Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans BEST Free Agent Receiver Fits - Top Target, Mid-Tier Values and Bargain Bin Sleeper

Episode Date: March 8, 2023

The Tennessee Titans need to do some major work at wide receiver this offseason, but the free agency class is not loaded at the position. That doesn't mean there aren't some great fits on the market. Allen Lazard could be a great option for the Titans along with a DJ Chark. For a better value and speed, names like Parris Campbell and Mecole Hardman could fit the bill. Finally, we discuss a great bargain option in Mack Hollins.Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Place your first FIVE DOLLAR bet to get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Free Bets – win or lose! Visit Fanduel.com/LockedOn today to get startedFANDUEL 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Tennessee Titans need some serious help at the wide receiver position this all season. Here are four perfect fits in free agency at wide receiver. We're going to discuss that and more on today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Let's get it. 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. The free agent wide receiver class is not the greatest, but there are options at the

top of the market and the mid-tier where the value is and some bargain options for the Titans that I think would help them out in 2023 in a big way. So before we get into the free agent market at wide receiver, do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook of the NFL. Make every moment more. Visit FanDuel.com slash locked on to get started today. Titans fans, thank you for making the Locked on Titans podcast

your first listen every day, Monday through Friday. Tennessee Titans content on all platforms, all year long, and always for free. Make sure that you get subscribed and stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast. Throw a thumbs up on the video if you're watching right now as well. The show is always free. All I ask for in return is the press of a button.

I am your host, Tyler Rowland, nearly 25 years as a Tennessee Titans fanatic, a certified film junkie, and a writer over at alltitans.com for Sports Illustrated covering the team on a daily basis. But with that being said, we got to dive into the free agent wide receiver market. And first and foremost, I will be the first person to tell you, if you haven't heard already, this is not a great group of free agent wide receivers. Not a great year to need wide receiver help in general with the free agent class and what we're seeing in the NFL draft.

But at the end of the day, the Titans need some serious help at wide receiver. So they're not really going to have a choice. Okay, they're going to have to address wide receiver in free agency, try to find a value. And I think I have some perfect fits for the Titans,

depending on where they want to enter the market, whether it be at the top of the market, those values, or some bargain options as well. So let's just start at the top of the market at wide receiver, or some bargain options as well. So let's just start at the top of the market at wide receiver. And look, guys, you have names like Jacoby Myers, who's expected to get around $16 million a season. Juju Smith-Schuster, who's expected to get anywhere to $13 to $15 million in free agency. Odell Beckham Jr. will be on the market, probably looking for a deal over $10 million, probably

closer to $13 million. And then, of course, you have another name that I know some Titans fans really like in DJ Chark, who's going to be looking at about a $12 million a year deal. And remember, as I say with contracts all the time, we can talk about the average annual value all you want, like what the average per year is, but contracts aren't structured in a way that your cap hit is what your average is every single year.

These players who are making $16, $15 million a season, in their first year of their contract, their cap hit will probably only be $8, $10, $12 million. It's going to be less because of the way contracts are structured. So keep that in mind as we talk about all these guys. But those four names I mentioned, Myers, Smith-Schuster, Beckham, Chark, if you're into one of those guys, if that's what you're looking for, then I totally understand it. But with Myers, with Smith-Schuster, with Beckham, too expensive for my taste,

for what you're getting from the player. I'm just not willing to pay that. And DJ Chark could make some sense at $12 million a year. But guys, I just don't see Chark as a guy who fits within the Titans system. He's not a guy who likes to go out there and block. He's not a physical wide receiver. And while he does have a ton of talent,

I just don't see the fit with the Titans, which brings me to my best fit for the Titans. And I've been talking about it a little bit over the last month or so when we've just casually talked about wide receiver options. But for me, the best fit for the Tennessee Titans period in free agency is Alan Lazard. Lazard's expected to get around $10 million a season, which if the Titans signed Alan Lazard for three years, $30 million, $22 million guaranteed, basically a two-year deal worth about $11 million a year. This first year, the cap hit for Alan Lazard

would probably be anywhere from $5 to $8 million. That's what would actually hit the cap. So keep that in mind before you get in the comments and tell me that Lazard is too expensive because he's simply not going to be. He's going to be a great value for the Titans, even if he's at the high end of the market. Look, Alan Lazard is still only 27 years old.

