Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans EDGE RUSH TRIO is BOOM OR BUST in 2026 & Linebacker Group Leaves Big Roster Mystery

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Tennessee Titans Edge Group should have us all on edge because if they're not good, the defense probably won't be either. 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 Fandall.

Starting point is 00:00:38 Join all the action at fandul.com to play daily dingers and make your free pick on who's hitting a homer this MLB season on today's show. We're going to continue the 2026 Locked on Titans training camp preview series. We did the entire offense last week. Go back and check that out. If you missed it, we're doing the defense this week. We talked defensive tackles yesterday. We're going to talk linebackers at the end of today's show.

Starting point is 00:01:02 but we got to start with the Tennessee Titans Edge Group, which I think might be the biggest X factor on the entire defense from a positional standpoint, from each of the different positions. We all talk about how the Titans defensive line. Titans defensive line should be really, really good. The Titans might have an elite defensive line. And we say defensive line,

Starting point is 00:01:26 but I think the reality is, most of us mean defensive tacker. The Titans have an elite defensive. defensive tackle group. But the reality is the edge is a major question mark still. And each individual player is still a major question mark as well. And this is part of my issue when I say the Titans defense might not be good if the edge rush isn't good.

Starting point is 00:01:51 Because the Titans defense, and I believe in my opinion, the entire football team is going to be built on that defensive line. That's how Robert Sala builds his teams and builds his teams. defenses. He wants a great defensive line, and everything after that will take care of itself. The dominoes will fall the right way if we have a dominant defensive line. And I think if we're honest, if the Titans are going to hit their goals this year, if the Titans are going to be the team that we all hope that they can be, the defensive line does have to be dominant. I don't think the Titans have a dominant

Starting point is 00:02:22 secondary. I don't think the Titans have a dominant linebacker group. I don't know if the Titans have a good secondary or a good linebacker group. It may not. Amani Hooker wasn't very good last year. Tony Adams is a, you know, fringe starter backup type. Kevin Winston, we hope, turns into a star and I have high hopes. But we can't know that right here, right now going into year two coming off injuries. Marcus Harris is a sixth round rookie from last year who's starting at slot. And the Titans paid a lot of money for Alante Taylor, who's been a slot cornerback most of his career. Now he's going to play outside. Cordell Flott, Alante Taylor, good players. But here's one thing that I always rely on people. Ligerius Sneed was a way better football player than Alante Taylor when the Titans went out and got him.

Starting point is 00:03:08 And how did that work out? So if Alante Taylor isn't as good as Ligerius Sneed was before the Titans traded for him, then why are we so convinced that Alante Taylor and Cordell Flot will work out? Now, look, I am not saying they're not going to work out. I am just telling you that the defensive line does have to be dominant for this defense to be as good as we want it to be. That is how the coach has set it up. That is what the talent dictates as well.

Starting point is 00:03:37 Because Cedric Gray is a very good linebacker, and I think Anthony Hill is going to start year one. But Cedric Gray isn't an elite superstar linebacker just yet, and Anthony Hill is a rookie who we've never seen play. So that is a lot of question marks in the back seven. And Robert Sala is hoping that those question marks aren't as big of a concern because the defensive line is so dominant.

Starting point is 00:04:04 But again, it's the defensive tackles that are elite. Look at all of the edge rushers. Jermaine Johnson. Probably the number one edge rusher on the team right now, right? Tours Akelees two years ago. Three and a half sacks last year. That's the Titans top edge rusher.

Starting point is 00:04:25 A 27-year-old coming off in Achilles. who had two and a half, three and a half sacks last year. That's the number one edge rusher on the team. Now, I know that Jermaine Johnson should be better a full season removed from his Achilles tear. That is what everyone is holding on to. But even before then, Jermaine Johnson's career high was seven and a half sacks. Jermaine Johnson was never a number one edge rusher.

Starting point is 00:04:54 You would never want him to be the number one edge rusher on your team like Harold Landry, like a Bud Dupree, there are a good number two edge rusher who needs a dominant pass rusher to set them in their proper place. Jermaine Johnson is not a number one edge rusher. He's not going to go for 14, 15 sacks. That'll never be his game.

Starting point is 00:05:17 Now, do the Titans need that to be his game? With Jeffrey Simmons, John Franklin Myers on the interior, they should be able to have higher sack numbers than you would typically see from defensive tackles. But I'm sorry, your number. number one edge rusher still has to be a sack player. So maybe Jermaine Johnson super healthy, back with Robert Sala, takes a massive leap to double digit sacks this year.

