Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans BATTLE FOR TE1: Chig Okonkwo v Gunnar Helm, Whyle Bubble Watch & Pollard Needs Love

Episode Date: July 9, 2025

The Tennessee Titans drafted Gunnar Helm in the fourth round out of Texas and he could come in right away and get the most snaps at tight end in his first season. That doesn't mean that Chig Okonkwo won't also be a major factor at the position, but who takes the starting tight end spot will ultimately come down to how Brian Callahan chooses to deploy the role. Josh Whyle has now become an afterthought and that leaves him on the roster bubble with hungrier guys behind him like David Martin-Robinson and Thomas Odukoya. Finally, Tony Pollard is the clear top running back for the Titans, but after a great 2024 campaign, Pollard deserves a little more love locally and nationally. Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitans TicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=asc Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitans Follow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPod Subscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videos Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get $150 in BONUS BETS when your first $5 BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnfl for 50% off your first year.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)

It'll be Chigga Conquo against Gunnar Helm for the Tennessee Titans starting tight end rule and it's no secret, I think the rookie will win it. We'll break down tight ends and running backs on today's edition of Locked on Titan. 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 Rollins, Titans fans. Today's edition of the Locked On Titans podcast

is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can get $150 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins. On today's show, we are going to continue our 2025 Locked on Titans training camp preview. We talked quarterback and special teams on yesterday's first installment. Today, we're going to dive into the weapons on offense and talk about the tight ends and the running backs. Of course, I'm going to go through who I think is a luck to make the roster at every position. Go through who I think is on the bubble at every position and then tell you who I think is a long shot to make the

roster at every single position. Excited to see you guys play along with me. Throw your comments down below if you're watching on YouTube. Hit me up on social media if you're listening to the podcast. But before we dive in, 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 you get subscribed, stay subscribed. It's your team every day. Speaking of every day, shout out to my everydayers out there

tuning in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. If you aren't an everydayer, now is the perfect time to be one. We're doing a training camp preview. Get to know every single player on the roster leading into training camp. And then once training camp gets here, it's football time folks.

And you're not gonna be more entertained and more interformed than you would be if you listen to Locked on Titans every day. It's your team every day here on the Locked on Titans podcast. But with that being said, again, we gotta talk about the tight end position. And for me, there are two locks and that's it only two locks at the tight end position and it's Chigga

Conquo and Gunner Helm and not only are they locks to make the roster they are locks to be battling for the most snaps at the tight end position now looking at the tail of the tape per se between these two players, totally different style players, and that is why I have continued to say throughout the all-season since the draft happened that I think that Gunnar Helm, the rookie out of Texas, will be the Tennessee Titans starting tight end, will be tight end one. And when I mean tight end one, what I'm really trying to say is, I think Gunnar Helm will have the most snaps

of any tight end on the Titans next year. I think he's the most versatile tight end. He is to me, excuse me, kind of in between between Chicka Conkwo and Gunner Helm or Josh Wiley. He's kind of the in between of that Gunner Helm is because he has a little bit more receiving ability to get open, make somebody miss, make a catch over top of somebody in a contested situation which we thought that Josh Wiley would be good at but it's never really materialized. Gunner Helm can do those things. I have way less questions about Gunner Helm when I just watched him do it for Texas all the way to a playoff run

rather than Josh Wiley as kind of a role tight end in Cincinnati. No, Gunner Helm was the starting tight end in Texas, a dominant player in college last year who is just a much more reliable player to come out and produce right away and honestly I think the Titans can count on him to come out and produce right away. And then obviously, Gunnar Helm isn't the receiver that Chicka Conkwo is. He doesn't have the explosiveness. He doesn't have the speed. Chicka Conkwo ran the fastest 40-yard dash of any tight end in his draft class. When he came out, I think it was a 4.39.