So he's not an older player. He's not a guy that's dealt with a ton of injuries as well. Lazard is 6'5", 255 pounds. I mean, Lazard is a tank of a player. And look, we can talk about what we want at free agency, in free agency, all we want, but these players still have to fit the mold that the Titans want. And the Titans still want big, physical, and fast wide receivers. Alan Lazard ran a 4.55 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine when he was coming out as a rookie. Lazard is not some slow, plodding, big-bodied wide receiver

like Nick Westbrook-Akene. That's not what he is. Okay, Lazard has much more explosiveness to him. He has much more athleticism to him than a guy like NWI. Much more explosiveness to him. He has much more athleticism to him than a guy like NWI. Last year, Lazard had 60 catches for 788 yards. The leading receiver on the Titans was Robert Woods with 52 catches for a little over 500 yards.

I think it was 534 yards off the top of my head. So Lazard is productive. He has great size. He has requisite speed. He's only 27 years old. His cap hit will probably only be between five to $8 million in the first season on a two to three year contract. Not only that, but, and this is for Mike Grable. Mike, if you're watching, this is for you. Alan Lazard has had a 78.2 run blocking grade the last three seasons combined. That's the seventh best number in the entire NFL.

He's huge. He's fast. He blocks. He's durable. He's productive. He won't break the bank. I mean, what else could you want? It is not a good wide receiver group in the draft or in free agency.

But Alan Lazard, to me, can go up, make contested catches down the field. He can make plays all over the field. He can block. He is everything that the Titans are looking for in a wide receiver. You're going to be able to get a solid compliment to Traylon Burks. And again, not going to break the bank. So, productive, big and fast, durable, not overly expensive. What do you guys got?

Where is the complaint coming from here? Okay, the guy blocks. Mike Vrabel will like him. We will like him. Alan Lazard would be a perfect fit for the Titans. I would say a three-year contract with about $30 to $32 million, with about $20 to $32 million, with about $20 to $24 million guaranteed. The cap hit in year one would be about $5 to $8 million. I think it makes a lot

of sense, guys. Again, there's not a lot of great options out there, but for me, for all of those reasons, Lazard is the perfect fit for the Titans. And let's be honest with ourselves here. When Lazard scores a touchdown, aren't you all going to love throwing up the lizard emoji after it happens? I mean, we're going to have so much fun doing that if Lazard joins the Titans. So that's why he is my perfect fit at wide receiver for the Titans. But if you don't want to pay that much at wide receiver, or you want somebody with a little bit more natural speed, I got some value options for you guys in the middle of the market

that could make a ton of sense. We're going to get into those in just a moment. Before we do, I want to remind you guys that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. It's the best part of the NBA season. So even though the NFL is over, it's still the perfect time to download FanDuel, the number one sportsbook app in America. NBA season. So even though the NFL is over, it's still the perfect time to download FanDuel, the number one sportsbook app in America, because new customers can get a no sweat first bet up to $1,000. That's bonus bets back. Even if your first bet doesn't win guys, they have everything on FanDuel from the money line to the point spread to how many points somebody scores, how many

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We're talking free agent wide receivers that make sense for the Titans. I just talked about the top of the market, the most expensive guys available in free agency. To me, Alan Lazard is the cheapest of that top group, but also the best fit for the Titans. So that's my number one free agent option. But if you wanted to go with a little bit better of a value,

or maybe you want somebody with a little bit more speed than any of those top options present, then I have some names for you. In this mid-tier, there are guys like a Jarvis Landry, potentially, who could make sense. There are guys like an Olameda Zaccheaus, who could make some sense.

Maybe a guy like Darius Slayton that could make some sense. But for me, in this value tier, in the middle of the free agent class, there is one guy who stands out above all the others that I think would make sense for the Titans, and it is Paris Campbell, former Indianapolis Colt. So look, Paris Campbell is still only 25 years old, a former second-round pick out of Ohio State.

I would expect, and the estimates look like he'd be looking at a deal about three years, $7 million a season, so maybe three years, $22 million, three years, $20 million, somewhere in that range. Again, it'll be a three-year contract, but probably only two years of that's going to be actually locked in and guaranteed money. You'd give them about $15 to $18 million guaranteed,

which is basically two seasons worth of contract. Now look, Paris Campbell has a ton of speed. Absolute burner. And he's not just a guy who can play inside. Paris Campbell can play outside. He can be used on gadget plays, on handoffs, on trick plays. He can be used as a returner if you want as well.

I mean, he's got a ton of speed, a ton of versatility, and last year, he had 63 catches for 623 yards and three touchdowns. He only dropped three passes the entire season with all the quarterback ups and downs in Indianapolis. He still would have been the most productive wide receiver on the entire Titans team. But, but, you have to talk about the injuries with Paris Campbell. There's no way around it.

