smoked Ayahuasca in a dark room for two weeks and said

he's retiring. It doesn't want to play at Pittsburgh. You know, you never know what could happen. So don't, you know, throw your hand away. If you're checking to see the flop, there's no reason to fold early. So I'm saying two things are true at once. This is the smart thing for the Titans to say, but also at the same time, we know it's absolute nonsense because you cannot have cam warden, Will Levis in the same locker room at the same time. It's just so stupid,

so silly, so juvenile and it creates so many little issues that are completely avoidable. It would be stubborn. It would be pointless. And when you go after cam ward as hard as the Tennessee Titans have this all season and again, they brought Warren moon to his opening press conference to unretire his number and give him the jersey. This is not an open competition with Will Levis and you don't put your rookie quarterback in that kind of position. You want Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle in that room with him to support him to help him learn how to watch film to help him

look show him what to look for defenses, what tips you all, how you're going to play these things, teach him the playbook. You don't want Will Leveson there grinding every single second to try to ruin Cam Ward's career. That's what Will Leveson's goal would be is to ruin Cam Ward's career. What I'm going to do is I'm going to play so great that I'm going to be better than that Cam Ward guy. I'm going to make him look bad and I'm going to keep this job. Like Will Levesse's entire goal would be to ruin Cam Ward's career and steal his job back. You can't have those competing interests at the same time in the locker room and quite frankly, you know, the Titans had to say it, but this kind of silly, the Bears didn't say it was an open competition.

The Bengals didn't say it was an open competition. The Bears didn't say it was an open competition. The Bengals didn't say it was an open competition. Like it just continues a little bit of Cam Ward disrespect. And that's mostly from the media and from the outside sources. I do got to commend Kyle Brandt from Good Morning Football. He kind of went on a rant about how, what are they gonna, you know, shut the show off

if I talk about Cam Ward. His journey from a no star recruit all the way to a five star, all the way to the number one pick in the draft and like to the Titans It's just incredible and the fact that his story and his moment listen We can talk about Titans fans getting disrespected and nobody cares about the Titans and covers the Titans and that's a hundred percent Why can more didn't get the moment that he deserved but it's not about Titans fans in the Titans It's about cam more but I will say this I

Will say this. I will say this, the disrespect open quarterback competition, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Oh, cam ward was drafted. Shudder Sanders though, his, all of this, literally the best thing that could ever happen. It's the best thing that could ever happen for cam ward. How can you as a number one overall pick have a chip on your shoulder? Just like this stay motivated you went number one and they still didn't care about you're still a zero-star recruit to them

Stay motivated feed off that live off that Okay, come out of the shadows. Okay, you don't want to put the spotlight on me. Sure put it on the fifth rounder Sure do that. I'm going to work over here in silence, just like I always have. When everyone else is talking and making rap songs, guess what I'm doing? Playing football. So from the Titans perspective, less media drama, less attention. Sure. We'll work in the background. From Ken Ward's perspective. Okay. I, okay, I'm the most disrespected

number one overall pick of all time. And I'm going to show you exactly what I'm going to do about it. Can't wait. So it might be the best thing that ever happened. With that being said though, we got a lot more information at the post-draft press conference. more information at the post draft press conference. Today's episode is brought to you by Monarch Money. Ever check your bank account and wonder, where did all my money go? Between dining out, online shopping, entertainment, it's easy to lose track. But that's where Monarch Money comes in. Your personal CFO giving you full visibility and control over your finances.

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Titans fans. Let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans fans. Let's continue today's edition of the locked on Titans podcast, breaking down the post draft press conference. And some of the tentacles, you know, coming out of it. We talked about cam ward, the will, levis thing. Will levis is not going to be on this roster a week one. I'm willing to be wrong. I'm willing to stand on business. That is my take.

Fight me. I don't care. It doesn't make any sense at all. The sooner that he's gone, the better for everybody. Better for him, better for Cam, better for the Titans, better for the fans. Period. Okay. But with that being said, and the Cam Ward will have his conversation behind us. We got a lot more tidbits for Mike Morganzi and Chad Brinker at the post draft press conference that they did on Monday. And it starts with information on Traylon Burks. Now this is breaking news to absolutely nobody, but, but it's being said out loud.