Chicka Conkwo is one of the most athletic tight ends in the entire NFL and I have no doubt I have no doubt that Chigga Conquo can have a breakout season for what I think his ceiling is. I think Chigga Conquo can come out and have 50 catches 700 yards three three four touchdowns. I think Chigga Conquo can have that good of a year But Gunnar Helm still get the most snaps I could see Chigga Conquo having better stats than Gunnar Helm because he's just a more explosive player But Gunnar Helm be the guy who has the most opportunities because he is just again Kind of an in-between of Josh Wiley and Chigga Conquo where he has a little bit more receiving ability than a guy like Josh Wiley. But the real issue with Chigga Conquo that we talk about and what really makes me feel this way

is that Chigga Conquo is not a good enough blocker. He never has been. He's never going to be. In my opinion, Chigga Conquo looks a little skinnier this year than he did last year, and I don't think that's a bad thing. I think one of the big issues that I see in the world is that we try too hard to make something that sounds good true when the reality doesn't sound as bad as we think. And I think admitting to ourselves, Chigga Conquo is not a blocking tight end, Chigga Conkwo is not going to be a starting tight end, who's your number one tight end all the time, all year, like that type of guy. Once we can learn to admit that, then we can let Chigga Conkwo be who he's truly meant to be. And finally this year, we

might be able to accept that and do that because we have a guy like Gunnar Helm who we're excited about and we believe in. It's a lot harder to be like, hey, Chica Conklo is not a starting tight end, but he can be a great offensive weapon role player within an offense. It's a lot harder to accept that when you're looking at Josh Wiley and Nick Van Et or Jeff Swain. You know what I mean? Like, think about those type of tight ends and why, no, Chica Conklo is going to be the starting tight end. Chicka Conklo is the number one tight end. Chicka Conklo could take a jump here You know, it's obvious that It's hard to let that go when you don't have anything else to look forward to but now that we can see that Gunnar Helm has

More of a versatile wide tight end skill set hand in the dirt next to the offensive tackle Executing isolation blocks executing double teams to drive people off the line of scrimmage, pulling from the backside of the formation as a puller where Chigga Conquo, it's an adventure. Now that we have somebody in Gunnar Helm who we can be like, all right, that guy can do that stuff. Now we can accept who Chigga Conquo truly is

and let him truly play in that role all year long. Let Chigokunquo be a big slot receiver. Let him be a guy that you bring in motion from the backside of the formation. Let him be a guy who's off the line of scrimmage as a wing, off of Gunnerhelm in a two-tight end set. Let's let Chigokunquo do that stuff so he gets a free release off the line of scrimmage. He's not tasked with one-on-one isolation blocks against defensive ends. Let's not have Chikokonkwo do that. Let's accept who he is and not put him in, you know, this box that we want him to be in when he's in a box that's different. And now that Gunnar Helm is there to assume that role that we're all looking for,

now we can let Chik Conquo do that. And I think, honestly, while you may hear this and say, no, Chica Conquo is tied in one, I can't believe this, or you may hear this and be like, man, Chica Conquo is so overrated, he drops the football, I can't wait till he leaves after the year, but no matter who you are, I think we can all look at this and say, the fact that Chigga Conkwell and Gunnar Helm both can vie for the tight end one role, but can do it in totally different ways and skill sets, that's good for the Titans.

That's great for the Tennessee Titans offense because they have a tight end that they can use in any situation. You've got smaller linebackers, we're going to jump over you with Gunnar Helm. You've got slowerbackers, we're gonna jump over you with Gunner Helm. You got slower safeties, we're gonna have you in a one-on-one matchup with Chig Aconquo and he's gonna dust you. So this is ultimately good for the Titans, but the reality is there are only two locks at the tight end position. It's Chig and it's

Helm, and those two guys are not only locks to make the roster, they're locked in a battle for the most tight end snaps. Again, I think it'll be Gunnar helm, but I think we could even see Chig Aconquo have a better statistical season than Gunnar helm while not getting as many snaps because Chig can be used more efficiently and more effectively in a better role, even if that means less snaps than Gunner Helm. So with that being said, I know that I said that Will Levis was on the bubble because I think he could be traded,

but I think a Will Levis trade is way more likely than a Chicka Conkwo trade. I talked about it last week when we talked about some trade options when the Dolphins, you know, were looking for a tight end. They got Darren Waller eventually, but everybody was like, oh, should we trade Chica Conqua there? And I would be open to it if it was a good draft pick. But like I said then, the Titans aren't gonna get a draft pick that is good enough to outweigh what Chica Conqua can do for Cam Warden this offense this year, because the Titans need to get better

and win some games, and they Need Cam Ward to play well so unless the Titans are getting you know, what could be a high fourth or Yeah, right a third round pick. Yeah, right Then there just isn't incentive to trade Chica Conquo So I didn't put him on the bubble because I think it's less likely But I did in fact put Josh Wiley on the bubble Even if I don't think anyone would trade for him. I just think he's on the bubble to make the team in general Today's episode is brought to you by

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at tight end. And we start with Josh Wiley, who I think his time could almost be out. Now before we get into it, thanks again for making Locked on Titan, your first listen. Remember, training camp preview tomorrow, we're gonna talk offensive line.

