Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - FRANCHISE TAG TARGETS: Tennessee Titans SHOULD TRADE for Trey Hendrickson & Say No to Kyle Pitts

Starting point is 00:00:00 Whether it be a trade or free agency, the Tennessee Titans need to get Trey Hendrickson. I'll explain why 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. I am going to get you guys ready to go for the NFL's franchise tag window.

Starting point is 00:00:38 It opens on Tuesday morning, and there are a lot of players around the NFL who Tennessee Titans fans should have their eye on. That includes Trey Hendrickson, who I think is the number one edge target for the Tennessee Titans, and I think not only in free agency, but through a trade as well. Before I tell you, 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.

Starting point is 00:01:10 It's your team every day. Speaking of every day, shout up to my everydayers out there. Tune in Monday through Friday, couldn't do it without you guys. If you aren't an everydayer, you need to be one again. Franchise tag stuff. We're getting cuts like Tyree Kill in the NFL already. The Titans are going to have to make their decisions. Free agency, less than a month away.

Starting point is 00:01:29 the draft right around the corner. If you want to stay as up to date, as informed, as entertained as a Tennessee Titans fan could possibly be, make sure that you stay locked in with the number one Tennessee Titans podcast in the world. Locked on Titans. With that being said, though, again,

Starting point is 00:01:45 I think the Tennessee Titans need to go out and get Trey Hendrickson. And of course, if he is not franchise tagged by the Cincinnati Bengals, then go sign him in free agency. That would be the best possible outcome for the Tennessee Titans. But I am here to say that even if the Bengals do franchise tag Trey Hendrickson,

Starting point is 00:02:04 I think the Titans are in a perfect position to take advantage of the Cincinnati Bengals position and go out and get Hendrickson in a trade. Now, let me say this before I dive into Hendrickson situation specifically. I have said pretty openly that the Tennessee Titans should not be trading any valuable draft capital for veterans as the Titans are not in a position. to be one player away from being true contenders. If the Titans were a better football team, then you could say,

Starting point is 00:02:37 trade a first round pick for Max Crosby. Then you could say trade a second round pick for George Pickens, you know, things like that. But I don't think that Trey Hendrickson situation is going to be like that. I've talked to some people who cover the Bengals who think there's as good of a chance of Trey Hendrickson not getting franchise tagged at all by the Bengals and just being allowed to go into free agency

Starting point is 00:02:58 as there is him being traded for something lower than you might think. And that's really where it comes down to. I think the Titans can get Trey Hendrickson, not for a first, not for a second. I think there's a chance. The Titans could trade a fourth round pick for Trey Hendrickson. What if the Tennessee Titans gave up? Pick number 101. Now, I'm not going to trade a third rounder.

Starting point is 00:03:24 I'm not trading 66 for Trey Hendrickson. That's a top 100 pick. That's a third round pick. I can't do that. But pick 101, I think that could work. You give Cincinnati the first pick of day three, which is essentially a day two pick.

Starting point is 00:03:42 They could use that pick to move around how they needed to. But more importantly, I think the Titans are in a position to use that pick 101, get Trey Hendrickson, give them a two-year deal worth $30 million a year, and take it, of the Cincinnati Bengals situation.

Starting point is 00:04:00 So here's the thing. Hendrickson is not going back to Cincinnati. No matter what happens, whether they tag him, they let him go. If they tag him, they'll be trading him. And here's another thing. The Bengals cannot afford to leave Trey Hendrickson on the franchise tag. So the franchise tag number for defense events is $27.3 million. If the Bengals franchise tag, Trey Hendrickson, and he doesn't want to be there,

Starting point is 00:04:34 and they say, hey, we're going to work out a trade, but we're only doing a trade if we get the best value possible, that's going to bleed through the free agent period. And then the Bengals will have a $28 million cap pit holding up their books during free agency. Think about that They can't afford to do that The Bengals need to get better

Starting point is 00:05:01 And they know that Hendrickson isn't going to be on the team So the Titans again are in a perfect position To not have to give up a lot To get Hendrickson in the building And have the opportunity to sign him to a I say long-term deal But at his age it's only going to be about two to three years maximum And again

Starting point is 00:05:22 He's not going back to the Bengals they can't have his cap hit on the franchise tag on their books for too long. They only have $52 million in cap space. If they, boom, take $28 million away from that, now you're only looking at 24 for a team that needs a lot of help and will need to replace Trey Hendrickson.

