Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Femi Oladejo STILL UNSIGNED, Lorenzo Carter Cut Candidate & Free Agent Name Game

Starting point is 00:00:00 Tennessee Titans second round pick Femi Oladejo remains unsigned as we head towards training camp, but Titans fans should not be concerned and I'll explain why 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 rolling Titans fans. Today's edition of the locked on Titans podcast is brought to you by game time. Download the game time app, create an account, use the code locked on NFL for $20 off your first purchase on today's show.

Starting point is 00:00:50 We are going to continue the 2025 locked on Titans training camp preview and it's time to get defensive. Let's dive into the edge rusher group. I'm going to tell you what's going on with Femiola Dejo's contract right now. I'm going to tell you why I think there could be a surprise veteran cut at the EDGE position. And we'll talk about some free agent names. I think the Tennessee Titans need to consider. Before we dive into all of it, do want to thank you for making Locked on Titans your first listen each and every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year

Starting point is 00:01:24 round, always for free. Make sure that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. It's your team every day here on the Locked on Titans podcast. Speaking of every day, shout out to my every dayers out there tuning in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. If you aren't an every dayer, you need to be one. Tennessee Titans training camp starts next week. The football has arrived, folks. You want to get ready. You want to know every player on the roster heading into training camp? You want to know exactly where the players stand? You got to stay with me here on the locked on Titans training camp preview

Starting point is 00:01:54 I did the offense wide receiver yesterday all the other positions last week again. We're starting the defense today We're gonna hit linebacker an interior defensive line tomorrow We're gonna hit secondary on the next show and then I'll have a mailbag to cap off the off season. So you guys can send in all your questions to me on Twitter at Tic Tac Titans. But with all that being said in the long preamble, I understand. Let's talk about the Femiola De Gio situation because there's two different aspects to a conversation about Femiola De Gio right now. Number one is the contract situation and what's going on with that because Femiola DeGio remains

Starting point is 00:02:29 unsigned for the Tennessee Titans, but it's a larger NFL issue, which we'll discuss in the Femiola DeGio on the field and what his performance and production for this team means in year one. Now we'll start with the contract situation because some people who maybe aren't as tapped into what's going on with all the other teams are like, Hey, why don't the Titans have their second round pick signed? But if you look a little bit closer around the NFL, 30 out of 32 second round picks haven't been signed as of me

Starting point is 00:02:59 recording this. Now these are the type of things where the, the dam could break at any moment in time. And then a flood of signings would happen and you'd be like, Tyler, what are you talking about? They're all unsigned. There's a bunch of them that just got signed, but there's a specific thing that's holding things up. And it's not just a Titans problem. It's an NFL problem. And that is the amount of guaranteed money on the contract for a second round pick. Alright? So the first two drafted players in the second round from this year's class got fully guaranteed contracts. I think it was, uh, trying to remember, Jaden Higgins?

Starting point is 00:03:41 Uh, and Carson Swessinger? I think of the Cleveland Browns. Higgins of the Texans and Swessinger of the Browns, I think, are the two guys who have got their contracts, and they got fully guaranteed contracts. So the next player is Nick O'Monwari. Remember the Tennessee Titans traded with the Seattle Seahawks? The Titans had the third pick in the second round. They traded with the Seahawks. So Nick Onlin-Warre, the safety out of South Carolina, he has not signed a deal with the Seattle Seahawks. Why?

Starting point is 00:04:11 Because his agent is saying, hey, the two second round picks in front of me, 34 and 30, or 33 and 34, they got fully guaranteed deals. Well, I'm picked number 35. I want a fully guaranteed deal. And because that has not been resolved, the rest of the second round has, think of it like a domino effect. The first two dominoes fell with the first two picks in the second round,

Starting point is 00:04:40 but that next domino has not fallen yet, and therefore Femiola De Gio, who's all the way down the line, he hasn't got his deal yet either. So he remains unsigned, but, but, this is a bigger NFL issue. It's not like the Tennessee Titans are making a mistake. It's not like the Cincinnati Bengals with Shemar Stewart, where they're arguing and they can't get them in. Femiola Degeot has been in the building. He has participated in every activity not only as he participated on the field he has been a vocal and very friendly guy off the field in different

Starting point is 00:05:16 events for the Tennessee Titans. Femiola Degeot is not acting like a player who's in a contract holdout. Now the Los Angeles Chargers start their training camp this week, not next week, like the Titans and the rest of the NFL. The Chargers and I think the other team in the Hall of Fame game, I could be mistaken there, but I think there's two teams that start their training camp this week.