We're gonna start next week with wide receiver, edge, linebacker, defensive line, secondary as well. And then training camp will be here. And we'll get ready for that, talking about camp battles and players to watch. And I cannot wait, football's right around the corner. But thanks for making Locked on Titan Titan your first listen each and every day. Josh Wiley has just not lived up to what his expectations were and I think that Gunnar Helm's skill set is similar enough

that it could really push a guy like Josh Wiley off the roster. I mean, through his career, he's caught 37 passes, 342 yards and two touchdowns in two seasons. Played in 11 games his first year, did play all 17 last year, was definitely more effective. I mean, the majority of that came last year, 28 catches, 248 yards and a touchdown. Like he did some things, but Josh Wiley stepping up to be again, I think Gunnar Helm is the only person challenging Chigga Conquo for tight end one snaps for the number one tight end role. And I think a guy like Josh Wiley was originally expected to come in and do that. He was going to be the why tight end

that could pair with Chigga Conquist so Chigga Conquist could be more of a move tight end. That was going to be Josh Wiley's role and quite honestly it just hasn't happened. He just didn't show it last year. His blocking certainly leaves some to be desired for a guy who's six foot seven, 250 pounds. He just has not been a good enough blocker and look you go back in college. He was a guy who got a lot of isolation opportunities because he's so tall, he's so long, and that's great, but in the NFL, you're not going to dominate on those opportunities like you did in college.

You're not going to have the same success rate that you did. And if you're not winning in those situations at a high enough rate, and you simply haven't turned into a good enough blocker, it makes it tough. It makes it tough. And then you get Josh or you get Gunnar Hellman here with a similar skill set. It's like, are we doubling down on this? Do we need both of these guys?

I think Josh Wiley ultimately does make the roster, but I think it's going to be closer than people think, because I think David Wiley ultimately does make the roster, but I think it's gonna be closer than people think because I think David Martin Robinson Alright now DMR is a guy Who I know maybe some fans may not recognize right away Didn't see much of him last year. He played in five games. He caught one pass for six yards Right. He barely played only saw him in five games again not a guy who was out there playing a ton all right I think snaps he got like 50 stats on special teams and I don't know like 40 on offense

something like that so 90 snaps on the season maybe a hundred total not a guy who made a big impact. But if you remember, the Tennessee Titans kept five tight ends on the roster last year, the initial 53-man roster. They kept Van Et and Chig and Wiley and then David Martin Robinson and Thomas Otakoya. And we were all freaking out, I remember, at the beginning of the season because for the first month of the year, those guys weren't even active. I mean, I just told you how much David Martin

Robinson played, Thomas Otakoya didn't play much more. So it's like, why did you sacrifice two roster spots on two tight ends so that you have five tight ends on the roster? And you're not even going to use those guys. Well, the answer that was provided by Ray Carthon, and I think Brian Callahan corroborated, is that they thought that if they waived those players, they would be picked up. And they wanted to continue to develop those players because they were very high on their potential. Okay, that's fine. Well, if that is the case and you could say well, Rayncarthan's gone because he made stupid decisions like that and that was a dumb thing to think but Brian Callahan was certainly in on that. So if that was the case, if we are to take that as a good explanation, then David Martin

Robinson, Thomas Soda-Coyer, one of those guys better be ready to contribute this year, right? You basically sacrificed those roster spots as developmental spots because you believed in these guys. Well, it's time to show it. And I think David Martin Robinson is showing it. If I'm remembering correctly, I think Jim Wyatt said recently he had 10 catches during mandatory minicamp. David Martin

Robinson is more of a Chicka Conkwo style guy, but he's a bit bulkier than Chicka Conkwo. He's 6'3", 247 pounds. I know that Chick weighed in not too far off that. Like it was like two high 230s or something like that. But we see Chig Aconquo. I think he plays closer to like 225, 230 if I'm honest. So David Martin Robinson, a little bit bigger than Chig Aconquo, but an athletic guy, a guy who can do similar things within the offense as a move tight end, the things that I described earlier, get him on the move, get him off the line of scrimmage, but he's a little bit bigger so he might be a little bit more versatile than Chigga Conquist. Wouldn't you rather have a guy like that than Josh Wiley?

