Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Harold Landry WANTS TRADED, Matthew Stafford Domino & Abdul Carter Wants Titans

Episode Date: February 26, 2025

The Tennessee Titans have given Harold Landry permission to seek a trade as the veteran edge rusher's price tag is simply too high for 2025. While the Titans could get something in return, the odds are high that Landry is simply cut by the Titans at the end of this. Matthew Stafford has been named as a quarterback target for the Titans this offseason, but according to recent reports it sounds like the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders are the two top contenders to trade for the veteran, but the Raiders getting Stafford would help the Titans out in a big way. Finally, Abdul Carter spoke at the NFL Combine and said he wants to be drafted by the Titans. Based on combine talk, seems like the Titans want him too. Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitans TicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=asc Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitans Follow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPod Subscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videos Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! FanDuelRight now, new FanDuel customers can get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA.   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)

The Tennessee Titans have officially given Harold Landry permission to seek a trade. I'll tell you why this is happening and what to expect next 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 Roland, Titans fans on today's show. We are going to look at the breaking news that the Tennessee Titans have allowed Harold Landry to seek a trade.

We'll talk about why we'll talk about what comes next. Also some big quarterback Domino's that could affect the Tennessee Titans are starting to fall. I'll give you a update on Matthew Stafford and Derek Carr. And then at the end of the show, we'll talk about Abdul Carter, the presumed number one pick in the NFL draft. And it sounds like he wants the Tennessee Titans as bad as the Titans want him. Now, before we get into all of it, do want to thank you for making the

locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day. Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. You're not going to beat that anywhere else. Make sure that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. It's your team every day. Speaking of every day, shout out to my everydayers out there. Tune it in Monday through Friday.

Couldn't do it without you guys. If you aren't an everydayer, you need to be one because obviously we're getting breaking impactful news all the time this time of year. Free agency is right around the corner. The draft is right after that. And if you want to be the most informed Tennessee Titans fan that you could possibly be this all season, you could do it here at locked on Titans. But with that being said, okay, we got the news early in the morning.

On Wednesday that the Tennessee Titans have officially allowed Harold Landry to seek a trade. They've given him permission to seek a trade. So the number one question is why is this happening? Well, first and foremost, we have to start with the financials because this year Harold Landry is set to have a cap hit of $24 million. Now in past episodes and conversations, I have said, if you're the Tennessee Titans, that number is untenable for sure.

It's not good to have Harold Landry on a $24 million cap hit, but this would be a good year in my opinion in 2025. They may be kind of eat some of that. They're just, you know, yes, he's overpaid. Yes, it isn't great, but we do it for one more year and then we're out of this contract. Well, it sounds like the Tennessee Titans don't want to wait that one additional year. And look, it's understandable. It's $24 million for Harold Landry level player is simply not a good value for

the Tennessee Titans. It's not a good use of cap space. So that's why Harold Landry is like, alright. Well, if you guys don't want to pay me any more money and I have no more guaranteed money and you're coming to me to ask me to take a pay cut and I don't want to, then what other options do we have? The thing is if the Titans cut Harold Landry, he's not going to get the salary that he was supposed to get this year anyway. Harold Landry at minimum, even if he's traded, would still get 17 and a half million dollars in salary. If Harold Landry was a free agent right now on the market, he would not get 17 million dollars a year. So you would think well, Harold Landry doesn't want to

be there. Just say, all right, cut me and then I'll go find my own team. But again, if they cut Harold Landry, he's going to get five then I'll go find my own team but again, if they cut Harold Landry, he's going to get five or six million dollars a year, not seventeen and a half million dollars a year. So, Landry is

like, I want to be traded that way. I can keep my salary so it makes sense that the Titans are like, alright, then if you think that somebody out there is going to want to pay you seventeen and.5 million this year, then you go ahead and find them. Tell them to give us a sixth round draft pick for you and we'll make that deal. I mean, the Titans would do that any day of the week.

The problem is nobody's given up draft capital for Harold Landry. And you may be asking yourself why he had nine sacks last year. He's 28 years old. Why would they not? The reality is that his sack production is not an accurate representation of his value in the pass rush. If you look at some of the other numbers, Harold Landry has been terrible at the bottom of the league in terms of pass rush production outside of the sacks

pass rush win rate pressure rate and you look at the titans the titans were 30th in sacks last year and 25th in pressure rate so basically Harold Landry is getting a lot of clean up sacks and sacks where he's not beating the offensive lineman one on one. The play is just going for so long that he eventually gets a sack. It's not because he won with a move. Harold Landry has never truly developed a secondary pass rush move. He's only had the speed rush. Now the conversation becomes yeah, he may not have great advanced metrics, but he got nine sacks.