Starting point is 00:05:40 The Chargers chief among them, they'll start first. Trey Harris, the wide receiver out of Ole Miss, he was their second round pick. And folks don't know exactly whether he's going to show up or not. There's some conversation that there may be a holdout. Again, by the time you hear this, maybe there's clarity on that situation. And we know, but although Femi is not holding out and although the Titans have not done anything particularly wrong, they're in line with the rest of the NFL, it does make you wonder if Femi Oladejo is going to be out on the field for training camp if this issue isn't resolved league wide.

Starting point is 00:06:17 And the reality is Femi Oladejo needs to be on the field for training camp more than other second round picks in my opinion because he's switching positions. He is a young developing player. He needs a lot of development to get to a place where he can really help the Tennessee Titans. So while it's not a Tennessee Titans specific issue, it could have a more of a negative impact on the Tennessee Titans than other teams. So hopefully this is something that gets resolved before training camp kicks off for most of the NFL, but it is something to watch. But again, Titans fans shouldn't worry about it because quite frankly, it's not like the Titans are doing something wrong here. It's not like, you know, the Titans could fix the issue. It is a league wide labor issue.

Starting point is 00:07:05 And there's a lot of those going around in the NFL right now. If you pay attention to the NFL business news, I don't really dive too much into those big picture topics here on this show, cause we talk Titans, but this is one of those scenarios where these larger NFL issues, the collusion, the NFL PA, all this stuff, Michael Bidwell and the Tex and the Lamar Jackson, all this news that's been coming out about the NFL and some of the nasty stuff and bad business behind the scenes. You know, we don't focus too much on that, but in this scenario, that stuff could be

Starting point is 00:07:40 having an impact on the Tennessee Titans in some way or another if you know because the the second round rookies may be less likely to acquiesce to what the NFL owners want because of all the other things going on you know it's all connected to each other and greed always ruins or I guess as they say but I'm not worried about it the Titans aren aren't doing something wrong. And I think Femi Oladejo will be on the field eventually for the Tennessee Titans. And you know, I just hope that it's on time when training camp starts. But Femi is a lock to make this roster in these training camp previews. I like to talk the locks, the bubbles, and the long shots. Femi is a lock to make this roster along along with Arden Key and Draymond Jones,

Starting point is 00:08:26 but someone who's on the bubble who I think could be a potential cut candidate is a veteran in Lorenzo Carter, and I'm gonna look at the entire group and explain why that is. Do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by Game Time. Look, we've all been there. You're logging on early. You're waiting forever for concert tickets to go on sale, only to lose your spot to a show that you've been dying to see. Live music should be about making memories,

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Starting point is 00:09:42 Terms apply again, create an account, redeem the code LOCKEDONNFL. For $20 off, download the Game Time app today. Last minute tickets, lowest price, guarantee. ["Titan's Theme Song"] Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. It is our training camp preview series. We are talking edge rusher on today's show. I just talked about the Femiola Dejo contract situation. I went a little bit long on it, if I'm honest with you behind the scenes, but I think it's

Starting point is 00:10:24 important for people to understand what's going on and there will be people who try to spin it as a Titans Problem things like that. I mean the Titans are involved in it, but it's not like the Titans are doing something wrong here So I really wanted to clarify clear that up So everybody knows what's going on with Femi's contract situation and again by the time you hear this who knows the floodgates could have Open the dominoes could have started falling and Femiolo De Gio could end up signed but either way with that in mind the Tennessee Titans edge rusher group is very interesting because there's not a lot of high-end talent this is not a very good edge rusher group but the decisions the Tennessee Titans can make and how they deploy these guys and how they're used are going to be very interesting. I think at the heart of that

Starting point is 00:11:09 interest is Femi Oladeja because he can make a difference as to what happens with the roster, the depth chart. So when I talk about my locks to make the roster again, Arden Key is a lock. He's the best edge rusher on the Titans. Didn't put up a ton of sack production last year. Like if you're looking in the actual box score of things, Arden Key had six and a half sacks, I think is what he was credited with last year, which is not great production for a top tier edge rusher on a team.