Starting point is 00:05:43 Now you add in this. Hendrickson as a player is a perfect fit for the Tennessee Titans. Literally a perfect fit for what they need. They need a big body physical, defensive end who can play hand in the dirt football, set the edge against the run,

Starting point is 00:06:02 get to the quarterback. If you have a true alpha, dominant pass rusher, 6 foot 4, 265 pounds, that is the ideal strong side defensive end for the Titans. That's a better fit than Jalen Phillips. That's a better fit than Adafay-O-A.

Starting point is 00:06:24 That's a better fit than Boye-Mafay, whoever you want to go to. It's a better fit. And he's a much better player than Quitty Pei, who I have floated as a possible fallback option for the Titans. And think about the level of player that Trey Hendrickson had been two years before last year. 17 and a half sacks in 2024 led the NFL. 17 and a half sacks the year.

Starting point is 00:06:54 that. Eight sacks in 2020, that 14, 13 and a half. Look, here's the reality. Hendrickson is 31 years old. He won't turn 32 until December. Basically, the season is almost over at that point. And yes, he missed

Starting point is 00:07:14 10 games last year, only played in 7 games with an injury. But guys, look closer at the situation. I'm in jungle country. You know what I mean? like I am in Ohio surrounded by Bengals fans. I know what's going on. Hendrickson probably could have came back and played last year. But Joe Burrow was hurt.

Starting point is 00:07:37 And the Bengals literally screwed him two years in a row. Screwed him. So he didn't come back and play. That's the reality of that situation. So you could say he's 31. He only played seven games last year. But it's clear that he didn't want to come back and play for the Bengals after the way that they treated him as an organization.

Starting point is 00:08:03 He fits perfectly in solid scheme. He's still a dominant pass rusher that can get to the quarterback. He's big enough to stop the run. Imagine him teaching David Bailey. Imagine him teaching Arvel Reese. Imagine him teaching Femiola-Dasia. This guy is elite with his hands and his technique in the pass rush. He can bend underneath offensive linemen.

Starting point is 00:08:27 it would literally be a home run for the Tennessee Titans to get the best edge rusher in the entire free agent acquisition period on their team and some would say why would Trey Hendrickson come to Tennessee well the easy answer is money

Starting point is 00:08:47 pay him money and if you trade for him you eliminate the possibility of negotiations so when you trade for him on the franchise tag, which the Titans can afford to hold him on the... Titans have $100 million. They're probably going to have $120, $130 million

Starting point is 00:09:09 dollars of cap space by the time it's all said and done with the cuts and the extensions and such and such. Trey Hendrickson at $27, if he wants to try to play hardball, you can play hardball. Because you can hold him on a one-year deal, on a franchise tag. But he won't want to do that.

Starting point is 00:09:26 He'll want to get his long-term deal done and the Titans can afford it, and he deserves it. So, don't be fooled by the age, the games. This is an elite edge rusher. And here's another thing to consider. The team that I've heard most associated with Trey Hendrickson if he goes to free agency is the Indianapolis Colts. So, do you want to give up pick 101

Starting point is 00:09:53 and a $30 million contract to Trey Hendrickson for two years? and get him on our team to rush the passer and fit perfectly in Robert Salas system? Or do you want to let him go to the Indianapolis Colts? Because that's the risk that you're taken because Lou Anirumo is their defensive coordinator. And where was he the defensive coordinator at before? Cincinnati.

Starting point is 00:10:16 When Trey Hendrickson had 17 and a half sacks in back-to-back seasons. So just think about not just what you're gaining, but what you stand to lose and what you're, enemy stands to gain, whether it be a trade, whether it be free agency outright, the Titans have to find a way to get Trey Hendrickson. They just absolutely must. Now, there are guys who are franchise tagged targets who could be tagged by their teams who the Titans need to stay far away from, like Kyle Pitts and George Pickens. Hey, it's Matt Derry from the Lockdown Lions podcast. The people I love depend on me. If I'm gone, the financial responsibilities don't

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Starting point is 00:12:28 And whether it is a trade, which should be very inexpensive, according to my peoples with the Bengals, or whether it just be in free agency and outbidding other teams, the Titans need to figure out a way to do it. But there are also some franchise tag candidates who the Titans need to stay away from. And again, I go to George Pickens. And I've talked about George Pickens quite a bit.