I mean, the production is the production, but at the end of the day, even with the sack production, if you take the sack production and then the, the, the bad analytics, I mean, Harold Landry is truly one of the worst starting edge rushers in the NFL last year based on the metrics, which have their own right here too. I mean, production is the production. I'm never going to, you know, stiff my nose at that, but at the same time, you know, pressure is production as well, not just sacks getting pressures on

the quarterback is production as well. And Harold Landry hasn't quite done that at a high rate lately. So you can't pay 17 million for that. I don't think that anybody is going to trade for that either. Um, so if that's the case, I think ultimately where this ends is in Harold Landry being cut by the Tennessee Titans. I ultimately think that is the final destination of this story. Um, if the Titans cut him right now,

they'll have $13 million in dead cap, but they'll save $10 million. So that's kind of a trade off. You'd be willing to make if they cut herald Landry as a post June 1st release. And when I say that a post June 1st release, that doesn't mean that they don't release Harold Landry until June 1st. They release him right now. It just means that they don't get the money that they're saving until June the 1st, but they save more money if they do it that way.

So again, if the Titans cut Harold Landry right now, it's $13 million in dead cap and then 10 million in savings. If they cut Harold Landry as a post June 1st designation, the dead cap would be split up between this year and next year. So only six and a half this year, six and a half next year. And the Titans would save 17 and a half million dollars. And you may be saying, well, if the Titans aren't going to get that money until after June the first. Then why would they do it?

They'd probably rather have the $10 million now during free agency than the $17 million on June 1st. And I disagree with you. I think the Titans have enough cap space right now with their $40 million in cap space, 40 to 49, whatever it happens to be based on where the salary cap lands. The Titans have enough salary cap space during free agency and March to make the moves that they need to make. And then if they know that they're getting $17.5 million, And then if they know that they're getting $17.5 million, $17.5 million on June 1st, well, you can use that money to go into Summer Free Agency, to sign your draft picks,

to keep a little money in your pocket during the season. Remember the Titans rolled over $14.5 million in salary cap space from last year to this year, because they didn't use it. You can always roll over your cap space to the next year. So if you go, you could be more aggressive before June the first with your money, knowing that it's like, if you only have $10 left in your pocket, but you know, you get paid tomorrow. If I wasn't getting paid tomorrow, I wouldn't spend that $10.

But if I know that at midnight, I'm going to get my paycheck and my bank account, I might take my last $10 and spend it all on a good meal. You know what I mean? Like if you know that you have more money coming later, you could be more aggressive with the money that you have right now. So even though the Titans could get $10 million to play with right now, by doing this a June 1st, they get more money in June and then they can use that money then to do things during the summer, which would allow them to be more aggressive

during free agency in March. So trade requests out there for Landry, big dip in production. He's not getting to the quarterback like you would think based on the SAC numbers, but I think ultimately this doesn't end in a trade because Landry's value won't be high enough, and the Titans will ultimately cut Harold Landry with a post-June 1st designation. the Titans fans. Let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast back at home. Now, the combine trip was fun. It's been a day there at the combine.

It's been a night there at the combine a little on Wednesday morning. What an incredible experience so much positive feedback from you guys. I'm overwhelmed with gratitude of how much support you guys showed me during my little combine run yesterday or on Tuesday. It was, it was incredible really.

And if you go watch the press conferences from the combine with Mike uh, Borganzi and Brian Callahan on the Titans YouTube page, the comment section, you guys are the best man. You guys are the best. All right. Let them know, baby, the goats in the house. But with that being said, I initially wanted to talk about Abdul Carter's comments from the combine right here, but we've gotten some

pretty big quarterback news and quite frankly, it does impact the Titans in a big time way. So I want to discuss that and we'll start with Matthew Stafford. So I host the locked on NFL podcast, the national show for locked on. And we've talked a ton of Matthew Stafford on the show recently because it's obviously the biggest story in the NFL right now. My continued feeling about it is why in the world would the Rams trade Matthew Stafford? Like I just don't understand why Matthew Stafford would want that trade, why the Rams would

want that trade. It doesn't make sense for either party in my opinion, but based on some conversations I had at the combine and based on the recent reporting that the Giants and the Raiders are going hard after Matthew Stafford. It would lead you to believe that that trade talk stuff is 100% real and the Rams 100% want to do it no matter how crazy. I think it is for both parties, but here's how that affects the Tennessee Titans.

