Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Jack Gibbens is LB1, Otis Reese is a Major Sleeper & Special Teams Longshots

Episode Date: July 18, 2024

The Tennessee Titans linebacker position is one of the weakest on the team, but regardless of what you think about the group, Jack Gibbens is at the top. Next, if there is one player who can make a major leap this year it is Otis Reese Jr. Finally, there are some players at the end of the depth chart who are longshots, but could carve out a role with special teams.Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitansTicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=ascFollow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFL. Terms and conditions apply.BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON today to get 10% off your first month.eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotors.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms Apply.FanDuelFanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. As playoffs wind down, the sports stop sporting like we want them to. But this summer, FanDuel is hooking up ALL CUSTOMERS with a boost or a bonus, DAILY! That’s right, there’s something for everyone, every day, all summer long! Visit FANDUEL.COM/LOCKEDON and add a big win to your summer bucket list!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)

Tennessee Titans fans may not want to hear it, but Jack Givens is linebacker one. I'll explain why on today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. 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 Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to the Locked On Titans Podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland, Titans fans. Today's edition of the Locked On Titans Podcast is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to faster.

Post your job for free at linkedin.com slash locked on NFL. That's linkedin.com slash locked on NFL to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. We have made it to the final positional preview episode as we head towards Tennessee Titans training camp. We've gone over the entire offense. We've gone over everything on defense except linebacker, and that means today is all about

the inside linebacker position where Jack Gibbons is linebacker one, for better or worse. Otis Reese can have a breakout in 2024, and some of these long shots are going to have to make a name on special teams if they want to make the roster. So I'll get into all of that.

Before I do, I do want to thank you for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day. Remember, 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 to the number one Tennessee Titans podcast in the world. Shout out to my everydayers out there.

Tune in Monday through Friday. If you aren't an everydayer, you need to be one because training camp starts next week, and my next two episodes are going to be my first 53-man roster prediction. Can't wait to go over that with you guys and then break down practice the next few weeks until we get to some preseason games. Football is here. But with that being said, some of you may think that this is bad news when I

say it, but Jack Gibbons is linebacker one for the Titans. And I'll put it this way. When you look at the linebacker one for the Titans. And I'll put it this way. When you look at the linebacker group, you have three locks, in my opinion, three locks to make the team. Number one is Jack Gibbons. Number two is Kenneth Murray, who was brought in as a free agent.

And then number three is Cedric Gray, the Titans' fourth-round draft pick. So, those are the only guys on the team that I think are absolute locks to make it. And here's the reality. One, Cedric Gray is a rookie, so we can have high expectations for him all we want, but the reality is he is a rookie. And it doesn't make sense to count on him to be an immediate starter, even if we think he's capable.

Kenneth Murray, to count on him to be an immediate starter, even if we think he's capable. Kenneth Murray, again, I kind of ranted a bit at the end of last week that I'm, or the beginning of this week, that I'm painted as some negative hater on the Titans, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But I've only disliked three moves that they've made this entire offseason.

But one of those moves was Kenneth Murray. Okay? Kenneth Murray is terrible in coverage. He misses tackles. All he can really do is blitz downhill as a linebacker. That's his only redeeming trait. So, you can't really consider Kenneth Murray linebacker one in my opinion because he can't necessarily be out there all the time. Alright? Gibbons has his flaws. So Jack Gibbons is not a great athlete. All right. That's just a reality. Speed, quickness, agility. Those are places where

he struggles. It's the truth. But I keep resorting back to what Brian Callahan had to say when he said, you don't need to be an elite athlete to be a good off-ball linebacker in the NFL. And he's right. He's right about that. I also think that Jack Gibbons is a tad underrated, and I talked about this a couple weeks ago in my Top 5 Underrated Titans episode. Jack Gibbons has become a little underrated by Tennessee

Titans fans. Like, if you look around the NFL, Jack Gibbons is kind of a middle-of-the-road starter. If you look at some of the data on Jack Gibbons, and Titans fans would tell you that he's absolutely garbage, he's terrible, get him off the field. But I admit, the Titans could do better than Jack Gibbons.

The linebacker group is not good enough overall. It's not. But considering what they have, Jack Gibbons is the best linebacker on the team right now. I am not a fan of Kenneth Murray so you can miss me with the Kenneth Murray conversation. He's not. Jack Gibbons is a better player than him. So you add that to Frank Bush, Titans linebacker coach saying Jack's our leader. He's leading us right now. I mean

between Brian Callahan, between Frank Bush saying that, it is pretty obvious that Jack Gibbons is linebacker one on this team. And again, they need to get better at linebacker, but my football philosophy, well, with the NFL at least, because salary cap league, you want to look at other things that don't have a salary cap, totally different. But in a salary cap league, you want to look at other things that don't have a salary cap, totally different. But in a salary cap league like the NFL, you have to make concessions at certain places. You cannot have high level elite players at every single position.

