Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans ISSUES AT EDGE RUSHER Influence Draft Picks & Saying Goodbye to Flaming T Logo

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Tennessee Titans signed another edge rusher on Thursday morning, but I don't think it solves the issue at the position, and it might tell us what they're looking to do in the NFL draft. I'll explain on today's edition of Locked on Titan. 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.

Starting point is 00:00:35 fans. Today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast is brought to you by Fandall. Fandall was giving you a way to turn that college basketball energy into even bigger potential wins with a college basketball parlay profit boost. Head to fandle.com to get started. On today's show, I am going to tell you about the Tennessee Titans brand new edge rusher Jacob Martin and what I think it means about the position overall. Also, I'll tell you why I think the limitations at edge might just tell us what the Tennessee Titans are looking to do in the NFL draft and we'll say goodbye one last time to the Tennessee Titans Flaming Thumbtack logo.

Starting point is 00:01:13 Before we dive into 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 round, always for free. 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. tuning in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys.

Starting point is 00:01:34 If you aren't an everydayer, what are you doing? I'm going to be here live. Later on tonight, after the Tennessee Titans debut, their new logo, their new uniforms, getting you up to date, letting you know everything you need to know about the rollout also. Free agency ain't done. The Titans still need to find a starting center,

Starting point is 00:01:52 a starting right guard, add depth at certain position. So I'm going to be here to break down all those moves. And it's about time to go full force to the NFL draft. I'm going to do prospect reviews, positional breakdowns, all of that. Make sure that you stay locked in with the number one Tennessee Titans podcast in the world. Locked on Titans. But with all that being said, again, the Tennessee Titans add edge rusher Jacob Martin on Thursday morning. He's 6 foot 2, 240 pounds.

Starting point is 00:02:20 He's 30 years old. So this isn't a spring chicken by any stretch of the imaginations. But Jacob Martin does do something different than what the Titans have at edge rusher otherwise. Right now, their top two edge rushers are Femiola Dejo, the Titan's second round pick from last year, and then Jermaine Johnson, the guy they traded for from the New York Jets. Both Jermaine Johnson and Femiola Dejo are power edge rushers. They are big-bodied, they are long, they are strong, they use speed to power, a long-arm, bull rush, stuff like that.

Starting point is 00:02:52 Neither of them are speed-edge rushers who bend and dip and get around the corner and run the arc. So Jacob Martin, even though he's 30 years old, is a speed rush type of player. He's a very smart player according to people in Washington. He's a very dependable player. He plays double-digit games every single year. And he's a guy who is not a starting edge rusher in the NFL, but he's a very productive backup edge rusher. You look at his sack totals throughout his career.

Starting point is 00:03:23 Three sacks, three and a half sacks, four sacks, two and a half sacks, two sacks, three sacks. And then last year, he had a career high in snaps played with 700. And he also had a career high in sacks, five and a half, and a career high in pressures. 26. He has connections to the coaching staff as well as we've seen throughout this process. He played with Robert Sala in 2022 with the New York Jets, played with Gus Bradley and Indianapolis in 2023. Again, setting the expectations properly here, Jacob Martin is just a depth edge rusher. guy who needs to be your fourth, your fifth, edge rusher. And when you take everybody into account, Femi, Jermaine,

Starting point is 00:04:06 Jacob Martin, add in Jalen Harrell in there as well, the Titans really don't have another starting pass rusher edge. Like maybe you want to look at Femiola Dejo and say he was drafted in the second round. That should be his expectation. And listen, if Femiola Dejo becomes a starting edge rusher, he's going to be out there on early downs. Like he's going to quote unquote start at edge rusher because he's good against the run.