Starting point is 00:12:48 I've done opening segments on George Pickens. I talked about it unlocked on NFL. The Titans are not in a position to trade what it's going to cost for George Pickens. Now, I can already hear the complaining in the comments. Wait, you want to trade for Trey Hendrickson but not George Pickens? Yes. Listen to what I'm saying. I think you can trade for Trey Hendrickson for a fourth round pick.

Starting point is 00:13:17 I was listening to our friends over at Locked-on Cowboys and they were talking about George Pickens needs to get a first round pick back. He's 24 years old. He went for 1,400 yards, 90 catches, and they're going to want a second, if the Titans give up a second round pick, they're going to have to give up a fourth and a second round pick to get George Pickens.

Starting point is 00:13:42 And we've talked about this. Pickens, incredibly talented players. may be the most talented wide receiver in the NFL. I think that's possible. His talent level is off the charts. He's only 24, going to be 25. All that makes sense. But is this the kind of guy that you want to trade multiple draft picks for?

Starting point is 00:14:08 Give $35 million a year, $33 million a year on a contract and bring him into your locker room. where funny how the story came out on Monday, the Cowboys find George Pickens multiple times throughout the year for personal conduct, for being late to meetings. I mean, we can all talk about that's reports and rumors and this and that, but the Cowboys literally suspended him for a quarter, him and C.D. Lamb because they were so consistently late to meetings throughout the year.

Starting point is 00:14:43 They suspended him for a full quarter in a big game and an important season. Is that the kind of player? A, that the Tennessee Titans want to bring into their locker room, and B, that the Tennessee Titans should bring into their locker room. To me, the answer to both those questions is no. It's no. I'm sorry. Pickens is a good player.

Starting point is 00:15:11 But you can't do all that. You can't give up a second and a fourth. 30 plus million dollars per year and take on his personality issues with a young team that's trying to build and set a culture. Literally, Trey Hendrickson is the opposite of that. Breece Hall, for example, had some problems in New York,

Starting point is 00:15:35 but I think he would be a great locker room guy for the Titans. He just wants a stable organization that wants to actually win. So if you're going to get in the comments or you're going to wonder to your wait, you trade for Hendrickson but not for Pickens. Yes, consider the price. Consider everything that goes into it. It's clear that those are different. It's like George Pickens is one of the worst personalities

Starting point is 00:16:05 to bring into your locker room in the entire NFL, bottom five. So, I know that people just see Pickens and his talent level and they're all over it and I get it. But he is going to be tagged by the Cowboys, and you can't get George Pickens for a fourth round pick. It's going to cost a lot more than that. And the Titans just simply cannot do that. The Titans can't trade a first for Max Crosby

Starting point is 00:16:35 or a second and a fourth for George Pickens. Like that's too expensive for the draft capital for a team that has to draft and develop. That is wholly different than a fourth round pick. It's a totally different conversation. So Pickens is a name to watch I'll tell you this If they don't franchise tag him

Starting point is 00:16:55 You can at least consider going out and sign them Because then you're not giving up the picks You're just giving them a deal Maybe you feel more comfortable that way It at least opens up the possibility But is Mike Borganzi and Robert Sala Their first move together Going to bring in Pickens

Starting point is 00:17:16 In this locker room I'm sorry guys I just don't see that as a viable solution and they're certainly not going to trade for him. I feel the same about Kyle Pitts. Will the Falcons franchise tag Kyle Pitts? I don't think they're going to. I really don't.

Starting point is 00:17:35 For a tight end on the franchise tag, it's $16 million. 16.3. Kyle Pitts ain't worth $16 million. And I'm going to tell you this. I would rather bring Chigaconkwo back on a $5 million, $6 million one year deal than to go out and sign Kyle Pitts to 18, if he's getting 16 on the tag

Starting point is 00:18:00 I'll probably get $18 million in free agency I'm not giving Kyle Pitts a 50, 60 million dollar deal for three seasons when he is a rich man Shigakanqua he cannot block you cannot line him up in line he's just a big slot receiver.

