Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans CAM WARD IS QB1 IN 2025, Cooper Kupp Issue & Offensive Line is Set w/ Kevin Zeitler

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Tennessee Titans signed a new quarterback on Thursday, but they told us their real quarterback is Cam Ward. I'll explain 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 FanDuel. Right now, new customers can get $200 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. On today's show, we have got a ton of Tennessee Titans news over the last 24 to 36 hours.

Starting point is 00:00:52 The Titans signed a new quarterback on Thursday and it confirms that Cam Ward is quarterback one. I'll explain that. Plus, who's Cam Ward gonna throw to? We'll talk about why the Titans should be interested in Cooper Cup for the right price. And finally, the Titans offensive line is set as well. I'll tell you who will be blocking for Cam Ward. And the Titans signed another defensive lineman as well in Draymont Jones. So, we're gonna go over all of the recent signings, what they mean on today's free agency week one recap show. Before I get into it, do want to thank you for making the locked on Titans podcast.

Starting point is 00:01:29 Your first listen each and every day. Remember Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. You're not going to beat that anywhere else. Make sure that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. It's your team every day. Speaking of every day, shout out to my every dayers out there tuning in Monday through Friday.

Starting point is 00:01:47 Couldn't do it without you guys. If you aren't an every dayer, you need to be one because this time of year, there's always breaking news to go over. The draft is right around the corner and I'm gonna have a mock draft Monday ready for you guys to start next week with Cam Ward at number one, exactly what it's gonna look like but again, I

Starting point is 00:02:06 Think the Tennessee Titans told us With their free agent signing on Thursday that cam ward is quarterback one the Titans have signed Brandon Allen As their back up quarterback, it's a one year deal for Brandon Allen. I bet it's two to three million dollars at most. Likewise, Mason Rudolph goes back to the Pittsburgh Steelers. So interesting that the Titans back up for a year is gone. They bring in their new back up. It's Brandon Allen. Now, here's a couple of things to know about Brandon Allen. Allen's going to be 33 years old in September. So starting this season, he's going to be 33 years old in his career. He has started 10 games. He went two and eight in those games. He has played in his career in 18 games total and that's over the course of six years. He came into the NFL as a 27. This is when he got his opportunity. He was on some practice squads and stuff like that,

Starting point is 00:03:11 but he finally got his first opportunity to start games in the NFL in 2019. His first official season in the NFL. And now it's 2024. And during that time, he's played in played in 18 games. Again, started 10 went to an eight. The point of all of this is 33 years old, two and eight and this starts 18 games and six seasons, six years. Brandon Allen is not a starting quarterback. Brandon Allen is not somebody who you say him and Will Levis are competing to be quarterback one. This isn't like a Jamis Winston or a Garner Mintchoo or a Mac Jones who went to San Francisco or a Zach Wilson who went to Miami or a Carson Wentz even. Like this is

Starting point is 00:04:02 not a, remember I had a couple of different paths. The Titans were going to go down with quarterback. Either they were going to get a backup quarterback. That was a clear backup to a young player or they get a compete with Will Levis type player or they get a veteran player like a Aaron Rogers, Russell Wilson, Sam Darnold, or they trade for Derek Carr, Kirk Cousins, something like that. And then it's a, Oh, this is the Titans are going with this veteran as their starting quarterback for the season. The path that they chose is clear out of those three paths.

Starting point is 00:04:40 Brandon Allen is a pure backup. You cannot sell Brandon Allen and the Titans aren't going to try to sell Brandon Allen as their starting quarterback in 2025. He is a backup. And that means that it is obvious and it is clear that Cam Ward is QB1 for the Titans. If you don't want to accept that, then I'm sorry, it's going to be kicking and screaming and crying for you all the way up to the draft because the Titans have told us what they're going to do. And it's no coincidence that this comes after last Friday, Cam Ward having his meeting with the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.

Starting point is 00:05:19 It is clear that coming out of that, they have said, we're going with the Washington commander's path. We're going to sign one year, plug a hole, fill a spot signings at most spots. We're going to get our quarterback in here and we're going to build around them. And a lot of people right now are saying, will Levis, will Levis, will Levis is still on thing. I hope you guys realize, will love us is not going to be around by the time the season kicks off.

Starting point is 00:05:48 Either they're going to trade them during the draft to a team that didn't get a quarterback that they wanted for a sixth round, seventh round pick, or they're going to trade them in training camp or during the summer when a quarterback gets hurt or another team wants to take a look at someone else or we get to the season. I think there's a good chance that he would be cut because you have cam ward a QB one and then you have Brandon Allen who's going to be the veteran quarterback behind him to help cam ward and why would Brandon Allen be good in that role?