Starting point is 00:04:33 He's a big physical player who can set the edge. But when you look at the pass rush package for the Tennessee Titans, Femio Ladejo is not a starting pass rusher right now. Maybe he develops into that, but after what we saw from year one, the injury that he had his rookie season, and then the uncertainty with him as a pass rusher going into year two, you cannot look at this team and say,

Starting point is 00:04:58 oh, Femmy and Jermaine Johnson are your starting pass rushers on pass rushing downs. Like you can't say that. Germain Johnson and Femmy are both power rushers as well. So I think in the Tennessee Titans edge rotation, those two guys are going to rotate with each other. You're going to have Jermaine out there or you're going to have Femmy out there. They do the same things. So on the other side, you need a speed edge rusher,

Starting point is 00:05:24 which is what Gus Bradley told us in his opening press conference. So if Femey and Germain are rotating as your power rusher, and then you go over to the other side, right now all you have is Jacob Martin. And Jacob Martin cannot be your starting speed pass rusher. Which leads me to this. I think this tells us that the Tennessee Titans are going to be taking a speed rusher

Starting point is 00:05:51 in the first two rounds of the draft. I know that everybody is high on David Bailey or on Jeremiah Love. I like Jeremiah Love as well. I have been adamant on this show that I would be happy with taking Jeremiah Love. But my preference would still be an edge rusher. Now, I like Arvel Reese and Rubin Bain better than David Bailey. But the reality here is, Arvel Reese and David Bailey are the speed edge rushers.

Starting point is 00:06:23 Ruben Bain is more of a power edge rusher. So in my opinion, and again, I have been saying this since January and it's crazy that I can talk for two and a half hours, four hours a week, do short videos, tweet, post, blah, blah, blah, and people still put words in my mouth, misconstrue my message, don't understand the nuance of the thought that I'm putting down. It is endlessly frustrating for me, I can't lie. Because if you're somebody who actually listens to what I say,

Starting point is 00:06:54 I have said throughout, I would prefer Edge, but I'd be happy with Jeremiah Love. I would be excited about Jeremiah Love. But again, Ruben Bain, I have over David Bailey. Arval Rees is my number one player in the entire NFL draft. Then I would have Rubin Bain, then I would have David Bailey. But in my opinion,

Starting point is 00:07:17 the Tennessee Titans have R. Val Rees, David Bailey, and then Rubin Bain third. That's my opinion of the Tennessee Titans position despite my preference being R.Vel Reese, then Rubin Bain, then David Bailey. Okay?

Starting point is 00:07:33 And I would still prefer an edge rusher over Jeremiah Love. That has been my position for six weeks now. Okay, it hasn't changed. So with that in mind, in my opinion I think what happens in the draft is Fernando Mendoza

Starting point is 00:07:50 Arval Reese goes to the Jets the Cardinals take an interior offensive lineman or Sunny Stiles or not interior, just an offensive lineman one of the tackles Milwaukee, Fanu, Freeling, whatever I think the Titans take David Bailey

Starting point is 00:08:08 I think that that would be their choice if he's on the table. Now if it goes Reese Bailey at 2-3 I think the Titans would take Jeremiah Love at that point in time. I think that would be their choice. But if David Bailey is there and Arvel Reese is off the board, I think the Titans would go with David Bailey.

Starting point is 00:08:27 Now, if you want to keep the Jeremiah Love dream alive, then let's say the Tennessee Titans take Jeremiah Love at number one or at number four with their number one pick in the draft. Okay, I would be happy with that. Well, when we get to the second round, there are some speed rushers who I think are shoe-ins now if they go Jeremiah Love in the first round. Cassius Howe, R. Mason Thomas, R. Mello Hype.

Starting point is 00:08:56 I would maybe hesitantly put Joshua Josephs from Tennessee in that list as well. He's not as much of a pure speed rusher as those guys, but I think he could be. But there are a lot of smaller speed rushers who the Titans could get value on on day two of the NFL draft. So with Jacob Martin as a depth speed rusher, Femi and Jermaine Johnson as you're starting early down edges

Starting point is 00:09:28 rotating at one spot on passing downs, I think that makes it blatantly obvious that the Titans like their ability to get a speed rusher early in the draft, whether that's a David Bailey and R. Val Reese in round one, or whether they go with one of these undersized speed rush like Howe Thomas, Hyte, Joseph's in round two or round three. So I think, you know, we're seeing from the,

Starting point is 00:09:51 because they're not going to go out and get a starting pass rusher. And they brought in, I keep forgetting the guy's name because it's not worth knowing, if I'm honest with you. The guy that they signed off the Kansas City Chiefs Practice Squad. You know what I mean? Like that is not somebody who's going to change your draft plan or he's probably not even going to make the roster, if I'm honest with you.