Starting point is 00:18:23 That's it. He's a big slot. And I'm going to tell you the same thing I said with Chig he does not fit Brian Dable's offense. Brian Dable wants big-bodied,

Starting point is 00:18:39 physical tight ends that not only can catch the ball but can block. I don't mean blocking tight ends that can only block. I mean, a versatile, well-rounded, all-around tight end. That's what Brian Daible wants.

Starting point is 00:18:57 Go look at his offenses in Buffalo. Go look at his offenses in New York. It's pretty simple. He's not going to want Kyle Pitts. The Titans should not pay for Kyle Pitts, and I cannot stand. When people say, well, why don't I just play him at wide receiver? Whether it be Chig, whether it be pitch,

Starting point is 00:19:19 you guys do the same thing. This isn't Madden. You can't just go into a guy's edit function and move him to wide receiver and his ratings stay the same. And now we're playing it wide. Kyle Pitts isn't good enough at press releases to be an ex-receiver. He doesn't run good enough routes to be an ex-receiver.

Starting point is 00:19:37 He's not quick enough laterally to be a receiver. If he could be a receiver, he would be a receiver. It doesn't work like that. You could move a tackle to guard, a guard to center. You can, you know, move a safety who gets slow to linebacker. You could take a cornerback who has slowed down in his old age and move him to safety But you can't just take these guys who aren't good enough to be tight ends because they can't block and make them wide receivers The reason that they are a tight end is because they're not good enough to be a wide receiver

Starting point is 00:20:12 So I know that they're flashy names like Tyree Kill I don't want Tyree Kill the Titans should not go get Tyree Kill I'm gonna talk about him of my bonus episode on Tuesday morning Make sure that you guys check that out But like, come on guys. We can't just be every flashy name that's out there, Pickens and Pitts and Hill and that. Like, it just doesn't make sense.

Starting point is 00:20:37 It doesn't make sense. So I don't care what happens with Kyle Pitts, whether he's franchise tagged or not. George Pickens is another conversation entirely, but I'm just telling you right now, I don't see the fit with either of those guys with this organization or the scheme in Kyle Pitts's regard. But with that being said,

Starting point is 00:20:54 there are some other guys who I would be interested who are also on the franchise tag watch list like Kenneth Walker, Alec Pierce, and maybe de facto Michael Pittman Jr. Do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by Indeed Workplace Chaos, Deadline stacking up, inbox overflowing, the one position that you have to fill still sitting open. When the pressure is on, you need the right hire, and that is a job for sponsored jobs. Indeed, sponsored jobs helps you read.

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Starting point is 00:23:44 saying no to Kyle Pitts and George Pickens as they may be franchise tagged here in the next couple of days or so. Now I want to talk about some franchise tag candidates who I think do make sense for the Tennessee Titans. Before we dive in, do want to thank you for making Locked on Titans your first listen each and every day. Also want to remind you guys to get signed up for the Locked on Titans every day or club. You're going to get ad-free versions of the podcast straight in your podcast feed. That's worth the price already. You're going to get added to a locked on Titans group chat to chop it up with me and a bunch of other Tennessee Titans

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Starting point is 00:24:37 that you get in the bonus stuff that you get. Speaking of that, a bonus might, Cam Ward film breakdown, breaking down Cam Ward's entire rookie season is out on the Tick-Tac Titans YouTube channel on Tuesday morning 7.45 a.m. Eastern. The people in the Locked-on Titans group chat, they already have access to it. They got it 16 hours early. So you get a lot of perks in the Everydayer Club for Locked-on Titans. But with that being said, Kenneth Walker is a guy to watch.

Starting point is 00:25:12 Will he get the franchise tag from the Seattle Seahawks? Will they let him go into free agency? If they let him go into free agency, the Tennessee Titan should be right there lined up to go get Kenneth Walker. From Memphis, hard runner, 25 years old, bring him in with Tage Spears, your running back room is way more explosive.

Starting point is 00:25:36 That would be a, you get Kenneth Walker, you pair him with Tadier Spears, you still draft a running back on day three. Absolutely cooking. That's a great running back room right there. You groom the running back that you drafted to take over for Kenneth Walker after two seasons. That is a great plan.