Starting point is 00:06:24 Well, because he has history with Brian Callahan. Three seasons in Cincinnati, 2020, 2021 the Super Bowl year and then 2022. Three years in Cincinnati with Brian Callahan. So Brandon Allen knows what Brian Callahan wants from the quarterback position. Brandon Allen knows the offense better than just about any other backup quarterback could possibly know it. So, Brandon Allen's going to be your QB too. Now, you could say Will Levis will have a chance to compete for the backup quarterback spot with Brandon Allen, but I'm sorry I just don't buy Cam Ward and Will Levis as the quarterback room for the Titans this year. And maybe they keep three quarterbacks. Brian Callahan and any offense he's been associated with significantly.

Starting point is 00:07:15 Basically from the Bengals to now, they don't carry three quarterbacks. So I think it's obvious now and look, it's been a roller coaster of a week. Cam Ward, not Cam Ward, trade down Cam Ward, but coming out of the first week of free agency is blatantly obvious that the Tennessee Titans are taking Cam Ward. And not only that, but pretty much everybody who covers the team, no matter whether it's, you know, what I do, whether it's beat reporters, no matter what, who, whoever covers the team, everyone seems pretty convinced now that the pick is going to be cam ward at number one and going

Starting point is 00:07:55 forward throughout the rest of the all season, I am going to operate as if cam ward is going to be QB one for the Tennessee Titans in 2025 cam ward is our guy guy and I also just want to say this is the last thing that I address and I hate that I have to do this. Maybe I shouldn't do it at all, but I feel compelled There are gonna be people out there who just always do whatever they can to try to To crap on me to try to hate No matter what I do, no matter what I say, there are going to be people out there who take the opportunity to try to, you know, to hate on me, but I have consistently said anyone who pays any

Starting point is 00:08:36 attention to anything I have to say, especially my everydayers out there. I have said consistently throughout the all season. My preference is a trade back. But if the Titans decide to go with quarterback at number one overall, I am fully committed and understand, and I'm ready to ride and it's clear that they're taking cam ward and just like I said, I am fully ready to ride. Let's go baby. Cam Ward is a Tennessee Titan, but who's going to catch the freaking ball? We need to talk about wide receiver right now. First, I want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by

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Starting point is 00:10:05 So visit Fandual.com to get in on the college hoops action all tournament long. Titans fans. Let's continue today's edition of the locked on Titans podcast. We talked about the quarterback situation, whether you like it or not. Cam ward is your quarterback of the future. I personally am super high. Uh, I already got my girl doing the zombie land. We're in here. We're cam ward family now, baby. He's going to lead us doing the zombie land. We're in here. We're cam ward family now, baby

Starting point is 00:10:45 he's gonna lead us to the promised land and Personally cam ward is the franchise savior until he isn't going forward for me So do what you want with that information, but he's got a throw to somebody and we know Calvin Ridley's there We talked about van Jefferson being assigning for the Tennessee Titans. Look, van Jefferson is replacing NWI in my opinion. That's the replacement van Jefferson is a wide receiver for all right. You have Calvin Ridley, who is your wide receiver one in a perfect world. Calvin Ridley would be your wide receiver too. It like if the Titans had a true dominant number one receiver like an AJ Brown.

Starting point is 00:11:26 And then Calvin Ridley is their number two. And then you draft a slot wide receiver like Xavier Restrepo or an Isaiah Bond or an Amekeg Buka. You dropped a slot guy like that. Now your wide receiver group is nasty and Cam Ward is a dog and you can go win a Super Bowl and all of that stuff, right? Well, the Titans aren't quite there. So let's set our expectations a little bit lower. Calvin Ridley is your number one wide receiver. He's probably a low end wide receiver. I think realistically, Calvin Ridley is probably 20 to 30 in terms of best wide receivers in the NFL,

Starting point is 00:11:59 probably closer to 30. It's probably 25 to 30. So a low end wide receiver one. But that's what the Titans have to operate with now. So if van Jefferson is wide receiver four and Bryce Oliver is wide receiver five and Calvin Ridley is wide receiver one, then you need two other spots filled. Now, again, you could talk about trailing Burks, trailing Burks is wide receiver two or three. Just, I don't want to about Traylon Burks. Traylon Burks is wide receiver two or three. Just, I don't want to talk about Traylon Burks. Like I said last off season, Traylon Burks is a ghost to me.

