Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Defense DOMINATES in Training Camp, Peter Skoronski Update & Jamarco Jones Nonsense

Episode Date: August 3, 2023

The Tennessee Titans' defense continues a strong training camp with a great performance on Thursday! The Titans' D got two interceptions and nearly had a few more while also knocking a ton of passes away. Kristian Fulton seems to be leading the charge! Next, we haven't heard much about first-round pick Peter Skoronski, but according to his position coach, he is doing awesome. Finally, Jamarco Jones was thrown out of practice again....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!Underdog FantasyThis episode is sponsored by Underdog Fantasy! Sign up HERE with the promo code LOCKEDON to get your first deposit DOUBLED up to $100.Must be 18+ (19+ in Alabama and Nebraska, 21+ in Massachusetts and Arizona) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www dot ncpgambling.org; In Arizona call 1-800-NEXT-STEP; in New York, Call 1-877-8-HOPENY; in Tennessee, call 1-800-889-9789eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFL. Terms and conditions apply.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

it looks like I was wrong about Titans cornerback Christian Fulton because him and the Titans defense continue to dominate training camp practice. I'm going to break it all down 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 Tennessee Titans defense, led by Christian Fulton, continues to dominate. We finally got an update on rookie offensive lineman Peter Skowronski, and Jamarco Jones gets kicked out of practice again. I am going to go on an epic Rowland's rant about Jamarco Jones at the end of our show. But we got a lot to discuss. Let's get into all of it. Before we do, I want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by eBay Motors. A championship team is about each player being a perfect fit.

It's the same with your vehicle. So for the parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBayMotors.com. Let's ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit. ebaymotors.com. Let's ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit. Only available to U.S. customers. Eligible items only.

Exclusions apply. Do want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round on all apps and always for free. Make sure that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast. We've got more practices coming up this week, more practice next week. I'm diving into it every single day.

You don't want to miss any of the updates that I'll be bringing you. But we got to start with the Tennessee Titans dominant defense. And again, led by Christian Fulton. So the Titans came out and they did one-on-one periods today, which is what you would think, one-on-one wide receiver versus the cornerback, all of that. Then they split into some two-on-two, which is another offense-focused drill that is,

I mean, it's two-on-two. There's so much space. It is literally set up for the offense to win, and the defense just completely locked it down. The Titans did a little bit of low red zone, seven-on-seven. The defense, again completely locked it down. The Titans did a little bit of low red zone, 7-on-7. The defense, again, locked it down. Christian Fulton had three straight pass breakups in one-on-one. The Titans' defense was everywhere today, especially in the secondary.

So many pass breakups, so many near interceptions, two interceptions as well. There was an interception by Shaheen Carter at the goal line on Malik Willis. Another interception by Anthony Kendall on Malik Willis. Now, the second one on Malik Willis. They're six seconds. They're simulating a game. There's six seconds left. Malik Willis had to throw the pass, try to force something. Let's calm down on, you know, you know me, I'll be honest about what's going on with each of the quarterbacks. Malik made some questionable throws, but they're situational things where if it's fourth down and there's six seconds left and you need a touchdown to win, I'd rather Malik try to force something in to score and throw a pick than pull a Derek Carr and throw it out of

bounds on fourth down or something like that, or throw it short of the sticks or whatever. So let's focus on the defensive side of this rather than diving into Malik right now. I just wanted to explain that, though, because I know how the comment section gets. But three pass breakups for Christian Fulton again. Like I said, those two interceptions. A linebacker almost got an interception.

I think it was Luke Gifford almost got an interception at one point in time off Will Levis. We saw a near interception of Imani Hooker on Ryan Tannehill as well. So whether it be first team, second team, third team, doesn't matter. The Titans defense was lights out. Not only did they have near interceptions, a couple interceptions, a ton of pass breakups. I think it was Amani Hooker

that knocked away a pass over the middle from Chigakonkwo as well. So, a lot of good plays from the defense. Pressure from Arden Key, from Danico Autry, Tyer Tart, got into the backfield at one point on a run play and made a stop in the backfield. So,

the Titans defense is just out there dominating. And I mean, at some point, it's not just about, you know, oh, the Titans offense is, you know, new. They don't have any continuity. The bubble of the offense isn't as talented. At some point, we just have to sit back and realize like, maybe this is going to be the best defense in the NFL. Like, they have the talent to do so. If the Titans stay healthy with all the talent they have on the defensive line, and we can say whatever we want about the Titans secondary in the past, but Sean Murphy, Bunting, Christian, Bolton at this level,

McCreary and Molden rotating in the slot with Byard and Hooker healthy behind them, that's a really good secondary. The health makes us kind of wonder, huh, are these guys, but if all those guys are out there, the Titans are going to have a great secondary. We already know they have a great front seven and definitely a great defensive line, so I think that while it's easy to say, oh, it's the Titans offense is so bad, the defense looks this good. Also worth noting that early in training camps, defenses are supposed to be ahead of offenses. You play cover three, you play cover two, you play man.