Starting point is 00:05:43 And is the true number one edge rusher for this team? They give them an extension going forward. And we have Jermaine Johnson as the number one edge for the next couple of years. All right, maybe. But that's a big question mark. And then I go to Femi. Do I need to explain why Femi is a big question mark?

Starting point is 00:06:03 I got to tell you I don't think that I do. I think you know, yes, you. You know why Femi is a question mark. And an even bigger question mark after missing all the all-season workouts. Already his third position in three years, his third defense in three years. Missed the all-season workouts.

Starting point is 00:06:20 Was hurt last year. I have theorized that maybe Femiola-Dajos' body can't handle the explosive nature of playing edge. What you're asking your body to do at edge and at linebacker are different things. And maybe his body just can't handle the raw explosiveness that he needs to have

Starting point is 00:06:39 to play off the edge. Maybe. But we can't sit here and pretend like Femi's going to be anything at this time. And I am as big of a Femi defender as you're going to find. So if I'm here telling you that, I don't know how anybody else could feel differently. Femi is a massive question mark.

Starting point is 00:06:56 and we can't count on him at all to be a starting edge rusher right now. Caldric Falk, a rookie who did a totally different schematic thing when he was in college, totally different. Now, that gives me optimism that Keldrick Falk can be better, more impactful, more productive in the NFL than he was in college. Because in college he was being asked to two gap. He had to be conservative. He couldn't shoot through gaps.

Starting point is 00:07:28 He had to hold his man, let the linebackers flow, all that. There's a good linebacker at Auburn that my guy, Zach Blackerby from Locked on Auburn, talked about when he was on the show after the draft, that, you know, they wanted to free him up, clear him up, let him go around and make plays. And maybe that was the best thing to do for Auburn.

Starting point is 00:07:45 But it certainly wasn't the best thing to do for Keldrick Folk. Like his production, his stats, him as a player, maximizing his talent, what he can do. and I think Robert Sala is going to do that. So I have a lot of faith that Keldrick Folk is going to have a good impactful season as a rookie

Starting point is 00:08:02 for the Titans. But again, he's a rookie. Switching positions, switching schemes, being asked to do different things, who was already a guy who was viewed as, hey, he needs to develop his technique. He is very raw.

Starting point is 00:08:18 Great physical talent, but very raw. So a very role player switching spots, new defensive ass, rookie in the NFL. Again, when you break it down with all three of the guys and the question marks that they present, we should be on edge

Starting point is 00:08:38 about the edge. Because it doesn't matter how good the defensive tackles are. If the edge group is bad, the Titans defensive line is not going to be anywhere near as dominant as it has to be to make the defense as good as it has to be. for the Titans to have the season, we want them to have. So we got to hope, pray, wish, whatever it takes.

Starting point is 00:09:03 We got to just hope that that edge rush group is better than what I think it's going to be. Now, the top end, there are big question marks. But I have come to a realization as of late. The depth at edge rusher is actually okay. It's the top talent that is more concerned. Do you want to let you know, today's episode is brought to you by Ultra Pouches. If you've ever found yourself reaching for a nicotine pouch, another cup of coffee,

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Starting point is 00:12:08 Locked on Titans training camp preview series. We go through every single position, talk about every single player on the 90-man roster. Again, we did offense last week. Go back and check that out. If you missed it, we did defensive tackle on yesterday's show. We're doing Edge. Linebackers today.

Starting point is 00:12:26 We'll get to the linebackers in just a moment. What an interesting mystery we have at linebacker. But I want to continue looking at the Edge Rush group because we talked about the people at the top. Keldrick Folk. Jermaine Johnson. Femmy. All right.

Starting point is 00:12:42 And I know that some people want to throw John Franklin Myers in there, and I just think that people are grossly over-exaggerating how much John Franklin Myers is going to play on the edge. When we talk about the edge, the conversation should not be, well, we have the top three guys, Jacob Martin is a designated pass rush type, Jalen Harrell is depth,

Starting point is 00:13:09 and John Franklin Myers is going to be a big part of that. No, he's not. No, he's not. I mean, Jeffrey Simmons put it perfectly in a recent interview. When he said, you know, they asked him about moving around, lining up on the edge. And he said, yeah, I could do that, but I'm an interior rush. That's what I do. That's who I am. I am an interior pass rusher.