The guy played 15 games in his first three seasons in the NFL. But he played all 17 games last year in 2022. Also incredibly productive. So maybe, maybe he's figured out his body. Maybe Paris Campbell has figured out a way to stay healthy in the NFL now. Again, this is a value option,

and the reason that he would be available for this sort of price is because of the injury concerns that people will have. But if the Titans get him for a value contract, he would add speed, he would add production, and you'd be taking a player away from the Indianapolis Colts, which has value in itself. So to me, in this mid-tier with a Jarvis Landry and Olamadia Zaccheaus, Zaccheaus, a Darius Slayton, Paris Campbell is the number one option for me in this group.

I mean, and at the price that you'd be getting him at, the durability issues are less of a concern. So I think he would be somebody that the Titans may be willing to take a chance on to add speed, to add production. And you know that if he does stay healthy, you have yourself a really, really good player. Now I want to, before we move into my second mid-tier option, my value option here, I'm seeing some comments in the chat about Jacoby Myers. And look, I think Jacoby Myers, we got one here from Steve. We got one here from Zach, I think Jacoby Myers is a very good player. Don't get me wrong, but Jacoby Myers is going to be the most expensive

wide receiver in free agency this year. He's going to get $16 million, $18 million a season for four years. You may be looking at $40 to $50 million guaranteed to Jacoby Myers. I'm not paying that. He's not worth that. So that's my reasoning with Jacoby Myers. No, he's not a bad player by any means, but he's not going to be worth what he's going to get in the free agent market this year because the free agency market class is so poor, quite honestly. So that's why I'd much rather go with a guy who has more value contract-wise than an Alan Lazar who's going to get $10 million a season rather than $16 or $18 million. I don't think they're too far away as players to justify the difference in money. So there's my reasoning for that, although I do like Jacoby Myers as a player. But again, back to the value options. Love Paris Campbell. The next guy

that I want to talk about as a value option for the Titans is a speedster out of Kansas City, and it's McCole Hardman. Look, for all of the durability concerns that you get with Paris Campbell, not a lot of durability concerns with McCole Hardman. Hardman played in every single game in his first three seasons in the NFL. Now, last year, he did have some injury issues and only played in eight games. So maybe that's going to scare teams away. But I think what it's going to do more than anything is drive McCall Hardman's price down. Okay. Hardman is going to be getting paid around the same amount as Paris Campbell. He's going to be looking at about $7 million per year,

probably a two to three year contract. He's only 25 years old. So from a value standpoint and an age standpoint, Hardman and Campbell are very similar. But Hardman is an absolute demon when it comes to speed. He's got great versatility. He can return kicks, be used on gadget plays, things like that within the offense. He's a game breaker. He is with his speed.

But with McColl Hardman, whereas the opposite, Paris Campbell had a ton of turmoil at the quarterback position. McColl Hardman's played with Patrick Mahomes in the Kansas City Chiefs offense for the last four years. Is McColl Hardman as good as his numbers, or is he just a product of Kansas City and Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes? That's a fair question to ask. And that's why for me,

we saw Hardman only play eight games last year. So durability with Paris Campbell, to me, you still have questions. It's not like McCall Hardman's been perfect his entire career playing games. To me, I like Paris Campbell more for the same price. That's where I'm at. I think Campbell is a better player overall than McCall Hardman is while his speed is enticing.

Hardman's speed. I just think that a lot of his production had to do with Kansas City. And I think if you put Paris Campbell in Kansas City instead of McCall Hardman, Paris Campbell would have been a better player. So to me, I like Paris Campbell. You look at a guy like, again, Jarvis Landry, a Zacchaeus, a Darius Slayton, a Sterling Shepard maybe you would put in this group. McCall Hardman, Paris Campbell, guys in this range.

For me, I like Paris Campbell a lot more than all those guys and for the value that you could probably get him at, at only 25 years old, being a second-round level talent, that to me would be a great option. So I'm going with Alan Lazard at the top of the market. I'm going with Paris Campbell in the mid-tier value range. But now we got to talk about the bargain bin because there are some people that don't want any of these options

and don't think the Titans should spend any kind of money at wide receiver. So if the Titans want to go cheap and they want to go to the bargain bin, I got a name that makes a lot of sense for the Titans and Titans fans. They remember him absolutely destroying the Titans last season. So we're going to get into that in just a moment.

Before we do, I want to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. Now for your second listen, check out the Locked on NFL Draft podcast. You got analysts Damian Parson and Keith Sanchez. They're going to provide in-depth analysis on all the biggest NFL draft prospects, but they also dive into all of the sleepers, all the hidden gems that are going to be available later in the draft as

well. Find locked on NFL draft, wherever you get your podcast and on YouTube, part of the locked on podcast network, where it's your team every day. Titans fans, I see the responses in the chat. I've been had. I teased the next player too much.