The Titans have different rules and different adjustments in their defense, but it's a lot different on offense with an entirely new playbook and all that than it is on defense. You've been running the same coverages and the same ideas. There are just little tweaks from team to team. Offense can be a lot more diverse and a lot more different. So the defense absolutely dominant. Again, I want to dive back into Christian Fulton. Three pass breakups, constant tight coverage. And I'm not just talking about today. I'm talking about throughout training camp here. I mean, it's been consistently reported that Fulton has been fantastic. He's

at 195 pounds, which is bigger than normal. And Mike Vrabel talked about him being more physical, being more aggressive, but not losing his quickness with his weight. And it's been said, going against DeAndre Hopkins every single day. This is the impact that Hopkins can make. We think about Hopkins' impact. We only think about offense. But Christian Fulton getting to go up against DeAndre Hopkins,

one of the most physical receivers, one of the best wide receivers in NFL history at the catch point. That's huge for Christian Fulton and what he needs to practice on. So just wanted to make sure I took some time to give a shout out to Fulton. Also, Aziz Alshayer, leader, intense on the field. He's been making plays. He's been making his presence felt, and that's what the Titans have needed at linebacker. A big, bulky, strong linebacker that can make his presence felt over the middle. I love that. Again, we talked about it the other day. Dr. Gibby continues to get first team reps next to Aziz Alshayer. I know there's a lot of Monty Rice fans out there, but clearly there is a change

in the water. Dr. Gibby making his push. Undrafted free agent and maybe starting linebacker in year two. That would be incredible. So that's something to watch. And finally, Jaden Peavy, the backup defensive lineman. The undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech. Last year only played in

one game for the Titans. He was heavier. He was slower. And defensive line coach Terrell Williams spent a lot of time in his interview on Thursday morning talking about Jaden Peavy, how he's gotten quicker, faster, leaner. His hands are better. Everything has improved. And they even said, what's it like? I think it was Buck Rising said, you know, how is Peavy going to do backing up some of these guys on the D-line

like Simmons and Tartt and Autry? And he said, well, we don't know who's backing up anybody or playing behind anybody was the phrasing. Terrell Williams called it out. Hey, you earn it day by day, snap by snap out here. So there's no guarantee that Peavy is going to be playing behind anybody. So T.R Tierra Tart kind of acting up a little bit throughout the offseason about his contract, not happy about playing on the

on the second round tender for a restricted free agent. Be careful. Jaden Peavy might just take your spot now. So shout out to the defense. They've been balling, but I want to talk about a young guy on offense. We haven't talked a lot about Peter Skowronski. We got an update from his position coach, Jason Hotaling. So I want to give an update on what he had to say about Skowronski. Before we get into it, though, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by Underdog Fantasy Sports.

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That's Underdog Fantasy promo code LOCKEDON. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Breaking down Titans training camp practice from Thursday. Talked about the defense dominating Christian Fulton kind of being the star so far. But now I do want to transition and get a little update on Titans first round pick Peter Skowronski. So all of the position coaches talked to the media before practice on Thursday. And new offensive line coach, remember he just replaced Keith Carter this year, Jason Hotaling, they call him Hoss.

So I'm going to call him Coach Hoss going forward. Jason Hotaling is the name. Coach Hoss is the nickname. So we'll ride with that. But he talked about Skowronski, and it was the first, I feel like, serious update we've got on Peter Skowronski since training camp happened. And, of course, offensive linemen don't get talked about as much as other positions.

That's a classic football cliche. But I'm going to try to break that here and talk a little Skowronski. So I'm going to dive into some quotes from Hotelling from Coach Haas. Before I do, thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day.

Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round on all apps, always for free. Get subscribed, stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast. Also, throw a thumbs up on the video if you're watching right now. The show is always free. All I ask for in return is the press of a button.

So go ahead and throw me a thumbs up if you're watching right now. But moving right along. Peter Skowronski apparently has been awesome. Let's dive into this quote from Coach Haas. He says, Peter has done a great job as far as just continuing to come out and work every day, getting better. I've heard this a bunch from other lines and stuff

and people throughout football. Iron sharpens iron. Him against Jeff Simmons every day and battling with him, continue to work different techniques. Again, face, feet, and hands. Where they're going, when you're throwing them, stuff like that. It's been awesome to see him continue to grind and work has really been a good thing. It's been awesome.

