Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Free Agents - Stay or Go: Harold Landry, Ben Jones & More!!!

Episode Date: February 16, 2022

The Tennessee Titans are now heading into an offseason that will require them to make many tough decisions. The first step will be deciding what to do with their own in-house free agents. Some of the bigger names are Harold Landry and Ben Jones, but there are nearly 30 names the Titans will have to decide on! Tyler goes through all of them and plays a game of "Stay or Go!" Which players should be staying in Nashville? Which players should the Titans let walk to new teams? Tyler goes over the list!!Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP3332GMOh4y5PX3q9NFybwSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline..net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland. Titans fans, it is a Wednesday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. And on today's show, free agency is right around the corner. But as your mom always taught you, before you have guests over, you have to make sure that your house is clean. And that's why we are going to go over the nearly 30 in-house free agents that the Tennessee Titans have to make decisions on, should they stay or

should they go. All of that on a Wednesday 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. Titans fans, it is a Wednesday edition of the Locked On Titans podcast. I am excited to dive into a little stay or go. Which free agents, in-house free agents,

should the Tennessee Titans bring back and which should they let walk? We're going to get into that in just a moment. Before we do, I want to thank you guys for making the Locked On Titans podcast your first listen every day. If this is your first ever listen to the Locked On Titans Podcast, make sure you subscribe

on whatever platform you do stream. Check out the Locked on Titans YouTube channel. Subscribe over there. Smash that notification bell so you know when all of my content goes live. Throw a thumbs up on the video if you're watching right now. Follow me on social media, on Twitter, at Tic Tac Titans, on Facebook, at Locked on Titans Pod. I am your host, Tyler Rowland, 20-plus year Tennessee Titans fan,

bringing you guys all the news and notes out of Nashville while also having a focus on the X's and O's and what's actually taking place schematically out on the field. Remember, you can find the Locked on Titans podcast on all platforms and always free. The offseason truly feels like it's here now. We got nearly 30 Tennessee Titans in-house free agents to go over. I have them kind of split up by the importance in their role to the team,

and that leads us into our very first name, none other than Harold Landry. Harold Landry had a career year for the Titans, made his first Pro Bowl, had 12 sacks, really proved the kind of player that the Titans had hoped that they were getting when John Robinson selected him in the 2018 draft. He's blossomed into one of the best edge players in the NFL.

And while I've said this before, he's not in that top tier of edge rushers like a T.J. Watt or a Max Crosby or plenty of other names out there that we could talk about. He is probably at the top of that second tier and Landry really excels in the Titan system. He's versatile. He can drop back, play second level linebacker in a 4-3 alignment. He can play a little bit of coverage as well, although you don't want him to do that a ton. He obviously works very well within all those twists and those stunts that the Titans like to run up front with their defensive line. He is the athleticism within that front four that made things so dangerous for the Titans' pass rush in 2021. So I think all of that being said,

you guys probably know what my answer is going to be to stay or go. And that is to stay. And right now, SpotTrack, who does a great job with all the financial aspects of every sport out there, has Harold Landry's market value at around $17 million as a projection. The Titans pay that. You can do creative things with cap. You can do creative things with contracts to lower Harold Landry's cap hit for the 2022 season to still give you the ability to have max cap space

and make the moves that the Titans need to make. But no matter what happens this offseason, the number one order of business is to make sure that Harold Landry stays a Tennessee Titan. The key to success in the NFL is to draft well, develop well, and then retain your key players. And Harold Landry is one of those I expect him to stay for the Tennessee Titans. The next name that we got to talk about is center Ben Jones.

And yes, Ben Jones is in his 30s. Yes, Ben Jones is probably closer to the end of his career than he even is to the middle of his career. But the reality is he was a top 10 center in the NFL in 2021. And while he had some struggles at time and pass protection, as the entire Titans offensive line did at times, he was still one of the best run blocking centers. And late in the season, he was still playing some phenomenal football,

reaching defensive tackles, a gap and a half away, scooping guys, making great plays on the offensive line. So bringing Ben Jones back is a key for the Titans. And while I don't think that he needs to get paid the $7 million salary that he got paid last year, $4.5 million, $5 million, I think that's definitely reasonable. Ben Jones needs to stay. Also, and this may be a bit controversial,