Starting point is 00:10:12 I'd rather have Jalen Harrell. So in my mind, what the Titans have done at edge rusher right now and when you plot out how guys fit together stylistically, I think it's pretty clear that the Titans will be interested in a undersized, if they go in the second round, or speed rusher in general in the NFL draft. And we're going to do a little mock draft Monday next week to talk about what that would look like.

Starting point is 00:10:36 But with that in mind, with the New Jersey's and the new logo coming out tonight, let's go down memory lane and talk about the good times we've had with the flaming thumbtack. Do want to let you know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. College basketball is non-stop, especially this month. Big games, tight spreads, momentum swings every single night from early tip-offs to late-night West Coast shootouts. There's always action on the board. And now Fandle is giving you away to turn that college basketball.

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Starting point is 00:12:42 head to turbotax.com slash local and find a store near you and book your appointment today. Let's cap off today's bonus edition of the Locked-on Titans podcast. Again, we talked about the edge rusher issues for the Titans. They are still missing a starting pass rusher, but I think they're probably looking to get that in the NFL draft. Now, I just want to, again, walk down memory lane a little bit. The Tennessee Titans are making a massive change tonight. They are going to unveil the new logo, the new,

Starting point is 00:13:29 uniforms and do want to give you guys an update on that. So I will not have my normal 6 p.m. episode out for you guys. I'm going to wait until the jerseys come out and then I'm going to go live after that probably around 9 p.m. Eastern time, 8 p.m. Central time to break down what we see. I'll have some pictures and some things like that of what it is. I'll describe the logo for you listening on the audio podcast version and everything like that. Give my thoughts on the new jerseys, the new logo. So just wanted to let you guys know about that little scheduling tidbit there.

Starting point is 00:14:03 But with that being said again, think about all the good times that we've had with the Flaming Thumbtack logo and the original brand of the Tennessee Titans. I could tell you with absolute certainty that if the Tennessee Titans didn't have the logo that they did, didn't have the colors that they did, didn't have the jerseys that they did, I would not be a Tennessee Titans fan right now. When you're eight, nine years old, 10 years old, and you're looking to find your favorite sports teams and all that,

Starting point is 00:14:35 oftentimes you gravitate towards your favorite players, guys that you really like. And for me, it was Eddie George, who was an Ohio State Buckeye. He won the Heisman trophy. You know, I was really young when Eddie George played for the Buckeyes, but everybody around me was like Eddie George, Eddie George, Eddie George. And you know how it works when you're five, six, seven years old? You know, your dad's telling you, this guy's a beast, look at him.

Starting point is 00:14:58 Eddie George is his name. He's a monster. And I don't really know what I'm seeing. I don't know that he's a great football player. I just know my dad is telling me that he's a great football player. And all of the parents of my friends are talking about the Buckeyes and this Heisman Trophy guy. And I'm like, oh, okay, he's great. I like him.

Starting point is 00:15:16 That's a Buckeye. You know, you're a little kid. I'm not breaking down film at 5, 6, 7 years old. But, you know, I liked Eddie George. I like the Ohio State Buckeyes. I'm an Ohio proud Ohio boy. You know what I mean? and then he goes to the Titans.

Starting point is 00:15:29 And the Titans are brand new, and they have these new jerseys and this new concept and this new uniform and the flames coming off the tea. And, you know, me and my brother, who's a year younger than me, we're watching it. And we're like, man, Eddie George is playing for this cool new team. Like, let's like them, you know. And then the Music City miracle happens.