So number one, if Matthew Stafford is truly available in a trade, then the Titans could trade for him. I think that would be insane. I think that would be a terrible idea. I do not think that the Tennessee Titans are going to do that, but there are some people that feel like Matthew Stafford is a great fit for the Titans. And the Titans should go out and do that. I don't think the Titans are giving up draft picks to go get Matthew Stafford.

I just don't see that happening. So that could impact the Titans by Stafford being available and the Titans go get going to get him, but I don't think that's going to happen. But there's another way that this severely in a major way impacts the Tennessee Titans. So again, we're hearing right now that the New York Giants and the Las Vegas Raiders are the two real suitors for Matthew Stafford. Tom Brady coincidentally never believed in coincidences folks. Nothing is coincidental in the world.

Tom Brady was coincidentally at the same ski resort in Montana, in Montana, as Matthew Stafford last week. So Tom Brady is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. Boom, connecting the dots now. So let me say this. We also got a report from, I believe it was Jordan Ranon, the New York Giants reporter. He reported that right now for the New York Giants, they are focused on getting Matthew Stafford. However, they're better. My apologies.

Mixed everything. It was on the go long podcast with Art Stapleton, who is a guy who covers the New York Giants as well for USA today. But according to that podcast, the Giants plan is either trade for Matthew Stafford or trade up with the Titans for number one overall. So if you're somebody who wants the Titans to trade down, but stay in the top three.

You better be praying that Matthew Stafford goes to the Raiders because if Matthew Stafford goes to the Raiders and the giants don't get him, then the giants will be desperate for a quarterback and they will pivot to trading up to number one overall. That would be great news for the Tennessee Titans taking advantage of a desperate team who missed out on their best option. So let's hope that Tom Brady seals the deal, gets Matthew Stafford to Las Vegas, leaves

the Giants in a terrible spot, and then they got to move up and trade for number one overall. Let's hope that that happens. Now the other veteran quarterback that I have been high on as an option for the Titans throughout the off season is Derek Carr. But it sounds like, and a lot of you out there are probably rejoicing when I say this, but it sounds like Derek Carr is not going to become available. Mickey Loomis, the Saints general manager, basically said that the team is going to stick with Derek Carr as their quarterback won this season. He said, quote, I think we feel like I think we feel like we've got a guy we can win with.

Moving forward with Derek Carr as the team's starting quarterback is something something quote, they're excited about, uh, quote, we feel this is Kellen Moore, the new saints head coach quote, we feel fortunate to have Derek here, the experience he has. He's a big time quarterback in this league. Uh, they talked about the salary cap situation, said it was tight. It's no secret, but they think that they can maneuver around it. So despite my hopes, it sounds like Derek Carr is not going to be let go by the new Orleans saints. So if Matthew Stafford has traded somewhere else, Derek Carr is

not hitting the open market. Do the Titans go get a Kirk Cousins? Do the Titans sign Matthew Stafford? Please don't do that. Do the Titans get a Mac Jones, Daniel Jones, something like that, Justin Fields and have them compete with Levis. Do they go out and get Aaron Rodgers, who I've been continuing to say would be a fine one year bridge quarterback. It would be fun. The team was three and 14 last year. They were terrible. How much worse could it get? At least I get to watch Aaron Rogers, you know, like whatever makes the team more interesting if they're going to

be terrible. So this Matthew Stafford was the best quarterback available this all season. No doubt about that. I thought Derek Carr was the most realistic option for the Titans this all season, but it looks like that's not going to happen. And it just makes me scared that the Titans are going to go after Sam Donald. But my hope is Matthew Stafford does get traded. I think that only happens because the Rams want Sam Donald. So. At the end of the day, the musical chairs at quarterback

that's happening in the NFL right now, if Derek Carr is not available and Matthew Stafford goes elsewhere and Sam Darnold goes to LA, Derek Carr stays in New Orleans. A lot of seats are getting filled up when the music stops and the Titans don't have a chair. So, that could make, if they don't get any of those guys, it could make it very, very interesting what they do at quarterback. And if they don't Mike Borganzi said that if they're going to take a young quarterback in the draft, they'd like an older quarterback in the room with them.