Honestly, if you have a guy like Gunnar Helm who could be your matchup guy, your red zone weapon, your classic tight end one, would you rather have Thomas Odecoye over Josh Wiley? Who Thomas Odecoye is a much better blocker than Josh Wiley. He's just a bigger dude, stronger dude, thicker build, 6'6, 250, he's just built more solid. Remember, Thomas Odukwoye is the international pathway player that the Titans have had on their roster and in their organization for a while. But it begs the question, and that's why I didn't put Josh Wiley in the locks to make him. I have him here in the bubble group with David Martin Robinson and Oda Koyate. I could see all three of those guys with a path to make the roster.

I could see none of those guys with a path to make the roster. Like, if you told me any of those three guys didn't make it, I wouldn't be shocked. If you told me any of those three guys did make it, I wouldn't be shocked. That is what you call the bubble. Now, I think Wiley and DM guys did make it. I wouldn't be shocked. That is what you call the bubble. Now I think Wiley and DMR ultimately make it, but we have training camp ahead and my 53-man roster prediction will certainly change from the one I did a month ago to the one I do a month from now when we've seen some real football. Now I do want to mention, because I get you acquainted with every single player on the roster in this training camp preview.

Drake Dabney, 6'5", 246 pounds out of TCU, undrafted free agent tight end, been around, but he's a guy who is a long shot to make this roster. Camp body, if I'm quite honest with you, with the talent the Titans have here to choose from at tight end and guys they've invested in, there's just no way that Drake Dabney is making this roster. But with that being said, let's talk about this running back position because man, Tony Pollard just continues to be underrated. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast.

We have talked about the tight end position. We did our locks and chicken helm. We did our bubble with Wiley DMR and Odukoye and we did our long shot with poor Drake Dabney doesn't really have a good chance to make this roster Hopefully he can impress in the preseason and get another opportunity elsewhere be on a practice squad something like that But with that being said we got to move to running back Tony Pollard continues to be incredibly underrated But the Titans running back position at the end is going to be pretty interesting. And I'm not convinced that the people who make the final roster are actually on the team right now.

Now before we dive into that, I do want to thank you again 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 you get subscribed, stay subscribed to your team every day. Tomorrow we're going to be looking at the offensive line starting next week. We're gonna be looking at the wide receiver group, which is gonna be very, very interesting. But with that being said,

the locks to make the roster are Tony Pollard and Tajay Spears. I know you may be thinking, what about the rookie the Titans just drafted? Kal-El Mullings, Adam Ischgen, how is he not? That's a seventh round pick. Go look at how many seventh round picks make the roster. It's not as many as you would think.

Now, I know you could say, oh, it's a draft pick, it's a draft pick, but the Titans had nine draft picks. Think if it came down to Mullings or Xavier Restrepo. Who do you want? You know, think about those kinds of decisions. I mean, Mullings, we'll talk about him in a second, but I think outside of that, Spears and Pollard are easily the locks.

They're both gonna make this team. They're gonna have massive roles on the offense. No doubt about it. Now you wanna to talk about next year with these guys. I think the Titans might have two brand new running backs as their tandem by this time next year. I don't think that that would be that crazy with Tony Pollard's price next year and see how he wears down this year with the wear and tear that he's taken. Can Tajay Spears stay healthy? If not, maybe it's time to move on? Those are conversations for after the season based on how the season plays out, but you better keep them in the back of your mind. Regardless of that, this year, money in the bank, Pollard and Spears locked in, we know what the running

back rotation is going to be like. Anything else is just luxury filler type stuff. Now we get to the bubble at running back. Well, let me say this. I didn't want to throw this in. I don't really care too much about, you know, the rankings. It's ranking season. Okay. It's easy to talk about if you don't have much to talk about. Let's be honest.