Starting point is 00:13:36 So, yeah, I could play on the edge. And I think that, you know, in certain matchups, I could take advantage in blah, blah, blah. He was basically saying, let's not kid ourselves here. I am who I am. Yeah, you can fry an Oreo, but is that really what you're going to eat? Are you going to eat 80% of the time fried Oreos? No. 80% of the time you're eating Oreos, it's your regular standard Oreo.

Starting point is 00:14:01 Does that mean that you don't like fried Oreos? No, I love fried Oreos. But let's be real, you're not eating fried Oreos for every single sit down where you have some Oreos. That's just not reality. And that's the same with Jeffrey Simmons. Yeah, he'll probably rush on the edge a little bit, but that is not who he is.

Starting point is 00:14:18 That's not why Jeffrey Simmons just got $100 million. That's not why Jeffrey Simmons is the number one Interior Defensive lineman in the lead. He's not the best interior defensive lineman because he plays on the edge. He doesn't have the explosiveness, the speed, the bend, the agility to consistently play on the edge.

Starting point is 00:14:40 and neither does John Franklin Myers. John Franklin Myers made a career in the NFL playing on the interior. And Robert Sala even talked about this recently. I remember when he said like, hey, you know, John Franklin Myers can play on the outside a little bit too in an interview back closer to free agency. And everyone's been throwing that at me for months. Like John Franklin Myers is going to play edge, he's going to put...

Starting point is 00:15:06 I'm sorry, I don't buy. John Franklin Myers will play 75 to 80% of his snaps on the interior because that's what he is. Okay, look, running back, got a running back that can catch the football. Yeah, I could split him out and throw him the ball and have him run wide receiver routes. Like Christian McCaffrey,

Starting point is 00:15:29 if you make Christian McCaffrey a full-time slot-wide receiver in the NFL, he would not have been the best running back in the NFL, or the best slot wide receiver in the NFL for multiple years running. Like he was at running back. Can he do it? Yes. Is that maximizing his potential? No.

Starting point is 00:15:47 So, no, I'm not including John Franklin Myers in the edge conversations. Will he do a little bit of it? Sure. Is it a big enough amount for me to factor him into my concerns about the group? No. No. And if John Franklin Myers is rushing off the edge on past rushing downs, Then who's next to Jeffrey Simmons?

Starting point is 00:16:08 And are we getting that dynamic duo in the middle that we were all so excited about? No. So, I am not including John Franklin Myers in my edge conversations other than to say, I am not including John Franklin Myers. And it's like saying, I'm not going to say anything. Well, you just did. Well, I was just telling you that I'm not going to say anything, you know? But outside of that, again, a realization I came to in recent days,

Starting point is 00:16:35 I have been the edge depth, the edge depth, the edge depth, worry about all that stuff. But I realize now that my concerns with the edge are not depth related. I think that Jacob Martin is a solid veteran backup pass rusher. DPR, designated pass rusher. I think he's solid for that role. I think that Jalen Harrell has a seventh round pick from 2024 has showed that he is a very solid backup.

Starting point is 00:17:07 He had a pretty good season last year, and he's only going to get better in his third year. You look at Truman Jones, I think it's okay, depth piece. I don't know that he's going to make the roster, per se, but it's not terrible. Truman has been okay. Now they have Malik Herring,

Starting point is 00:17:26 who was brought in, who was a Mike Borganzi guy from Kansas City, and they brought in Ernest Brown recently as well, and they have David Abuah. go-a, those guys aren't going to make the team. They're the long shots. Ernest Brown, Malik Herring, DEA, I'll throw Jalen Harrell, Truman Jones,

Starting point is 00:17:49 well, Ernest Brown, Malik Herring, and DEA are the long shots. Truman Jones, Jalen Harrell, I would say they are the bubble. I don't think both of them are going to make it. I think it is going to be Jalen Harrell. But I have noticed in a lot of these videos of all-season workout,

Starting point is 00:18:05 and practice sessions and stuff. The coaches seem to be mentioned in Truman Jones' name quite a bit in a positive way during practice. Good job, true, good job, true, you just hear it a lot. So I'm just wondering if maybe Truman Jones is impressing the new coaching staff

Starting point is 00:18:19 and Jalen Harrell was more of an outside linebacker than a defensive end. Maybe Truman Jones fits a little bit better in the coach's mind. I don't know that, but I'm just saying. So with Truman Jones versus Jalen Harrell, you know, maybe Truman Jones does have a chance there, but I'm going to rock with Jalen Harrell.