Starting point is 00:25:58 Now, another guy to watch at the running back position is Breece Hall. Breeze Hall could get franchise tagged by the New York Jets, but I don't think that's going to happen. I think it's much more likely that Kenneth Walker would get franchise tag because the Seahawks can afford to do it. Now, the Jets can afford to do it, but do they want to? I think they want to reset some things. I don't think Brees Hall is going back to the New York Jets,

Starting point is 00:26:20 but would he come to Tennessee? Would he be more likely to go to Kansas City? Maybe if the money is equal. Will the Titans have to pay him $15 million a year? That's a lot for a running back. So that'll be an interesting situation to watch, but I think that Breece Hall makes a ton of sense for the Tennessee Titans with this connection to Robert Sala.

Starting point is 00:26:43 Sala was there when he was drafted, so I think there's a lot of connective tissue there. But Kenneth Walker would be at the top. I like Kenneth Walker more than I like Brees Hall. So watch those two running backs right there. Now, at wide receiver, I don't think any of the wide receivers are going to get franchise tag.

Starting point is 00:27:02 Wondale Robinson, Mike Evans, Romeo Dobbs. Outside of George Pickens, I don't really see any of those guys getting the tag. but a guy who could get the tag is Alec Pierce be $27 million for a wide receiver that's a lot though

Starting point is 00:27:20 so it'll be interesting to see will the Colts franchise tag peers so that they can eventually get a long-term deal done with him I do believe that that will be the outcome or will they be able to get that deal done before free agency

Starting point is 00:27:37 because if you're Alec Pierce Why would you accept a deal before free agency? Why wouldn't you go out and figure that out? Now, Indianapolis only has $34 million in cap space right now. So if they give Alec Pierce the franchise tag at 27 million, that only leaves them with $7 million of cap space. Now, they can cut guys and restructure and do different things to get cap space. But the point is, franchise tag in Alec Pierce,

Starting point is 00:28:09 becomes a difficult proposition. Now, if they franchise tag Pierce, they're probably going to be out on Trey Hendrickson. So that would help the Tennessee Titans of Hendrickson does in fact get the free agency. Another thing that can help the Titans is, if they do franchise tag Alec Pierce, with the hopes of getting a long-term deal done with him,

Starting point is 00:28:31 they probably have to cut Michael Pittman Jr., which saves them $25 million on the salary cap, and that basically washes it away. And then they get a long-term deal done with Alec Pierce eventually in the coming months, coming weeks. And then that clears up more cap space for him. But in the meantime, they could be stuck if they tag Pierce with no way to get Trey Hendrickson. Or if they want to get Trey Hendrickson again, they got to cut Michael Pittman Jr. So no matter what happens with the Colt situation, there's a really good chance.

Starting point is 00:29:06 then it benefits the Titans. De facto in one way or another. Either taking the Colts out of the market for a valuable free agent or creating a valuable free agent for the Titans at a position of need. Now, there are some conversation that they may franchise tag Daniel Jones.

Starting point is 00:29:22 $47 million is the franchise tag number for a quarterback. They ain't doing that for Daniel Jones. And I don't think Daniel Jones is going to have a crazy amount of suitors coming off an Achilles tear as well. So, again, those are the names that I'm really looking for that I think the Titans could be interested in. Other guys, Tyler Lindembaum,

Starting point is 00:29:44 the center from the Baltimore Ravens, Travis E.TN, the running back from the Jags. Adafay Oway, the edge rusher for the Chargers, who I think would be an option for the Titans. Maybe Alante Taylor with the Saints. I don't really buy that, though. Wondale Robinson, but there's no way that the Giants are going to franchise tag Wondale Robinson for $27 million

Starting point is 00:30:02 when he's probably a 15. million a year player. That's just not happening. Mike Evans? Franchise Tagged by the Bucks? I don't really see that as well. Mike Evans is going to go ring chasing though. Why wouldn't he go to Buffalo or Kansas City or something like that? I've never really talked about Mike Evans as a real option for the Titans because I just don't see it. But we got to pay attention to franchise tag status for some of these guys with free agency right around the corner. Again, I'm going to be talking about Tyreek Hill on tomorrow's bonus episode and the Ward the definitive Cam Ward film breakdown from his rookie season coming out

Starting point is 00:30:39 tomorrow on the Ticktack Titans YouTube channel make sure that you go subscribe over there as well but that's gonna do it for me today folks as always I am your host Tyler Rowland and this was locked on Titans

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - FRANCHISE TAG TARGETS: Tennessee Titans SHOULD TRADE for Trey Hendrickson & Say No to Kyle Pitts

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