So it's worth discussing. Chad Brinker was asked about Traylon Burks and his progress and also his 5th year option. So if you're unaware, when you draft someone in the first round, this is something only first round picks have, you get a 5th year option after the first 4 years of their contract. So you get the first 4 years at a certain rate and then a 5th year option, which is a 1 year deal, but the pay goes up quite a bit.

You're making like 9 million. You're going to get 20 million. They're like, cause it's saying, Hey, if we're using our fifth year on a first rounder, it must be a good player. They probably deserve to be paid. Now what most teams do when you have a good player is they work out a contract extension so that the player never plays on the fifth year option. A player that good, that young, set to get paid doesn't want to play on a

one-year deal where if they get hurt they can't get money the next year. You know what I mean? And sometimes teams do the fifth year option and then they franchise tag to keep that one year thing on it. It's all about what level of play you are, what kind of power that you have, but regardless, the Titans aren't picking up Traylon Burks fifth year option. They ain't doing it. And Chad Brinker said that Traylon Burks is rehabbing right now, which is what we heard from Brian Callahan recently that he probably won't be ready for training camp, but maybe week one.

So he's rehabbing. And then to the fifth year option, the times gonna pick it up. He said We're not making any decisions today, but probably not Probably not. Okay, so I think he was comfortable saying that and he is willing to say that guys trailing Berks Because of the injury may have to stick on the Titans roster. He's going to be on PUP when training camp starts. I would just be shocked if Traylon Burks got real reps this year. I just think they're like, why would we give any more opportunity to Traylon Burks?

When we could give that to Xavier Restrepo, we could give that to Chim Dike. We could give that to Xavier Restrepo, we could give that to Chim Dike, we could give that to Eleki Omaner. Like why would we give any opportunities to Traylen Berks? You know, that's over. Like it's over. So it's just last year with the Titans on contract, trade him for anything if you can. I would, it's four million dollars, four and a half million dollars on the salary cap, but it's already there There's nothing you can do about it. It's the last bit of guaranteed money from Traylor Burke's rookie contract You've made all your moves you like that sunk money. Anyway, you can't save anything. You can't do it

Just cut Traylor Burke's just cut him as soon as it's legally possible as soon as he's off PUP or whatever Just cut him just get him off the team. I'm not wasting her I would rather have Bryce Oliver on this roster than Traylen Burks like Even if he goes somewhere and does okay, I'm not that's fine It's it's time for him to go We need to wash our hands of of this crazy era of Titans mistakes in the draft. Just let them all go Levis Burks, let them all go anyways

with that being said some of the draftees that the Titans brought in were spoken about. Here they talked about Kevin Winston. Mike Borganzi said that before the injury, they had Kevin Winston as an early second round pick. Early second round. Like in the top tier of safeties. Kevin Winston was in the top tier of safeties is kevin winston was in the top tier of safeties in this draft class so to get him at 82 you know they said it was absolutely fantastic um said they were very fortunate was the word that was used in the process also the titans talked about uh

jackson slater and saying that he has the versatility to play at right guard. He has the versatility to play at center, basically confirming what we heard before. They talked about Chim Dike and they said that immediately out of the gate, immediately out of the gate, he's going to get opportunities at return. Like that's a thing. And when I talked about the draft pick I said It's a wide receiver which everybody wanted anyway. They took a wide receiver Incredible speed one of the fastest guys in the draft and he's fast on tape to 4.3 speed