Starting point is 00:18:33 But again, Jacob Martin, five sacks last year. Jalen Harrell had, what, two and a half, three sacks last year? That's good depth. As you're fifth and your sixth, your fourth and your fifth, edge rushers, that's pretty good depth. Like, if the Titans had, if you took Femiola-Dazio and made him, or you took Jermaine Johnson, that's probably more fair. if you took Jermaine Johnson and turned them into a real number one edge,

Starting point is 00:19:08 like a Brian Burns or a Nick Benito, you know, Jared Verse, something like that. Nick Bosa, you know, Max Crosby, those guys. I tried not to say the super elite names like, you know, Michael Parsons, Miles Garrett, this and that. But at some point, you know, that's the point. If the Titans had a true number one edge rusher, I would have no problem with the depth at all. And that's what made me realize.

Starting point is 00:19:36 I actually have an issue with the top end talent at edge. So all this time I'm saying, I'll bring in Joey Bosa, add to the depth. Really, I want Joey Bosa just to play over Keldrick Falk and Femiola Dejo and maybe even Jermaine Johnson. You know, so I guess I just woke up earlier this week and was like, I actually don't mind the Titans' depth at edge.

Starting point is 00:19:59 It's actually okay. Jalen Harold, Jacob Martin. If you add Femmy as the third, that's pretty good. That's pretty good. But Keldrick Falk, I could see if they had a better speed rusher, man. You know, if they had a better speed rusher than Jermaine Johnson.

Starting point is 00:20:16 Because I just don't think Jermaine Johnson's good enough to be the number one. I think he's good enough to be a number two. Again, so my problem with the edge group is really the top end talent, not the depth at all, which was quite the realization. But with that in mind, time to talk about linebackers, which I think is one of the biggest mysteries on the entire roster. Matt Derry here from the Lockdown Lions podcast. You know, life insurance is one of those things. You don't really think about until you have a reason to.

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Starting point is 00:22:07 player by player through the entire roster. We talked about the edge group. Now I want to get into linebackers tomorrow. We're going to talk about secondary, special teams. and then Friday show. I'm going to have a little bit of pre-training camp mailback for you guys to get in all your questions before the Titans actually hit the field next week.

Starting point is 00:22:23 And again, I'm going to be here with you, breaking down every single practice, every single session. So you are as up to date, as informed and as entertained as a Tennessee Titans fan could possibly be. But with that being said, the linebacker group, it is just a massive mystery. I don't know who's going to be kept. I don't know whether they're going to churn.

Starting point is 00:22:47 I don't know whether they're going to end up keeping some of the guys on here that, you know, I'm not certain about. Looking at the group, I think Cedric Gray and Anthony Hill are the only locks. Cedric Gray is obviously phenomenal play. You know, Cedric Gray is really good. I don't know if he's quite great yet. The coverage needs to catch up to the run defensibility, but the pure production, the tackle numbers.

Starting point is 00:23:11 It's like at some point, you know, you could say, hey, this guy's just racking up numbers. is he's not that great, but to rack up those kind of numbers, you've got to be pretty good. You know what I mean? Like, there's not going to be a bum out there, getting 150 tackles of season and things like that. Like, I'm sorry, I just have a hard time

Starting point is 00:23:26 believe in that concept and that philosophy. So Cedric Gray is a very good, young player. I wouldn't quite get him great yet, but Robert Sala could take him to great. Robert Sala takes young linebackers all the time and makes him great. And Anthony Hill traded up second round rookie. He's obviously a lot.

Starting point is 00:23:45 to make the team. And I think that Anthony Hill is going to be the starter for the majority of the season. I think that he's probably going to be the starter by week one. He's already out there calling the defense, wearing the green dot. People overrate the green dot. People underrate the green dot,

Starting point is 00:24:01 in my opinion. Here's my thought. The green dot is not like a number 10 jersey in soccer where it means you're the best player on the team or whatever. You know what I mean? Like that's not what the green dot means. The green dot is not a staff. symbol, which is what people try to act like.