but David Quesenberry, the the Titans starting right tackle in 2021. Yes, he struggled mightily with some of the more athletic edge rushers that he had to go against, but he was only getting paid $760,000. And even if he gets a little bit of a bump to about a million, million and a half dollars, I think Questenberry needs to stay. And even if he doesn't start at right, because Dylan Radin slides into that spot, the Titans look for another option in free agency or the draft to start at right tackle. Questenberry clearly loves the organization, loves Mike Vrabel, and I don't think he's going to get a big payday elsewhere that would entice

him to leave based on his performance. So having him in the fold, whether it be starting at right tackle initially, whether it be starting at right tackle initially, whether it be as a depth player, I think Questenberry has value on this team. And I don't think the Titans should let him walk. So stay, but of course at the right price. So that's kind of a couched stay for me. Next we'll do some defenders. Rashawn Evans, the Titans did not pick up his fifth year option. So he will be an unrestricted free agent. This easy for me Rashawn is a go let Rashawn go he was a healthy scratch near the end of the year because the Titans just didn't see value in him I think they'll have enough depth at inside linebacker they'll have David Long they'll have Monty Rice I think they find a way to bring Zach Cunningham

back on a more team-friendly deal than the 10 and a half million he's set to make in 2022 so for me Rashawn Evans is an easy go. And quite frankly, not to pat myself on the back, but since before his fifth-year option was decided on last year, I said this will be Rashawn Evans' last season with the Tennessee Titans. And I believe that is a fact. Rashawn can go. Same thing with Jayon Brown.

He can go. I mean, Jayon took a short, small, one-year deal to come back to the Titans because the cap was in a weird place last year after the COVID impacted financials. So he came back on a small deal for one year with hopes that he would get a bigger and better deal in free agency. Well, with some of the injuries that he had with his performance, I think back to that game against the Saints where he couldn't even cover Mark Ingram in man coverage. I don't think that Jayon Brown is going to get the kind of deal that he was hoping to get. Now, I think that he wants to maximize his earning potential this offseason more than he cares about loyalty to the Titans. So I do think Jayon Brown goes,

and I'm okay with him going, but I did write maybe if he's willing to take a deal very similar to the deal that he got this year for about $3.5 million in real money, I think you could keep Jayon around as that third down specialist linebacker. He's not going to be a starter for you anymore, but at the right price, I could see him going back. But if he wants to maximize his earnings, Jayon's going to have to go. Jeff Swaim, he got $2.5 million last year. I think he should stay, but at a, he got $2.5 million last year. I think he should stay,

but at a lower rate, $1.5 million. He didn't do anything to justify that $2.5 million salary this year. He clearly could not hack it as the Titans' number one tight end. But in fairness, Jeff Swaim isn't a number one tight end, and asking him to be that is a huge mistake and was a huge mistake. I think Jeff Swaim could be great as a number two tight end, just as he was in 2020. I thought he was fantastic in his role. Same thing with Anthony Ferkser. Both these guys are free agents this year. And with Ferkser getting paid $3 million last year, you bring that down to $2.5 million, $2 million, I think he could stay. And then you add a true tight end number one in the draft or in free agency, which I think is more likely. Slot Jeff Swaim as a tight end two. Slot Anthony

Ferkser as a tight end three with a third down specialization. And I think you have a very, very good tight end group with a free agent addition. So both those guys can stay, but only if they take pay cuts. Dane Cruikshank, I think he goes. I wish that he could stay. I really do. He really emerges that tight end stopper, but with a guy like Elijah Molden who could play that role for the Titans going forward. I also said that my bold free agent signing prediction

for the Titans is Teron Matthew. I think he could play that role even better than Dane Cruikshank. And Cruikshank already has said it was an honor to play with you talking to Kevin Byer. He knows that he will be going elsewhere to get the most money he possibly can. So Crookshank will go. And then finally, Nick Westbrook-Akina.

Trick question, though. Westbrook-Akina is an exclusive rights free agent. And what that is, it's an undrafted free agent, which Westbrook-Akina was out of Indiana, who has less than three years of service. NWI just finished his second year in the NFL. So when that happens, you are considered an exclusive rights free agent,

which means that you really only have the ability to sign with the team that you are already on. So NWI will be back, but I would want him to stay anyway. So that's the first round of players. We got about 20 more guys to talk about. We're going to speed through those, have conversations about what the Titans should do here. Before we get into the next group of players, though, do want to tell you guys about betonline.net.