And he gives the Titans return ability and what I believe it was Chad Brinker said Mike Borganzi Chad Brinker who said what but One of them said that the good thing about DK is he just goes forward after he catches the ball, like as a returner, he catches the ball and he goes forward. And that's super important for just a baseline. And then you add in the speed, you know, it gives you a high level of opportunity. And speaking of speedy talk about that, they said one of the big things that stood out to me during the press conference is they very openly talked about their draft philosophy. What kind of guys they're looking for. Chad Brinker even said like there may come a time where you guys can figure out who we're

interested in and who we might pick based on what's obvious. They want size. They want speed. They want power. They want character. Like they talked about, I mean, they said it openly. It was pretty cool. Chad Brinker's exact quotes were big, fast, tough football players that love

winning more than anything else. So again, I have talked over the last two months about the Tennessee Titans wanting to be bigger, wanting to be more physical. The Tennessee Titans wanting to be bigger at edge, more physical at edge. The Tennessee Titans wanting bigger body tackles with great length. The Titans wanted bigger body interior offensive line no more I literally said this over the draft no more $2 stakes like Aaron Brewer like even if you're a good player if you're too small you're too small we do not

want you that's just what it is you know we're not having six foot to 300 pound interior offensive lineman 633. No, we want 6465. We want 315 at a minimum 315 320 minimum for interior offensive lineman or OTs, we're looking at 325 to 345. We want bigger, more powerful people. So I really enjoyed the post-strap press conference with Chad Brinker and Mike Borganzi. I thought they had a lot of interesting things to say. They talked about the speed as well. They talked about IO manner saying, you know, he's a big guy contested catchability, all that. So a lot of the things that we talked about speed size, breaking down some of these draft picks and what they bring to the table for the Tennessee Titans.

They're just confirming them in the press conference that those were indeed the things that they were looking for. The versatility, the athleticism, the size. I mean, I O manner is a four, four guy. DK is a four, three guy. They said that they really focused on speed when they got to the wide receivers in the middle of the draft. So, I mean, it's all the stuff that we wanted them to do.

All the boxes we wanted them to check bigger, stronger, faster, more speed, more athleticism, more juice on a roster that desperately needed it. Wide receiver, edge rusher, quarterback, you know, safety, offensive line, tight end. They, I think they did a great job. And look, I'm not the only person that thinks they did a great job. And it's kind of crazy to me that there are more people on the outside of the Titans world than on the inside that seem to be in love with this draft. Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. The NBA playoffs are here. It's been a great NBA playoffs, even though my Lakers are losing bad. It's over and

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bets today. Once again, that's FanDuel.com. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the locked on Titans podcast. We talked about the cam ward, will Levis quote unquote competition. And I guarantee that will let us will be off this roster by week one. He's not making the 53 man roster. He won't be on it. I don't believe it. I refuse to believe it. Uh, but anyways, anyways, moving right along.

We talked about all the different little nuggets that came out of the post-draft press conference, like Traylen Burks is auctioned and some of the, some of the stuff on the rookies that they brought in. But now I want to talk about how the view of the Tennessee Titans draft outside of the Titans ecosystem seems to be much more favorable than what some Titans fans are saying. Now, look, I am not going to sit here and say that the majority of Titans fans don't like the draft. I don't think that that's true. I think that most Titans fans do like the draft, but there's a big swath of people who I think are being pretty negative about it and don't

like the draft. And I just find it so interesting. Like Mel Kiper gave the Tennessee Titans a B plus. It was in like the top, you know, 10 or 12 grades that Mel Kiper gave out. And that's what the Browns going to get a plus because he's been freaking about Freaking out about Shudder Sanders the whole time But he even said, you know getting the QB was the easy part the roster lacked legitimate pass catchers It's not for lack of trying the Titans drafted six wide receivers in the past four drafts. Oh, but I they took Chim DK at number 103 a pick I really liked at the position is L. Akio menor. I oh manner whatever can never figure it out 79th

On my board. So no Kiper thought the Titans draft was pretty good And that was the lowest grade out of all the grades that I saw Dane Bruegler who does a great job for the athletic His the beast is absolutely fantastic. He had the Titans with the eighth best draft class in the entire draft. The eighth best draft class in the entire draft. His favorite pick was Cam Ward. His day three pick who could surprise was Gunnar Helm. He said Tennessee needs to address its offense early.