Starting point is 00:11:39 That is dangerously scary. And ultimately that's why the Titans edge rusher group is not that great because their best edge rusher is Arden Key. And he's a guy who gets you about seven sacks a year, probably eight at best. Arden Key should be a third rotational edge rusher on a good football team, not the best. But the analytics, his pass rush, win rate,

Starting point is 00:12:02 his pressure rates, all of that stuff are really good. So he's a guy who gets good pressure, but just doesn't have the production to match. But that, I think that'll always be the case with Arden Key. But regardless of all of that, he is a lock to make this roster. Femi, like I said, second round pick, lock to make this roster. Draymond Jones. So Draymond Jones, we're talking about with the edge rushers, but as I've said, since he was signed, in my mind, Draymont Jones is actually at his most effective on the interiors, about 6'3", 280 pounds. Maybe that he was a little heavy. He's playing 270, 260, something like that. But he's a bigger body guy who could play on the interior, and I view Draymond Jones as more of a

Starting point is 00:12:45 interior rusher than a pure edge rusher. You know, like an outside linebacker. I don't really view him as an outside linebacker. I honestly would view Draymond Jones as more of like a five-tech defensive end than a pure outside linebacker. And I think the Titans real goal is to use Draymont Jones in an interior rusher role in passing situations. Jeffrey Simmons, Draymont Jones, Arden Key on the outside, maybe Femiola Dejo there, but if not then you can use Draymont Jones on the edge in pass rush situations with his hand in the dirt as a defensive end. I just don't think Draymont Jones is going to be a stand-up, early down, outside linebacker. Like I don't necessarily know if I see him in that role, which makes things

Starting point is 00:13:33 a little more complicated, right? A little more interesting because Arden Key is that. He is that pure edge rusher, length 6'5". He's not great against the run, in my opinion, a better pass rusher, but still he's a prototypical type to play that. Femi also, body style with his length and his size and his strength, he's a little bit lighter than Draymond Jones at 260, longer. So I think that those three guys are an interesting combination with Draymond Jones's versatility, but it all is dependent on Femiola De Gio. And I also think when we get to the bubble that Lorenzo Carter, who the Tennessee Titans signed veteran free agent. His roster spot I think is in jeopardy if Femi Oladejo blows

Starting point is 00:14:30 up. If Femi Oladejo gets to training camp on time and Femi is a clear starter right away. I think that could put Lorenzo Carter in jeopardy because if Femi Oladejo is a starting level player right away in training camp like oh he's going to be our star what is likely that Femi Oladejo is doing so well it's going to take a little bit for him to develop his pass rush skills pass rush moves how to use them he's going gonna need way more experience and time to develop that stuff than he has to go from an off-ball linebacker in college for most of his career to a awesome great pass rusher and run stuffer on the edge in the NFL from day one. Like that would be Javon Kursk, like that would be the freak all over again, the freak 2.0. And maybe Femi is the Freak 2.0 and I've talked about hoping that that's the case.

Starting point is 00:15:27 But that's not likely. If Femi Oladejo is a day one starter for the Titans, it's much more likely that it's because he's so good against the run. He's so strong, he's so physical at setting the edge, his pursuit speed and his ability to chase guys down because of that inside linebacker pass. The run game defense and overall physicality of Femi Oladejo is what is going to catapult him to being a day one starter for the Titans, not his pass rush ability. Well then you get to Lorenzo Carter, a guy who has never really been a good pass rusher. He had four sacks, four and a half sacks his first two years, then one, then five with the New York Giants where, you know, okay, but then he gets

Starting point is 00:16:13 four with Atlanta and then last year three, or not last year, 2023, three, and then last year zero. zero, zero sex. Lorenzo Carter is not a guy who's going to be a constant pass rusher. He's 6'5", he's 265 pounds, he is a physical edge setter. And what I just described about Femi Oladizio, if that's what Femi is, but at a starting level, then what role does Lorenzo Carter have? Back up to Femi Oladizio? Look, I don't think that Lorenzo Carter will be cut. That's not what I'm predicting. I'm just saying if we're looking at potential cut candidates for the Tennessee Titans, who could be a bit of a surprise, I think a veteran like Lorenzo Carter at a position like Edge Could catch some people off guard now on that bubble also I would say Jalen Harrell the seventh-round rookie out of Michigan from last year