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So head to their website today or use your mobile device to learn more about the trends and all the action. BetOnline, where the game starts. Titans fans, let's continue this Wednesday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast, playing a little game of stay or go. Should I stay or should I go? Now, I'd love to sing it for real for you guys, but YouTube's out there like a copyright dog looking for everything.

So, you know what I'm doing there. Anyway, to continue this going, we just went over a good chunk of the more important players for the Titans. Now, we're going to get into some role players, some roster depth, things like that. Should the Titans keep them around or should the Titans let them go? And we're going to start with the wide receiver position. Number one, Marcus Johnson.

Now, Marcus Johnson has talent. That's been the case throughout his entire career. But the reality is the guy can't stay healthy. Here's his games played in the first five years of entire career. But the reality is, the guy can't stay healthy. Here's his games played in the first five years of his career. Season 1, 10 games. Season 2, 5 games. Season 3, 8 games. Season 4, 11 games.

Last year, 7 games. He had 9 catches and 160 yards, and 100 of those and 5 of those catches and 100 yards came in one game against the Saints. So, while Marcus Johnson has some talent, hundred of those and five of those catches and a hundred yards came in one game against the Saints. So while Marcus Johnson has some talent, he just simply isn't reliable from a health perspective. So I say, let Marcus Johnson go. Give those reps to Des Fitzpatrick. Give those reps to a new rookie. Give those reps to Mason Kinsey. Somebody else who you know is going to at least be able to be reliable and be healthy for you because some guys have the talent and their bodies simply won't let them do what they want to do.

I don't blame Marcus Johnson. Some guys' bodies just can't hold up to the beating that is pro football and it looks like he's that kind of guy. So you can't rely on Marcus Johnson with that in mind. Let him go. Chester Rogers, same mind. Let him go. Chester Rodgers, same thing. Let him go. 30 catches, 301 yards, one touchdown.

The Titans just have to upgrade on the Chester Rodgers role. And if they do that, then that would bump Chester Rodgers down the depth chart to the backup slot guy. And that would be an okay role. But the problem is the next guy that we're going to talk about, I'd rather have him anyways, and that is Cam Batson. So let MJ go, let Rodgers go, and keep Cam Batson. Cam Batson tore his ACL, only played in four games this year, but because he tore his ACL, because he's not a guy who is, you know, a big time name or someone who outperformed

his contract. He's not going to get big offers from other folks and he's a restricted free agent. So the Titans have the ability to match anything that he gets offered. So although he only played in four games with a torn ACL, although he only had two catches for 15 yards, I'd still rather have Cam Batson on the roster going into training camp to push for that backup slot receiver role. Let him and Mason Kinsey battle it out. Why not get another guy in there in the draft high

who can fight for the starting spot there? I just don't think that Chester Rogers is worth keeping around when you have a guy like Cam Batson who offers higher upside even if he struggled to stay on the field. Next, the tight end position, Michael Pruitt. And I would love to have Michael back. He was excellent as a third tight end for the Titans for multiple years. But after that scary injury, it looked like an ankle fracture.

Just not trusting Pruitt to be ready to go physically or mentally for next season. Therefore, you can't waste money in a roster spot to bring him back. If things go really well and he's healthy going into training camp time, sure, bring him back. I mean, the Titans let him go and then brought him back from San Francisco last year. So I'm not ruling out that he'll be on the team, but I just wouldn't give him any kind of substantial contract to keep him

around after that injury. Next, Logan Woodside. You guys know what I'm going to say. Anyone who's listened to this podcast for any amount of time knows exactly what I'm going to say. Bah! Had a high school football coach, linebackers coach, old man, was in his 70s and 80s while I was in high school named Tuffy Thompson.

Shout out Tuffy, RIP. You messed up in linebacker drills. All he said was, bye. And you knew it was time to run laps around the field. Well, guess what, Logan Woodside? Bye. I'm tired of you. 11 games for the Titans.