Starting point is 00:15:48 And then Steve McNair is, I grew up. I was a Packers diehard. He still is to this day. He's an owner of the Packers. I bought it. for him, so I guess I'm an owner of the Packers and will be upon his passing. But, you know, like,

Starting point is 00:16:04 seeing Brett Fav play football is what made me love football. You know what I mean? So when you see Steve McNair out there who had the same kind of grit and the, you know, this play is never dead for me. I'm like, man, this guy reminds me of Brett. Like, and he can be my guy instead of my dad's guy.

Starting point is 00:16:24 Like, I want something on my own. You know when you're a young boy, You know, you love your dad, you like your dad, you want to be like your dad, but you want to be your own man. You know what I mean? I'm 10 years, I want to be my own man. So I see Eddie George, Steve McNair, the Music City miracle, the logo, the jerseys, the new team like, and I'm like, this is for me, man.

Starting point is 00:16:47 And I'm wearing my flaming thumbtack polo right now in honor of the day and saying goodbye to our old friend. Now, I am ready to move on. All right. I like the sword logo better. But at some point, it's like whether I want something new, whether I like something better, there is still the nostalgia and the good feelings of the Super Bowl run.

Starting point is 00:17:15 Eddie, Steve, Kevin Dyson was my guy. Derek Mason, Frank Whitechek, Keith Bullock, Javon Curse, you know, Blaine Bishop. like and then you go to the CJ 2K years with CJ 2K out there making plays and giving me something to be happy about giving me something to be proud of

Starting point is 00:17:36 you know we can talk about how this doesn't matter and that doesn't matter and all these other things that listen when you're a fan of football it's not just about three hours on Sunday in my opinion it's all of it's the conversations it's being around your buddies and having a beer

Starting point is 00:17:56 and being like Chris Johnson man well, I wasn't drinking beers at that time, but you know what I'm saying. You know, like, well, I'm not going to lie to you. But anyways, like to have people be like, man, Chris Johnson's a dog when they like other teams and just respect and like your players. Like, you know, being a football fan again isn't just about the football game. Being a fan of professional sports and football and college football, it's about the enjoyment and the conversations and all the things that go with it.

Starting point is 00:18:27 It's not just the game, it's everything, you know? It's being a fan all year round, not just for three hours on a Sunday in the fall. So having players that were respected, that were well-like, the Kyle Vanden Bosches of the world, even the Albert Hainsworth runs, you know, the Nate Washington's, the Drew Bennett's. And then you go into, you know, the Jarrell Casey years

Starting point is 00:18:50 and Wesley Wood, you all. Some of these guys got the Titans out of the mud. like DeMarco Murray and Ben Jones and then Kevin Byard and Derek Henry and Jeffrey Simmons to A.J. Brown and Ryan Tannahill. Like these dudes mean something to me, you know, and they always will. And now we're here into the Jeffrey Simmons, Cam Ward. And Cam Ward and what comes next here is going to be associated with this new logo, played one year on the old logo. Cam Ward is the representation of the new logo. He is

Starting point is 00:19:32 the wave of change that's happening. And a lot of kids who were my age or who, you know, are going to be eight, nine, ten, seven years old as Cam Ward becomes a star in the NFL with the new logo and the New Jersey's and everything. Like, that's going to be there, Eddie and Steve and, you know, and it's just, it's the way that life works. But all I know, is even though I'm excited for the future I'm ready for the change the 27 years that I've loved this football

Starting point is 00:20:03 team with the flaming thumbtack logo are never going to go away and I'm always going to be appreciative of those times so you know I hope you guys are as well little nostalgia there's a tear in my beer today as we move forward into the future

Starting point is 00:20:21 but with that being said again I'm going to go live at 9 p.m. Eastern to break down the new jerseys the new logo give thoughts all of that I hope you guys will join me here so we can do it together as a titans family but with that being said that's going to do it for me today folks as always I am your host Tyler Rowland and this was locked on Titans

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans ISSUES AT EDGE RUSHER Influence Draft Picks & Saying Goodbye to Flaming T Logo

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