Starting point is 00:12:35 Traylon Burks is a ghost. He does not exist. He's a figment of our imagination. I am not doing any planning of my roster and my moves based on, oh, well, you got Traylen Burks. No, you don't get him out. I want Traylen Burks cut. He's going to be four and a half million dollars on the salary cap, whether he plays or whether

Starting point is 00:12:54 he's cut. There's nothing you can do about it. It's the last year of his contract. It's dead. Get rid of just cut him. Just cut him. All right. But either way, the Titans need two more wide receivers. I don't think that the Tennessee Titans should take two wide receivers in the draft.

Starting point is 00:13:16 And if they do, if they do, it's going to be a wide receiver early that they actually expect to contribute in year one. And then a wide receiver on day three, who's really just a roster bubble special teams guy, you can't count on, you're not getting puking the Kua and I'm on, I'm on Ross St. Brown all the time. Like it's very rare that you find a wide receiver on day three in round five, six, seven, who actually can contribute in a top three wide

Starting point is 00:13:43 receiver role in his rookie year. Like that's just not a proper expectation. That's luck. And you can't bet on luck. So if the Titans can get, reasonably get one wide receiver in the draft, who can contribute as one of the top three wide receivers on the team in 2025, then how do they fill the other top three wide receiver role? Well, Cooper Cup is now a free agent and Cooper Cup reportedly wants to figure it out immediately. By the time you guys hear this, Cooper Cup could have figured it out. I hate doing podcasts this time of year because I'll do a podcast and literally an hour later

Starting point is 00:14:25 It's stupid and I sound like an idiot because I'm talking about players in a podcast on Friday morning that were signed on Thursday afternoon Like I just hate recording podcasts this time of year. So I hope you guys understand if you hear me say something It's not like I don't know that so-and-so got signed It's literally just I have to record the podcast at some point and put it out. I can't just wait, you know, forever. So besides the behind the scenes crybaby and for me, sorry guys, move right on. The point is the Cooper Cup would be a great number two wide receiver for the Titans for this year. For Cam Ward. Look, does he separate the way that he used to? Absolutely not. Is he gonna be as good as he was during his prime with the Rams? Absolutely not.

Starting point is 00:15:07 He's gonna be 32 years old. But the reality is he could still help a team. The reality is he's a sure-handed guy. He's a smart wide receiver. He can help teach your quarterback how he reads a defense. And I think in turn that could make the quarterback a better player. I think Cooper Cup would be an incredible safety blanket

Starting point is 00:15:23 for Cam Ward. And then you have Calvin Ridley, who's the more explosive guy who can get down the field and take the top off the defense and run those deep posts and those go routes and those deep corner routes that push the defense back. And then you can have Cooper Cup come underneath and make those catches and keep the chains moving. It would kind of be a perfect combination of Deandre Hopkins and Tyler Boyd. It would be like a combination of those two guys.

Starting point is 00:15:46 And at the end of the day, is it the best outcome? Is it a perfect solution? Is it really what you want? No, but it's an option and it would at least give Cam Ward a more realistic path towards success to have some better wide receiver play. I think that Amari Cooper is a guy that makes sense Keenan Allen lower on my list, but in that same vein Mike Williams ended up going back to the Los Angeles Chargers So he's not an option Stefan Diggs if he's healthy, maybe that could make some sense again Deandre Hopkins went to the Ravens. So Pickens are getting slim in this veteran market. I've liked originally the

Starting point is 00:16:23 Elijah Moore, Rondale Moore, Greg Dorch, Olameda Zaccheaus is my favorite out of that group of guys, those smaller veteran, quick speed slot guys. You could go with another guy like that and hope to maybe get a more bigger physical option in the draft, like a Savion Williams or, uh, like a Trey Harris, for example, or, or Higgins, you know, like you could go with a bigger guy in the draft. I would prefer that personally, but if you want to go with a smaller guy in the draft, then you can't sign Ron down more Elijah more Ola made as a KS

Starting point is 00:16:59 great George can't do that. So like, where do you go from there? Again, the options are very, very slim for the Titans, which is why ultimately I think they should go get one of these veterans on a one year deal. Just outbid other people. You got the money. You know, it's not somebody said to me the other day about, um, Dreymont Jones, that it was an overpay that they overpaid and Draymond Jones, who we're going to talk about in a second is a one year, $10 million deal. And I just do not believe that you can overpay on a one year deal.

Starting point is 00:17:34 It's one year. Like overpaying to me is about multi-year deals because the real risk of overpaying a player and free agency is two years from now, you're going to have to eat a bunch of dead cap. And it's going to hurt your ability to make your team two years from now better. But when you're on a one year deal, it's just this year. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't out hurting you in the future, preventing you from assigning in 2024, hurting your team in 2026 is, is the bust. That's the worst possible outcome is this player who we only had for a year

Starting point is 00:18:12 is still hurting our financial situation two years from now. That's the bad outcome. If Draymond Jones sucks and it's a complete bust of a signing, well, it was only one year. He just filled a spot. That's the thing about all of these Titan signings. Van Jefferson, Kevin Zeitler, Draymond Jones, Cody Barton, like it's well, Barton got a little bit bigger of a deal.