Doesn't have any passes. Only 13 carries for four yards. This guy is not an NFL player. The Titans are just trying to go cheap at backup quarterback. And with the way that Ryan Tannehill has played in the playoffs lately, and with the way the pass protection has gone, you cannot be so unserious about backup quarterback. There are so many decent options available for you. They cannot

go cheap and stick with Logan Woodside. Let me say this again. Logan Woodside is not the Titans backup quarterback the last few years because he is good enough to be. He is because they want to go cheap. That's all it comes down to. So, please Lord, go. But unfortunately, he's

an exclusive rights free agent because he was an undrafted free agent who has less than three service years. So really the only team that he can sign with is the Titans unless they renounce his rights and let him go elsewhere. And they're not going to. They're going to bring him back. My Lord. But go!

Get out of here, Logan Woodside. You're the new roster pirate. David Flewellen, Jeremy McNichols, and now it's Logan Woodside. Next, Morgan Cox, the long snapper for the Titans, was an all-pro with Baltimore in 2020, came over for the Titans, wasn't an all-pro, but he was second in Pro Bowl voting for long snappers. He's a guy who does a really good job. I want Morgan Cox to stay.

If he's willing to stay, he is an older player, but if he's willing to stay, I want him to stay. Next, a little more special teams. You got Randy Bullock and Sam Ficken. And look, I know that Randy Bullock isn't perfect, but he's given the Titans more stability at the kicker position than they've had for a few years now. He's 26-31 on his field goals, 42-45 on his extra points. Made a couple of game-winning kicks for the Titans this season. I don't see any reason to let Randy Bullock go.

At least bring him back to training camp. That's not a lot to ask. I mean, he barely made any money last year. So, no big deal. Same thing with Sam Ficken. He's a restricted free agent. Ficken was kicking great. Ficken was kicking great.

Nashville hot Ficken, baby. Ficken was kicking great in the preseason before he got hurt right before the beginning of the year. And then the momentum was gone with Randy Bullock. So no reason to change. Uh, bring them both back. Let them compete in training camp. I don't see any, any problem with that.

Uh, the final name I want to do in this section is Kari Blossom game. And I've been very vocal about my support for Torrey Carter, the Titans new fullback that they got from LSU last year was a rookie. And Torrey Carter, it took him a little bit of time to supplant Kari Blossom game. But once he did, he was a much better player. And the Titans' statistics when running the ball with Kari Blossom game versus Torrey Carter

point to Torrey Carter being better. He was nearly two yards more per carry when Torrey Carter's out there compared to Kari Blossom game. So Kari Blossom game is a restricted free agent. It would be very easy for the Titans to bring him back. Maybe they bring him back into training camp and see what happens. It's not going to be any kind of crazy financial commitment to bring back Blossom game, but he can go for all I care.

Torrey Carter is the new fullback for the Titans. He's a better fullback. And watching Kari Blossom game drop that pass and the loss to the Bengals is just kind of one of those moments where it's like, yep, don't want to see you on the team anymore. But that's going to do it for that group of players. We're going to go into the final group that includes some key players on the defensive line and some key players to the Titans special teams unit.

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Use promo code LOCKED15, and you'll get 15% off your order. Once again, that's promo code LOCKED15 for 15% off at Bilt.com. Titans fans, we are going to cap off this Wednesday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast, rounding out our stay or go episode of the show. Gone through nearly 20 Tennessee Titans in-house free agents so far, and like I said at the beginning of the show, you guys know the rules. You want to have company over, you got to get your house in order first. So before the Titans can worry about outside free agents,

they got to make decisions on all of these names. So we're going to get into the final group, which, as I said, includes some key special teams players, some key guys on the defensive line. Before we get into that, I want to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. Make sure you subscribe on whatever platform you do stream. I am going to be pumping out daily Monday through Friday Tennessee Titans content all year long. But as for that second listen, I told you guys where to place your wagers at betonline.net.

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presented by betonline.net, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, wherever you get your podcasts. Diving into this final group of players. On the defensive line, Ola Dainey, the first Tennessee Titan ever to make an appearance on the Locked On Titans podcast.

Shout out to Ola. Okay, Ola did a great job as a rotational defensive lineman. No, he wasn't a stud edge rusher or anything like that, but he came in and did his job, and he basically won that game for the Titans against Seattle, getting that sack on Russell Wilson near the goal line. So you bring back Ola, Danny. You got to stay.