Starting point is 00:24:20 Like, it means something about your level of talent. The worst player on the defense could wear the green dot from a talent standpoint if they're the best communicator and they're a central figure. You know, it's like, that doesn't mean anything. But also, it does mean that that player is a great communicator, that they're a good leader, that they know the playbook, they know the system, they're smart. and for a young linebacker,

Starting point is 00:24:52 those parts are the hardest parts. You've been flying around tackling people, hitting people your whole life. They could do that in their sleep. The mental part is where rookies, especially rookies who are required to communicate and know the defense or the offense in that way,

Starting point is 00:25:08 that's where people fall behind. And if Anthony Hill is ahead of schedule on the mental stuff, well, we know that the physical is like riding a bike for him. So, I am hype about Cedric Gray and Anthony Hill. Those are the only two locks in my opinion.

Starting point is 00:25:27 I know you may be wondering, what about Cody Barton? And look, man, I get it. I do. I get it. But I'm just not convinced that they keep Cody Barton around. I'm not convinced. I think that they do.

Starting point is 00:25:45 I'm not saying that I think they cut him. I think they keep them around. as a veteran presence. But I can't tell you, you know, if I had to put my life on the line, oh yeah, Cody Barton's 100% making the team. Like, if the right veteran became available, if team started churning guys, if they really see Anthony Hill as the starter,

Starting point is 00:26:12 Cody Barton doesn't fit the system. He doesn't fit the style of linebacker that Robert Sala and Gus Bradley want. So would I be shocked if they ended up cutting him is a surprise cut saying, hey, we just want to get younger. We want to go with somebody who fits better. We appreciate your leadership and all that. I would not be shot.

Starting point is 00:26:29 I would love to trade Cody Barton, but I doubt anybody's going to do any of that. But I would have Cody Barton on the bubble, actually. Not in the locks. And again, I'm not confident that he's not going to make it, but I think it's more possible than what people expect. Muhammad Di Abadi is an interesting one. He is the forgotten lineback. He was brought in.

Starting point is 00:26:54 Athletic traits, long. Could probably do a little bit of Sam where he's on the line of scrimmage. I think that would be the expectation there. But I can't put him on anything in the bubble. I can't call him a lock at this point. We have literally heard not a single thing about Muhammad Diabadi.

Starting point is 00:27:14 Not a training camp report, not a highlight, not an interview, not a social media post from the Titans. That dude does not exist on the team right now, in my opinion. Which, he is a young athletic linebacker, I think, showed some things. So maybe Diabody needs a little bit more conversation than we're giving him. But there's just nothing to go off of.

Starting point is 00:27:37 James Williams, on the bubble as well. I would love to see James Williams also take a step forward with Robert Salas Tudelidge and Gus Bradley being guys who have gotten the best out of linebackers. I would love to see that. Because I still think James Williams has incredible athletic traits and great size. and frame and all of that. He's just not good enough in coverage for being a former safety

Starting point is 00:28:01 and can get a little out of position in the run game right now. But he's been really solid on special teams and I think that gives him a great chance to make it. Same thing with Dori and Musai, Moose. Moose has a good chance to make it because, again, he's been really good on special teams. And I think the Titans will look

Starting point is 00:28:17 because I think the Titans are going to keep a lot of offensive linemen. I think that they keep a seventh wide receiver. And I think they go light on certain positions where you would traditionally see special teams value, like tight end and running back. And I think what happens is they go more special teams value on defense because of that. I think Dorian Musai Moose could be a good option. Then you have all the undrafted free agents. You have Manny Powell, Sean Brown, Shad Banks.

Starting point is 00:28:47 Shad Banks is a guy who I was interested in. But I think the odds of any of the undrafted free agents actually making it through are pretty low. but I think one of them will probably end up on the practice squad. But again, outside of Cedric Gray and Anthony Hill, what's going to happen with Cody Barton? Where the heck is Muhammad Di Abadi? Dori and Musa, James Williams, are they going to be able to stick with their special teams' prowess?

Starting point is 00:29:10 Will any of the undrafted free agents make it? We have more mystery and less answers about the linebacker spot than maybe any other spot on the team. Like, it's up there with like tight end, cornerback. we literally have no clue what they're going to do with the depth and some of these pieces down the roster.

Starting point is 00:29:32 Not a clue. So with that being said, though, that is going to do it for the edges and the linebackers. Tomorrow we're going to do secondary and special teams and then hit a mailbag and training camp is here, folks. We finally made it. But with that being said, that's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland.

Starting point is 00:29:48 And this was Lock on Titans.

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans EDGE RUSH TRIO is BOOM OR BUST in 2026 & Linebacker Group Leaves Big Roster Mystery

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