So as the older quarterbacks kind of go off the market in the next few weeks, watching what the Titans do and free agency at quarterback will be incredibly interesting and telling as to what they might do in the draft because everything's connected at the end of the day, but Stafford probably not going to be a Titan car, probably not going to be available. Makes it more difficult for the Titans to have a competent quarterback in 2025. the Titans fans. Let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We talked about the Harold Landry news that happened on Wednesday morning. We discussed the quarterback Domino's that look like they're falling there in

the NFL, but I want to talk about Abdul Carter because a lot of people. Saw the Harold Landry news and immediately said, oh they want Abdul Carter. They're just going to get rid of Harold Landry, they want Abdul Carter. They're just going to get rid of Harold Landry because they want Abdul Carter. Look, I'm not going to say that it's a 0% factor, but quite honestly, even with my expectation earlier in the all season that Harold Landry would return.

I still wanted Abdul Carter at number one. Anyways, the Titans need multiple edge rushers this year. Arden key is on the last year of his contract and Arden key is not a starting level edge rusher. He's a good third role playing edge rusher. Harold Landry obviously is one of the worst starting edge rushers in the entire NFL. Again, the Titans 25th and pressure rate last year, 30th in sex.

The Titans needed to edge rushers, whether they kept Harold Landry or not. So I don't really think that the Harold Landry news is a significant sign that they want Abdul Carter. I don't. significant sign that they want Abdul Carter. I don't. However, I am not a scoop guy. I don't I've I've broken news one time and it was the Tennessee Titans have an interest and haven't the Tennessee Titans had a deal in place agreed to to move up to number three with the Arizona Cardinals to draft C.J. Stroud

if the Houston Texans passed on him. That was done. I had sources in Arizona and in Tennessee to confirm that that was done. Only time I've ever done a scoop, you know what I mean? So I'm not saying that I'm giving you sourced information from team representatives, but what I can tell you is this when I was at the combine and all of the discussions I had not only with Titans people, but other draft analysts who have no relationship with the Titans other media members who are covering the draft and covering their teams.

The consensus at the combine was that the Titans are going to take Abdul Carter number one, if they can't find a trade back. It's trade back or Abdul Carter number one for the Titans. That is the general consensus. Is that true? Is it smoke? Is it this? Is it that? You make up your own mind. But the conversations I had with people, it seemed pretty clear that most people think Abdul Carter is the pick for the Tennessee Titans. True, false, you can decide. I'm just telling you what I overwhelmingly heard at the combine and I wasn't the only person that said that I think Hayden Winx from underdog sports posted that he's hearing that it's pretty pretty clear right now that it'll be Abdul

Carter number one cam ward to the Browns at number two and Travis Hunter number three to the Giants and that's if the Giants get Matthew Stafford. So I know that a lot of you guys out there that want quarterback desperately you're gonna be pissed off you're gonna tell me I'm dumb you're gonna tell me I'm lying you're gonna say oh all that stuff is nonsense nobody knows anything because it disagrees with what you want to happen but at the end of the day, it makes the most sense. He's the best player in the draft.

Like you just take the best player and if you weren't confident with the quarterbacks, which if the Titans were confident in the quarterbacks, they would not be desperately trying to trade back. You know, like the Bears weren't trying to desperately trade back. They weren't aggressively telling everyone we're open for business. They knew they were taking Caleb Williams and everybody else knew it too because the quarterback was that good and you had to take them number one.

That's not the case this year. It's not. I know that all of you guys that want quarterback refused to agree to that. Fine. Don't but that is the consensus among professionals so with that in mind I think that the Tennessee Titans do want Abdul Carter I think that's who they pick unless they trade back so far that they can't get him but Abdul Carter also wants the Tennessee Titans. He said at the combine on Wednesday morning, quote, I'm impressed with the coaches. I think they're impressed with me. They have the number one pick. I want to be the number one pick.

He's telling you right there. He wants to go to the Titans. So I think it makes too much sense. I think the Titans would love to trade back, but if they stick and pick, I feel pretty confident that they're going to be taking Abdul Carter with the number one overall pick. So with that in mind though, that is going to do it for me today. Folks, as always, I am your host Tyler Roland and this was locked on Titans.