Starting point is 00:17:13 I would say Allie Gay a guy who the Titans brought in as a veteran I don't remember if it was off waivers from Houston or if they just signed him outright after a cut But Allie Gay was a guy who had some moments last year. Could be a potential depth piece. Those guys are on the bubble. I think Key, Femi, and Jones are locks to make it. Lorenzo Carter probably makes it, and then Jalen Harrell and Allie Gay would be the guys who I say I think make it next, which means the long shots for me at Edge Russia are Titus Leo and

Starting point is 00:17:44 Desmond Evans. So Titus Leo is an interesting guyGE rusher are Titus Leo and Desmond Evans. So Titus Leo is an interesting guy. The Titans got Titus Leo off waivers from the New England Patriots. He's 6-3, he's 2-45, played in four games for the Patriots last year, four tackles overall. But here's the issue. Need more special teams play. 77 snaps last year four games that's not terrible it's not great but is he gonna be a guy

Starting point is 00:18:13 who could carve out a role on special teams and maybe knock Ali Gay or maybe knock Jalen Harrell out of a spot. That would be a guy who I would look at, but Titus Leo to me is still a long shot. Desmond Evans is an undrafted free agent for the Titans, and I think with what the last year there was a better likelihood for the Tennessee Titans to keep an undrafted free agent. But this year, unless Lorenzo Carter gets cut, like I'm talking about, I don't know that there's a role. Are the Titans going to keep seven edge rushers? Maybe Desmond Evans out of North Carolina can beat out a guy like Ali Gaye. Look, Evans is six foot six, 260, 270, you know, he's a big guy, 65, 66, 260, 270. He is a big physical guy who could have some versatility to him as a defensive lineman as well. in his last year in college, three sacks the year before that. Like maybe his versatility, he could be a guy like Draymond Jones.

Starting point is 00:19:27 And if you have Arden Key and then you have Jalen Harrell, and then you have Femi, and then you have Lorenzo Carter, and then you have Draymond Jones, and you have a guy like Desmond Evans, who kind of do similar things, then you have everybody's direct backup. But again, being an undrafted free agent with having Key Femi Jones, Lorenzo Carter ahead of him, and then Harold and Gay fighting for a spot, the Titans might only keep five edge rushers. Then what are you doing? You know, it just, it makes it a long shot for Titus, Leo, and Desmond Evans.

Starting point is 00:19:56 And if the Tennessee Titans were to bring in a veteran free agent because they're unhappy with some of the depth at edge rusher, that makes it even more unlikely for the long shot guys and some of the names that I think make a ton of sense still remain on the market and I'm going to tell you who they are. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the locked on Titans podcast, breaking down the edge rusher spot for the Titans. We talked about Femiola Dejo's contract. We talked about why Femiola Dejo's ascension or lack thereof could have a roster impact on who makes it, who does it like Lorenzo Carter. But now I want to talk about some guys who I think could potentially be added

Starting point is 00:20:57 because I think the edge rusher is still a, there are spots like wide receiver. I don't want to see anything added at wide receiver. Let's just see what the young guys have. Inside linebacker. I don't really care if the Titans make an addition there. Let's see what the young guys have. But there are a few positions where I don't feel like that.

Starting point is 00:21:16 And edge rusher is so, so important. And I'm so worried about the edge rusher position for the Titans. That I think it is a spot where they need to potentially add a veteran option. And as of this recording, once again, as of this recording, there are a lot of guys on the market who I like. Before I dive into the names, want to thank you again for making Locked On Titans your first listen. Tomorrow, I'm going to be breaking down the linebackers and the interior defensive line.

Starting point is 00:21:42 But do want to also let you guys know that on Wednesday July 16th at 10 a.m. Eastern Locked On is gonna reveal the Locked On NFL top 100 player rankings on Locked On Sports Today. The NFL top 100 is voted on by the hosts of the Locked On NFL podcast like me and there are some stunners. Don't miss where your favorite players are ranked subscribe to Locked On Sports today on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts don't think we're gonna see a ton of Tennessee Titans on that list quite frankly probably probably only one maybe two at most but with that being said some agents. Number one on my list. And I know that the last time I mentioned him, you guys got mad at me.

Starting point is 00:22:32 You were like, Tyler, what are you talking about? He didn't like the team. He said bad things about the team after he left. He quit on the team. Listen, none of that matters to me right now. What matters is fielding the best edge rush group that the Titans can and we have seen this player when he's in a good culture with a certain coach on the defensive side of the ball he's done well and it's Junaid being clowny I know things didn't go well when he came to the Titans I understand that. But look, in Baltimore in 2023 with Denard Wilson, he had nine and a half sacks.