Ola needs to stay. I talk about defense. He played 20% of the defensive snaps this year, but he played 74% of the Titans special team snaps. He was a Pro Bowl alternate

and should have been the Pro Bowl recipient for special teams in the AFC. Ola has great energy, great attitude, just a tremendous vibe from Ola Adani in the locker room. And things like that are important in a grueling sport like football to have a guy who's always positive, always smiling on his face, lifting everybody up.

People in the building love Ola Adani. Ola needs to be back to help the Titans special teams and continue to add depth to the edge rusher unit. On that note, Ty year tart on the defensive line. He's an exclusive rights free agent. I've explained what that means. So he is going to stay, but he should stay anyway. 11 games, 16 tackles, two tackles for loss. John Robinson continues to hit and hit and hit on interior defensive linemen outside of the draft. Tartt was an undrafted free agent. So love Pop Tartt.

Need him to stay. Kyle Pecco. I have been banging the drum for Kyle Pecco ever since the preseason. He got hurt. He was on IR. He got healthy. He got bought out off injured reserve.

He got brought back to the Titans and he made a major impact. He played in eight games. He had two sacks, had 10 tackles, two tackles for loss. Having Tyre Tart, Naquan Jones, Kyle Pecco as an interior rotation, absolutely critical for the Titans to have low-cost, productive players at those spots. I want Pecco to stay.

Nick DeZubnar, I know that he's not a linebacker. I mean, you could say linebacker all day, but if he's out there playing linebacker, it's an absolute travesty. But on special teams, I mean, DeZubnar has played 81% of the snaps for the Titans on special teams in 2020. 83% of the special team snaps in 2021.

Clearly, the Titans trust DeZubnar to do the right thing on special teams. They can't afford their special teams to get any worse, so DeZubnar needs to stay. Now, moving forward, Derek Roberson, edge rusher for the Titans. He's a restricted free agent, so the Titans have a great chance to bring him back. But if he gets any kind of substantial deal whatsoever to be a depth player somewhere else, you let Roberson go. He's played for the Titans for three years

now, only has four and a half sacks. He's not great against the run. He's improved a little bit there, but not substantially enough, and he didn't really do much in the pass rush this year either. Three of those four and a half sacks came in one game against the Saints in 2019, so

I just, I don't think that Roberson gives you enough. You got a guy like Weaver coming back. I'd like to see Ola Adani come back. I think the Titans should look for a veteran edge rusher, like I was pining for last year with Ingram, with Kerrigan, a guy like Justin Houston. A guy like that. I think they, I would rather have Weaver,

Ola, Bud, Harold Landry, and then a veteran like that and let Roberson go. So he can go. Shout out to Roberson. I hope all these guys have good careers and make money and stay in the NFL, but the Titans can't keep everybody. So that's kind of where my head's at here.

Matthias Farley, the safety. I really liked Matthias going back to preseason. So maybe it's a bit of confirmation bias, but after he played 78% of special team snaps for the Titans and did a pretty good job, I don't see why he wouldn't be brought back. He's a special teams player. He's going to cost less than a million dollars. Bring back Farley. That's how I feel there. And then a couple of goes to round things out. Trevin Colley, the defensive lineman. He can go. Avery Genesee, the interior offensive lineman who dealt with injuries all year. He can go. B.J. Bellow, a restricted free agent linebacker who dealt with injuries. He can go. Greg Maben, whollow, a restricted free agent linebacker who dealt with injuries. He can go.

Greg Maben, who was a depth cornerback for the Titans. I'll always remember him because he kind of kicked off that big COVID outbreak for the Titans in 2020. I hate that that's attached to his name, but I'm sorry. That's all I'm always going to remember about Greg Maben. He had some good moments, but here's the reality. When you're a depth player on a football team, you have to play special teams. And Mabin only played 7% of special team snaps while he was with the Titans. You got to add more value if you want to stay around because ideally you wouldn't see Greg Mabin out there

as a cornerback for the Titans unless they were in a bad spot with injuries. So with that in mind, if you don't add value on special teams, I just can't justify keeping you around. So, that is

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 in-house free agents for the Tennessee Titans that they have to decide whether to stay or they should go. Those are my decisions. How do you guys feel? Let me know down in the comments.

Tag me on Twitter at TicTacTitans. Let me know if you agree or disagree with any of my stays or any of my goes. But that's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.