Starting point is 00:18:36 But once we get the details, I don't think it'll be too crazy. My point ultimately is though, that outside of Dan Moore, none of the signings the Tennessee Titans have made are punitive in the future. Therefore, I can't hate them. I can't hate them because I'm only worried about the Titans future. We know they're not winning a Superbowl this year. So, so what if you have a one year deal that doesn't work? I'm just not that concerned about it. You know what I mean? Like that at the end of the day. So if you go get Cooper cup, or you go get a Maury Cooper, or you go get Keenan Allen, or you go get Stefan Diggs, if he's healthy and they suck, well, it was a

Starting point is 00:19:16 one year deal and you didn't need that cap space for anything else is just going to burn a hole in your pocket. So why not give cam ward a veteran wide receiver to throw to, to go along with Calvin Ridley and a rookie. As long as you don't hurt yourself in the future, what's the big deal? What's the problem now? I don't think cam ward will want to come to the Titans because they're not going to be a contender.

Starting point is 00:19:43 So doesn't make a lot of sense. And honestly, if the Titans don't do it because he gets too expensive, you know, somebody's offering him a multi-year deal worth, you know, 15 to $18 million a year, then fine pass. I'm fine with that too, but just saying I would like another veteran receiver for cam ward to throw to, but more importantly, cam ward has this offensive line set. Now let's talk about that.

Starting point is 00:20:03 to, but more importantly, Ken Ward has this offensive line set. Now let's talk about that. Do you want to let you guys know that 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. That's where Monarch Money comes in. Your personal CFO giving you full, full visibility and control over your finances.

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Starting point is 00:20:57 Again, you could set goals and stay on the same page without any stress. Take control of your finances with Monarch money. Use the code locked on NFL at MonarchMoney.com for 50% off your first year. That's MonarchMoney.com code LOCKDONNFL for half off your first year. Titans fans. Let's cap off today's edition of the locked on Titans podcast. Recapping the first four days of free agency so far for the Tennessee Titans. The biggest domino of them all is the backup quarterback signing of Brandon Allen, which to me is a clear indication that the Titans are taking cam ward.

Starting point is 00:21:48 They're taking cam ward guys. You can argue with me in the comments, all you want, but they are taking cam ward. All right. Just, just deal with it. You know, and if you wanted cam ward, then start your celebration, order your Jersey, let's get high quarterback in the future is here. But we also talked about who he's going to throw to and why I think the Titans need to add a veteran on a one year contract. It fits the mold of their off season and it gives Cam Ward a competent receiving core at minimum.

Starting point is 00:22:14 But now let's talk about this offensive line because the Tennessee Titans made up a big time signing quite frankly, late on Wednesday night, Kevin's site 35 year old guard added to the items. We talked about Sightler. Um, he was 35 years old. So I'm like, why would the Titans do this? But it's a one year, $9 million deal. So going along with all of what the Titans have talked about or shown us so far, they just want one year placeholder deals. Let's get as good of a player as we can possibly get on a one year contract

Starting point is 00:22:51 and evaluate that spot after the year. We're not going to be able to hit all of these things in the draft. We're not going to be able to get a long-term solution for every need in the draft. Let's just punt on some of these. Get a one-year placeholder to try to make our team as competitive as they can be. But I'm not giving out any future money and Kevin Zeitler while being 35. Bits that mold.

Starting point is 00:23:19 Why am I worried about Kevin Zeitler being 35? If he's on a one-year deal. Kevin's Eichler being 35, if he's on a one year deal, they're admitting we cannot solve the starting guard position in a meaningful way through the draft. So let's get a solid average starting offensive lineman that we don't have to commit future money to. That's what we're doing. And look, I say stop solid average starting offensive lineman, but some of the numbers about Kevin's I.

Starting point is 00:23:51 I mean, he is more than that. Quite honestly, he's been more than solid. Um, last season, Kevin's Eichler allowed a 5.1% pressure rate. He only allowed a pressure on 5.1% of his drop backs. It was the fifth lowest among right guards. So one of the top five pass blocking guards in the NFL last year, Kevin Zeitler for the Detroit Lions. And like all the other signings that we've seen from the Titans, whether it be Dan Moore, whether it be Cody Barton, whether it be Van Jefferson, whether it be Kevin Zeitler's durability.