According to coach Jason Hotaling, watching Peter Skowronski develop and go against Jeffrey Simmons every single day. But they also asked Coach Haas about moving Skowronski to right tackle, and he kind of echoed what Mike Vrabel said earlier in the week or late last week. Quote, right now, I think Mike Vrabel said it in a press conference. He's comfortable there at left guard. But there is certainly versatility to do other things. Right now, he's hanging there at left guard and just continuing to work. End quote. Guys, I talked about this after Mike Vrabel shot down the idea of Skowronski moving to right tackle.

I personally have never been a fan of that move or that option. I have always wanted the Titans to bring in a veteran free agent or stick somebody internally at right tackle rather than moving Skowronski. If you move Skowronski from left guard to right tackle, now you're worse at right tackle and you're worse at left guard. I'd rather get worse at one spot than worse at two. And I do want to mention this again. Peter Skowronski never played on the right side.

Some of you guys think that you can, offensive linemen can flip from left to right and it's no big deal. There are people within the offensive line community professionals like a Duke Benewether. He's the best offensive line trainer in the NFL. He'll tell you it is not easy to switch sides. Your stance is different, which foot you're using most, where your weight is positioned, how you use your hands. It's all different from

one side to the other. So you take Peter Skowronski, who only played on the left side in college, never played on the right side, and you're going to move that guy to the right side in college. Never played on the right side. And you're going to move that guy to the right side in the NFL? You're going to let him play on the right side for the first time in five years? In the NFL? After you've been practicing him at guard since he got drafted?

It's just not a good idea. He's comfortable at guard. He can stay at guard. And let's be real. He's comfortable at guard. He can stay at guard. And let's be real. He's probably going to be an excellent guard, like top tier, like one of the top 10 best guards in the NFL. That's what you should be getting

when you draft pick number 11 and you take a guard. You should get a top 10 guard immediately. Immediately. Think about a guy like a Zach Martin. You know what I mean? Yeah, he can play right tackle and be good there. I mean, Zach Martin's amazing now, but early, they started him out at guard and he was an all pro. So think about it like that. I know that some people are like, hey man, we can't deal with this right tackle situation. They need to bump

Skowronski over there, but I just think what would, maybe Skowronski can play tackle next year. I'm not saying that he can't play tackle and he should never play tackle ever. I'm just saying as a rookie, let Peter Skowronski focus in on one job and through that one job, learn the technique, learn the offense. Learn the speed of the NFL. Learn the strength of the NFL. He needs to settle into being an NFL player, and it's just so much easier to do that when he sticks at one spot. So I know that there is the tendency to think that you take this guy

who was a great offensive tackle in college, and you put him at offensive tackle in the NFL. It's not that crazy. I get it if you think that way, but I think the Titans are making the right decision here. Let Skowronski be awesome at guard, and as I've talked about recently, in the Titans offense, the interior three offensive linemen are the most crucial to the run game, Interior three offensive linemen are the most crucial to the run game. So having a great guard is not, especially what Mike Vrabel was talking about the other day, where they want to be strong in the middle to allow Tannehill to step up, and they want their offensive tackles just to push the edge rushers around.

Well, from that vantage point, tackle is going to be easier to play than the interior guys when you add in the duties in the run game and the duties in pass protection. So I like keeping Skowronski at guard for right now. Maybe in the future, in his second, third year, they could move him to tackle if they need to. But for right now, I want that man at left guard, and it sounds like that's exactly what Mike Frabel is going to do.

We've talked a lot about the right tackle position, just de facto offensive line conversations here, but I'm going to get even deeper into something that I want to say about the right tackle position, and it includes Jamarco Jones, because it's two practices now this week that Jamarco Jones has been kicked out of, and, well, how do I say this? out of and well, how do I say this? I'm sick of him. I'm sick of the guy. I think the Titans should move

on. So I'll explain that in just a moment. A first. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. I got a little bit of a Roland's rant for you guys. For the last few weeks, I've been very, very detail-oriented. edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. I got a little bit of a Roland's rant for you guys. For the last few weeks, I've been very, very detail-oriented. I've been very, very information-oriented. We're going over what happened at practice.

I'm reporting different details, quotes from players and coaches and all that. But as my everydayers know, every so often, I'll just take a segment, take five minutes and just go off about something that's bothering me, just an opinion that I have. And I got one for you guys today. So let me set the stage a little bit here. So Jamarco Jones, and I put more stock into some of this stuff

than some of you guys do, and that's fine. Maybe it's just, you know, my being in the media, whatever. But in an interview last week, after practice, just a couple of reporters go up to Jamarco Jones asking some questions. His demeanor, his attitude, terrible. He is not respecting the questions. He's not giving any kind of valid answer. Using the F word, stuff like that.