Okay. So I'm not going to ignore it completely, but I also don't want to spend too much time here. Just want to say Tony Pollard, not even getting a vote, not even getting an honorable mention for top 10 running back in the NFL. I think it's lame. I think after the season he had last year, 12th in the NFL in rushing yards and only 16 games, you know, with a tough offensive situation. I think Tony Pollard deserves a little bit more love. He's underrated nationally for sure, but I don't feel so passionately about.

Tony Pollard being a top 10 running back. Then I'm going to like get mad about it. I've whatever I wish he would have got a little bit more respect with a mention in there and some of the other people they got mentioned in there. I'm like can't get Tony Pollard a mention in here but at the end of the day it's someone else's rankings whatever. Doesn't really matter but Spears and Pollard locks the bubble is Mullings and Chestnut and again Kyle Mullings is a seventh round pick coming off a core muscle injury. He got back into practice, a mandatory mini camp there at the end, and that bodes well for him going into training camp, but it'll be all about special teams for Mullings.

He's been a guy who's done returning in the past. He was a converted linebacker at Michigan. The history of violence as a linebacker with the size and the speed 6'2", 220, that looks like a ready-made special teams demon. That's why Asan Haskins was so good. Another Michigan running back who was a big physical guy who was more of a special teams player, I think, than a real running back. Special teams will be the key for Callow Mullings. He has to find a way to make it. With this build and this skill set, he should be able to do so. But the point is, if he comes out and he's not very good on special teams

and camp in the preseason and they don't feel comfortable with him there, which I don't think will be the case, but if that happens, then he's not gonna to make the team. They're not going to keep Mullings because they want his running back skills. Like he's a power back who could be a switch-up and a goal line and a short yardage, but they could find a different veteran to do that. They could find somebody who's better at special teams to fill that role too. It's not so important somebody who's better at special teams to fill that role too. It's not so important that he's just a lock to make it.

He's gotta be good on special teams. It's not about playing running back when you're a seventh round pick. It's about special teams. And that's why Julius Chestnut is on the bubble too. Look, most people, my everydayers out there know I am not a big fan of Julius Chestnut. Does not have the rest of that wiggle

or physical running style. For me, I don't see it fan of Julius Chestnut, does not have the rest of the wiggle or physical running style. For me, I don't see it, I don't understand it. He's not great in pass protection, he's terrible on special teams, I don't understand, but clearly they like him in Tennessee. And if Mullings isn't better than Chestnut on special teams, Chestnut's probably a better runner of the football though. So, on special teams, Chestnut's probably a better runner of the football though. So

that's why I would say both those guys are on the bubble because if Mullings can come in and be great on special teams, he's a good enough runner where they don't need Julius Chestnut. But if Mullings comes out and he's terrible on special teams, I might as well go with the guy who runs the ball a little bit better because I'm going to need to spell my top two backs this year so they don't break down. Now the long shot to make it and it does make me frustrated to say this because I again, not a big fan of Julius Chestnut, really would like him off the roster, but Tyrion Davis Price, the Titans brought in, after they got rid of, now I forget The Titans brought in, after they got rid of, now I forget what the kid's name was, but they had an undrafted free agent in, they got rid of him, they brought in Tyrion Davis Price. Which to me to go out and bring in a veteran player like Davis Price, who has been a roster bubble, journeyman type guy,

to bring in a guy like that, it's like we don't want any more young running backs. We want guys who know what they're doing, who are tough, physical, and who can come in and play special teams, and that's why I say Tyrion Davis Price is a long shot because he hasn't been with the organization for the time that Julius Chestnut is, but there is absolutely a world where TDP takes Julius Chestnut's roster spot, and it's Pollard, Spears, Mullings, and TDP. I absolutely think that that could happen. I don't think it will happen, but it's a possibility.

And again, it's all about special teams because Pollard and Spears have a pretty good handle on most of the running back duties. And after that, it's all about special teams first, and then we look at your running skill set after that. So, Bubble, Mullings, and Chestnut, Longshot, Tyrian Davis, Price, Locks locks, Pollard and Spears. We've done quarterbacks, we've done special team,

we've done tight ends, we've done running backs. Again, tomorrow we're going to do offensive line and we're going to hit wide receiver to start next week. Training camp right around the corner folks. As I always tell you, that is going to do it for me today. Folks, as always, I am your host, Tyler Tyler Rowland and this was Locked on Titans.