You guys know who I'm going with. I can already see it. So we have talked about the top names on the free agent market at wide receiver for the Titans. Jacoby Myers, too expensive for my blood. Juju Smith-Schuster, too expensive for me. Odell Beckham, he's not coming to Tennessee, guys. Give it up. He doesn't want to play in Tennessee. DJ Chark, I don't think he's a good fit for the Titans system and what

they're looking for in a player. Alan Lazard, the best fit out of the top names in free agency, in my opinion. Six foot five, 255 pounds, only 20 or 225 pounds, only 27 years old, can be had for around $10 million, even cheaper on the cap in year one. 60 catches, 788 yards last year, and one of the best run-blocking wide receivers in the NFL, a guy who can get down the field and make plays for the Titans. In the mid-tier options, we talked about names like Jarvis Landry, Darius Slayton, but I really like Paris Campbell and McColl Hardman

as speed options for around $7 million for the Titans. Now we're going to get into those bargain options. Thanks again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. Tomorrow, unless there is just massive breaking news for the Titans, we're going to be talking about the offensive line free agents. So make sure that you tune in for that.

It's going to be talking about the offensive line free agents. So make sure that you tune in for that. It's going to be fantastic. But looking at some of these bargain bin options for the Titans, the number one name that sticks out to me is Julio Jones. Just kidding, everybody. Just kidding. Just kidding. Just kidding. It's actually Matt Collins.

And I saw some of you guys saying it in the chat already, but Matt Collins destroyed the Titans in their game against the Raiders last year. He went for 10 catches or 8 catches, 150 yards, had the touchdown at the end. I mean, we talk about Alan Lazard at $10 million. If you're somebody who would rather go with Matt Collins at like $4 million,

I would understand that. I really would. Matt Collins had a slow start to his career. He's 29 years old, so he is on the older side. But last year, he had a career high in catches, in targets, tied his career high in touchdowns, career high in yards. He had 57 catches for 690 yards and four touchdowns last year. All of that would have been the best or tied for the best on the entire Titans team.

So, Matt Collins is another guy who fits the profile of what the Titans are looking for. is another guy who fits the profile of what the Titans are looking for. 6'4", 220 pounds. He was the 7th best run-blocking wide receiver in the NFL in 2022 with a 74.9 run-blocking grade. He blocks. He's productive. He's durable. He has never missed a game in his NFL career.

So again, like Lazard, big-bodied guy, run-block, like Lazard, big bodied guy, run block, productive, durable, economical with the cost. I mean, we're looking at a two-year deal worth about $4 million per season. Basically, what the Titans did with Jeff Swaim at tight end last year, they can give that money

to Mack Hollins this year. That's a much better option for me. So, I love Mack Hollins as an option in the bargain bin. I'm not looking at Julio Jones. I'm not looking at Nelson Aguilar. I'm not looking at Sterling Shepard. I want Mack Hollins in that spot. Somebody said, thoughts on Richieard. I want Matt Collins in that spot. Somebody said

thoughts on Richie James. I like Richie James. I would put Richie James with the Paris Campbell and McCall Hardman group. That's a great point. I can't go through all like, you know, 40 free agent names that are available. So that's a great point. I mean, I really like Richie James. That would be a great option. He would be

right there in the Paris Campbell, McCall Hardman group for me. If the Titans want to go a mid-tier value guy with some speed that maybe doesn't have size, that would make a lot of sense. Okay? But for me, just to recap it for you guys, at the top of the market, I think Alan Lazard is the perfect fit for the Titans.

That would be my number one choice. Then I'd go with a Paris Campbell or a McCool Hardman in the mid-tier range. And then lower than that, I'm looking at Matt Collins as a bargain option. So also Kane 3-1-7 got me dying laughing here. Des Fitzpatrick is set to break out. Yeah, break out of the NFL and go sell cars. Geez, give me a break here. You guys are killing me. But yeah, I know that they're not perfect options.

Again, just as a general reminder here, this is not a great free agent class. It's simply not. If Jacoby Myers is the best player on the market, it's not, okay? It's not a great free agent class. It's not a great wide receiver class in the draft either. So the Titans are going to get elite players.

They need to find valuable role players. And since you have Traylon Burks and Kyle Phillips and probably another rookie coming in this year on rookie contracts, you need to have one veteran player on a decent contract that can fill the roles and help all those guys. And I really do think Lazard is that. So I like Lazard. I like Paris Campbell and McCall Hardman and Richie James, of course.

And I like Matt Collins as a bargain option. So we're going to be back tomorrow. I'm going to break down offensive line free agents that would be a great fit for the Titans, not only at offensive tackle, but on the interior as well. Make sure that you guys are back for that. But that's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland.

And this was Locked on Titan.