And listen, more than the words that he used, if I could play the interview for you guys, I would. I would. But you could go back and find it. Jamarco Jones answering questions. And he's just, yeah, I'm just trying to get better.

Yeah, I mean, I don't know about any of that. I just, you know, try to get, try to do better on the stuff. Try to get better at other stuff. But like, literally just completely disinterested, blowing it off. And there is a,

like a, like a tinge of just utter disrespect. I don't care about you people. Get out of my face. I don't even want to be here. But there's an air of that. I'm too good for all this. Screw all you people. There's, there's an air of that. Okay. All right. You don't want to deal with the media. You want to have a bad attitude off the field. You know, whatever. I know some of you guys listening don't care about that. I do.

Because to me, it's a deeper reflection of who you are more than just answering questions from the media. But whatever. You don't want to look too much into that like I am. That's fine. But then, the Titans bring in Chris Hubbard. Who is supposed to compete at right tackle

and who could feasibly start at right tackle. So before Chris Hubbard was brought in, who were the options? John Ajuku, an undrafted free agent out of Boise State. Jalen Duncan, a sixth round developmental offensive tackle who shouldn't be ready to play anyways. Jamarco Jones had the right tackle spot locked up just by default.

But the Titans bring in Chris Hubbard. And since the Titans brought in Chris Hubbard, Jamarco Jones got in a shoving match with Jeffrey Simmons and got kicked out of practice on the third play of practice. That was Tuesday's practice. And then today, or if you're hearing this on Friday, yesterday, on Thursday,

DeMarco Jones lays a blindside, illegal, dirty hit on Chance Campbell and gets thrown out of practice again. So, this dude gets in a fist fight with Taylor LeJuan before practice last year, gets kicked out of two practices in back-to-back days

after the Titans bring in some competition. Has a terrible attitude when he's talking to the media the one time that he's talked to the media after practice. I mentioned this the other day, but guys, every single person right now that's played sports, if you have played team sports in your life, you know, and if you don't know this kind of player and you play team sports,

then it was probably you. Everybody knows a guy who when the going gets tough, they lay down. They cry. They pout. They complain. Oh, the coach is being unfair. I was better than that guy. They gave that spot to him over me and it wasn't fair. Everybody knows a crybaby.

Everybody knows the type of guy that I'm talking about. Forget Jamarco Jones. Think about your sports experience. Everybody knows that kind of guy. The crybaby, the whiner, the complainer. I'm hurt, coach. I can't go out there. That guy. We all know him. Again, if you don't know one.

But anyways, I think Jamarco Jones is that guy. I think he's pouting because the Titans brought in Chris Hubbard. He has a poor attitude. He's whiny. He gets tested a little bit by the defensive line, and he starts to throw a fit and act out. He laid a dirty hit on his own teammate,

and Aziz Alshire got in his face immediately. And then what happened? Mike Vrabel kicked him out of practice. Look, I'm not against intensity in practice. I'm not against a couple of dust-ups in training camp. I think that's fine. I'm saying directly the evidence and the pattern of behavior that we have from Jamarco Jones, don't just kick him out of practice.

Get him off this team. At this point, I would rather have Jalen Duncan ground over there. I would rather have John Ojukwu get a shot. I would rather go with Chris Hubbard. Anybody but Jamarco Jones. I didn't like Jamarco Jones last year. I thought the Titans should cut him this year. I was wrong about that, but here we are.

And Mike Vrabel did a press conference, and afterwards, I don't know how to interpret it any other way, but if you look at Mike Vrabel's demeanor and you look at the way that he answered the question, he is absolutely sick and tired of Jamar Jones's antics. So, I just, oh no. Dude is, he's just not a Titan. He's just not a Titan.

So, I don't know, I don't know how else to explain it it's one of those things where if you played sports you know exactly what kind of guy Jamarco Jones is and I I just don't think that's a Tennessee Titan at the end of the day Mike Vrabel recruited this guy in high school and I think if Mike Vrabel didn't have a personal connection

to Jamarco Jones, he would not be on this team. So, I'm just sick of it. The tight one, it's hurting the entire team because now

the guy who Mike Vrabel wants to start at right tackle has been kicked out of two different practices meaning he's not getting reps, he's not building chemistry, he's not building cohesion with his other

starting offensive linemen. At some point, when does this guy become more of a distraction than a help? And you just look for something else just to get his personality out of the equation. So, tell me what you guys think down below. But I'm just sick of Jamarco Jones. I don't care if he's better than some of the other guys. I'd rather play other people over him because he's just not a Tennessee Titan in my opinion. Not the kind

of guy I want to root for. Not the kind of guy who should be on this team. But with that being said, that's going to do it for today's show. Defense dominates. Pierce Karonski update. Jamarco Jones kicked out of practice again. As always, I am your host, Tyler

Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.