Starting point is 00:23:09 Just based on talent alone, are you telling me for reals that Genevieve Clowney wouldn't be the second best edge rusher on the team right now? first. Three seasons of nine or more sacks, four seasons of nine or more sacks for Genevieve and Clowney. Two of them have come in the last four years. The year after he left the Titans, he had nine for the Browns and then nine and a half for Baltimore in 2023 with Dynard Wilson and then five and a half last year with Carolina and only 14 games. Genevieve and Clowney is probably just as good as Arden Key. They're probably in the same exact tier. You cannot tell me that the Titans would not be a better football team if they had Genevieve and Clowney on the roster right now. And the Titans gave him too much money for the player that he was when it happened. I actually, I still to this day

Starting point is 00:24:05 will tell you that was a fine move. It didn't work out, but to me, it's not fair to say moves are only good or bad based on what happened after. Like if I was John Robinson and I'm the 2020 Titans and I just had the 2019 run and I have Mike Vrabel at head coach and I need Ed Drush help, I would have brought in Genevieve and Clowney too. Like that move made sense. It didn't work out, but it made sense. Same thing. The Julio Jones move. The Julio Jones trade didn't work out, but it made sense. And I'll still contend that when the Titans wanted Julio to make the plays, the reason they got Julio Jones is

Starting point is 00:24:42 to make a playoff run. Julio Jones had what? Three catches for 60 to 75 yards in the game against the Bengals. AJ Brown had 144 yards. The defense got nine sacks. Wasn't Julio Jones' fault the Titans didn't win that game. He did his part. So I know the season didn't go great, but both those moves again I didn't look at like the Bud Dupree signing when that happened I was like I don't know about that I don't think that's a good move like in real time but those moves so anyway the point is I know that the Judean clowny experience didn't go well but right now to me he is the best edge rusher out there and he has history with the Titans defensive coordinator and had his best season in recent memory with the Titans defensive coordinator as a coach on that

Starting point is 00:25:32 staff in Baltimore. So I'm just saying if right. I think Okoronkwo. Yes, correct. Obaniya Okoronkwo to be full and formal. But anyways, he was released by the Cleveland Browns after signing a contract with them. Last four seasons in the NFL for Ocaronquo. 13 games with the Rams, 17 with Houston, 14 with Cleveland, 16 with Cleveland. He plays games. He's out there on the field and last three years, five sacks, four and a half sacks three sacks like Okurankwo is a guy who could absolutely come in right away and help the Tennessee Titans pass rush I think he could come in right away and be Okurankwo key and then Jones and Simmons in the

Starting point is 00:26:40 middle that could be like the Titans best pass rush for some. Again, Femi Oladejo is a developmental player. I'm excited for his potential, but expecting him to come in right away and be your starting pass rush, edge rusher, I don't think that's wise. And Lorenzo Carter, who we talked about, is not that guy. And Draymond Jones, I think, is more efficient on the inside. So who's going to be that second outside edge rusher? I think Clowney, O'Carranco, both those guys make sense. If you want to dip into a little bit of an older player, which I wouldn't be as excited about, but I guess

Starting point is 00:27:19 would still make sense, Zedarius Smith. Zedarius Smith is a guy who could make some sense for the Tennessee Titans. Longer in the tooth, of course, been around, but if it really is bad, if the young guys are really bad and you're really worried, Zedarius Smith, you could do worse. So you bring him in, say, hey, just come in and pass rush for us. That could make sense. Von Miller? No, come on. That's he wouldn't come to Tennessee and are we sure Von Miller is even good enough anymore? I don't know man. I don't know. Those are tough questions quite honestly but this edgerusher group I think it limits the ceiling for the Tennessee Titans but within that there are some interesting things to watch.

Starting point is 00:28:05 So that's my locks, my bubble guys, my long shots, and some veteran free agents that I would be interested in. Tomorrow, linebacker, interior defensive line. After that, we'll do the defensive backfield and send your guys' questions to me on Twitter, at Tic Tac Titans. I'm gonna have a big pre-training camp mailbag to finish out this

Starting point is 00:28:27 week. But with that being said, that is gonna do it for today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans. Thanks for watching guys!

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Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Femi Oladejo STILL UNSIGNED, Lorenzo Carter Cut Candidate & Free Agent Name Game

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