Starting point is 00:24:32 Look at this. This is the games that he's played in his career. 16, 12, 12, 16, 16, 16, 16, 15, 16, 17, 15, 15, 16. He made the Pro Bowl with Baltimore two years ago. 15, 16, 17, 15, 15, 16. He made the pro bowl with Baltimore two years ago. Again, durability, durability is absolutely critical. So is Kevin Zeitler a pro bowler? Is Kevin Zeitler an all pro? No. Is Kevin Zeitler the long-term answer? No, but he's a great one-year spot filler to allow the Titans to try to attack other

Starting point is 00:25:08 things in the NFL draft and guard quite frankly is a position that I'm okay with approaching it that way. So now you have Dan Moore at left tackle. And by the way, I told you guys on yesterday's show and some people still didn't want to believe it, but Jim Wyatt, the Titans own team reporter put out an article announcing the Dan Moore signing and said, Dan Moore will continue playing left tackle for the Tennessee Titans. This isn't Mike Rable where every roster move and decision that they make, they're

Starting point is 00:25:40 going to hide and, and protect and not let us know. No, the Titans are signaling to you. Every local beat reporter, multiple national beat reporters, the own team journalists are saying Dan Moore is the left tackle. So now you have an average left tackle average to below average. I would say you have a above average starting left guard. You have an average to above average starting center. Let's see how Kush looks coming back from the Achilles.

Starting point is 00:26:15 You have an average starting right guard and you have an above average starting right tackle. Your average or above average at every spot. That should be the best offensive line that the Tennessee Titans have had in quite some time. In quite some time. It is, it's not a significant improvement. I'll be honest with you. I don't think it's going to be a significant improvement. I think the Titans are still going to be 16 to 22 in terms of like offensive line rankings, but that's better than the bottom that they've been at the last

Starting point is 00:26:52 couple of years. And quite frankly, quarterback play can help that too. Cam Ward being more mobile, having better instincts, learning to get rid of the ball quicker. I think that will help the offensive line to where Will Levis really hurt the offensive line last year because they look better under cam more or under Mason Rudolph. Now the Titans also brought in Dreymont Jones and I like Dreymont Jones. Obviously the Ohio State connection there. There's been some misconception about who Dreymont Jones is as a player though, in my opinion, and he's being signed as an edge rusher, but I would call Draymont Jones more of a defensive lineman

Starting point is 00:27:31 than an edge rusher. I think that Draymont Jones doesn't really solve the edge rusher. Problem. Uh, to me, Draymont Jones is more of like a Danico Autry type where he's going to play a little bit on the outside, but he's going to play inside a ton too. That's something I think that people need to take into account here. He's a guy who's played up and down the defensive line throughout most of his career. He's not just a pure, I mean, he's six, three, 280 pounds.

Starting point is 00:28:03 He's bigger than Arden key or Arden keys longer. Yeah. Or Harold Landry by far, but like he's played 609 snaps, um, in 2024 on the D line with the majority of that coming at the edges, right outside linebacker left outside linebacker. That's what he did with the Seahawks. But if you go back further into his career, he's had a lot of success on the inside, like left end defensive tackle, you know, rushing from the interior in 2022. When he had an excellent year, by the way, he did the majority of his snaps on the inside.

Starting point is 00:29:00 He rushed at like left end, right end, right defensive tackle and left defensive tackle for over 200 snaps. He's a guy who doesn't need to just play on the edge. He needs to play all over the line. So I love the defensive line edition. Draymont Jones had a better pass rush win percentage from ESPN per ESPN analytics, then Max Crosby last year. Draymont Jones was 12.9 analytics than Max Crosby last year.

Starting point is 00:29:30 Draymont Jones was 12.9% and Max Crosby was 12.7. Now Draymont Jones played a lot less snaps than Max Crosby to be fair, but Draymont Jones, Draymont Jones had as many pressures last year as Jeffrey Simmons. So just take all that into account. Draymont Jones isn't an answer long-term, but a really good one year spot filler for the Titans defensive line. So we know Cam wards QB one, they need more wide receiver. The O line is set and the D line is coming together.

Starting point is 00:30:01 Mock draft Monday coming up, unless we get a bunch of big news over the weekend for the Titans, a big trade, some more big signings, stuff like that, then most likely what we'll be looking at as a mock draft Monday for me, where I go over what the Titans draft should look like now that we're through one week of free agency. But with that being said, that is going to do it me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Ruolin, and this was Locked on Titans.

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans CAM WARD IS QB1 IN 2025, Cooper Kupp Issue & Offensive Line is Set w/ Kevin Zeitler

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