Again early on day three and did exactly that by taking three pass catchers in round four. Helm might not wow with a size or speed, but he can wiggle free from coverage and finish at the catch point with Chica Conquo going on a final year of his rookie deal. The Titans will give Helm plenty of opportunity as a rookie to see what they have agree 100%. I think Gunnar Helm might be the second most productive rookie for the Tennessee Titans in the rookie season, like in their

rookie season in 2025. I'm going to go over short term roles for all the rookies tomorrow and then the next day go over long term roles for the rookie. So we've got a good idea of what they can be in 2025 and then what they could be going forward. But again, top eight draft class, according to Dane Bruegler. You go to a pro football focus who does theirs as a group. They gave the Titans an A and they only had eight teams that had an A or an A plus so the Titans by default are in the top eight once again. So they even say here Femi Oladizio. Oladizio started his college career as an off-ball linebacker before moving to edge.

He remains raw and experienced pass rusher. He impressed at the senior bowl with athleticism, athleticism, length and explosiveness. He has to further develop as a pass rusher, but his solid effort against the run will provide a solid floor. Again, Femi is a high upside player, but he still has a very solid floor and solid football character. So top eight draft grade right there from pro football focus. You want to go to Bleacher reports. I think the dude's name is Christopher Knox or something like that. But he has the Titans with an A.

You know, there we go again. Like you want another one? Uh, Bruce Feldman had a bunch of the Titans draft picks in like his best picks of the draft. So I don't care where you look, where you turn, you're going to be able to find a little bit of everything. You're going to find somebody out there who has the Titans with a bad draft grade. Somebody out there certainly does.

But, I mean, I'm looking all over the place and all of these outlets are like the Tennessee Titans had one of the best draft classes. Cam Ward was a great pick. Loved the upside of Femiola De Gio after he dominated at the senior bowl and, you know, is high upside. Kevin Winston, the Titans are saying he would have been an early second round. If you're an early second round option, that means you might be a first round option. So they're basically telling you that Kevin Winston might've been a first round talent if he was able to play out the entire season, because just off his previous year, he was already an early second rounder.

So the Titans feel like they got a first round safety. This is a great draft. Again, I gave the draft class a B plus for 2025, but an A minus for after that. To set the foundation the way that they did, high upside, but high floor on Winston and Oladejo addressing the needs but doing it at value high character guys who could set the culture and help cam ward cam ward's calling all the picks as they're

happening I mean literally I forget which guy it was I think it was I think it was IO manner he said he was on the phone with the titans and k-ward was calling him Something special is brewing folks something special is brewing And uh, I just want the record to show that I I like this draft even if it's not going to be Hey, we're getting eight superstars out of this one. This is going to be the draft that kind of Sets the base standard for, Hey, we got a talented team with good character, but dudes who love football and are going to work their butts off to win. And that you can add in some of the spicier ingredients as you get down the

line, but laying down a nice base right now, you know, we're putting the mashed potatoes on the plate. We'll, we'll come later with the, with the, with the gravy. All right. We'll get the gravy later or we're putting the mashed potatoes on the plate. We'll come later with the with the with the gravy All right. We'll get the gravy later or we're doing loaded mashed potatoes I'm recording right before dinner. Can you guys tell mashed potatoes? That's what we're laying down right now. Nice heaping serving of mashed potatoes We'll add the cheese and the bacon bits and the chives later my friends And while we're here it's minute 28.

Bake potato, cover it with a little bit of neutral oil and crack salt. Bake it in the oven at 400 uncovered for an hour. You gotta poke holes with a fork in it at the top. Alright. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Slice it down the middle. Pinch it on the outside so it creates kind of a ball You know I mean then you use a spoon and you kind of chop it up

You kind of cut it up a little bit get it detached get it and then you pour a bunch of melted butter in there With salt and pepper and then you stir it all up Then you throw in your ingredients just had to take a moment trust me I know my grub as you guys like to tell me all the time But with that being said that is gonna do it for me today folks again tomorrow We'll look at short-term roles for the rookies next day We look at long-term roles for the rookies might do a mailbag to finish off the week might not though Don't hold me to it

I'll let you guys know on social media and on tomorrow's show for sure But that's gonna do it for me today folks as always I am your host Tyler Rowland and this Was locked on Titans.