You cannot afford to pay them. One of the positions where I would look for value rather than an elite player would be off ball linebacker. I think you can get away with some late-round draft picks, with some cheaper veteran options. I think you can be a good defense. I think you can be a Super Bowl team and not pay a million dollars to your linebackers. You want proof? Look at the Chiefs.

Leo Chanel, Willie Gay. Like, these are not high-level elite linebackers. You know what I mean? And even the ones that are good that we're talking about here were mid-round picks. So, I think the Titans, year two, Cedric Gray could be better. They could get another linebacker next year in the draft, and they could be better going forward. But for right now, for this year, Gibbons is linebacker one. He's the best linebacker on the team, and with Cedric Gray being a rookie and with Kenneth Murray having a very very

very limited skill set Whether you like it or not Jack Gibbons is gonna be linebacker one for this team and look he may not have the athleticism He's got great awareness. He plays with good physicality He knows where to be he's gonna line up everybody else He's already calling the plays He's going to line up everybody else. He's already calling the plays, telling everybody where to line up. He just gives you, I mean, it is very stereotypical, but it's true.

Jack Gibbons gives you everything that you want other than athleticism. He gives you everything that you would need from a linebacker other than athleticism. But what I will say is he's 6'3". He's a big-bodied guy. We even saw last year he batted down a ton of passes and passing windows, especially on some of those quick RPOs where the quarterback may give it to the running back, but then he may get it out as a pass. Gibbons was real good at getting some of those passing windows.

So Jack Gibbons is a lock to make this team. I think he's linebacker one for this team. I think that they could do better, but it's not the disaster that some people act like it is. Kenneth Murray and Cedric Gray are the other locks, but I just don't know with Kenneth Murray being limited in his skill set and Cedric Gray being a rookie, if you can really count on them to jump up to be linebacker one. So whether you like it or not, Gibby is your linebacker one., wanted to give him a little bit of credit there. Establish that is where we go from here. There are guys on the bubble who I'm very interested in, though,

including Otis Reese and Titan 7th round pick James Williams. So, we're going to talk about them now. Before we do, though, do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by eBay Motors. Look, passion, drive, patience. The formula for winning championships is also what keeps your ride or die alive. eBay Motors has everything you need to maintain your vehicle and level it up to peak performance. From superchargers to roof racks to exhaust kits, LED headlights,

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Terms and conditions apply. Titans fans, let's continue today's positional preview of the linebacker position for the Titans. Training camp is next week. The football is finally here. Look, we're talking linebackers today, but if you missed any of the other episodes, I did the rest of the defense earlier this week. I did offense last week. That's evergreen stuff until training camp kicks off,

so go back and check that out. But we talked about the locks to make this team at linebacker in our first segment. Now I want to talk about some of these guys on the bubble. And to me, this is where some of the breakout candidates actually are. So before I get into that, I do want to thank you guys again 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. Make sure that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed.

It's your team every day here on the Locked on Titans podcast. But number one on the bubble, we got to talk about Otis Reese. Otis Reese, the undrafted free agent from last year, converted college safety to a linebacker. Six foot three, 214 pounds, and he can fly. So Otis Reese ended up playing in seven games for the Titans last year, made 21 tackles, had 120 special team snaps. So he played most of his snaps on special teams, but he did get some defensive snaps at the end of the year last year when injuries hit. And again, he needs to develop. He needs to get better. But there is a ferocity. There is an explosion.

Mike Vrabel loved Otis Reese all year last year. And you could see why when he played. He just gets downhill. He's got such great size, such great speed, plays with such violence as well. Now, can Otis Reese play with more discipline? Can he read his gaps better? Can he fit his run fits better?

Can he not get, I mean, at 6'3", 214, he is a little bit of a smaller guy, again, former safety. So is he going to be able to shed blocks? Is he going to be able to get off bigger offensive linemen and make plays? That's what you're looking for. Got to improve in coverage. Got to improve his physicality when it comes to taking on blocks. You know what I mean?

Not tackles. It's different kinds of things. The violence there and the physicality of taking on the blocks. So can he get better at those things? Because if he can, if he can. Again, Rancor Thawne has in the past done a great job of finding linebackers. Late in the draft, undrafted free agents, Rancarton can find some linebackers, and he found Otis Reese.

So this isn't a situation where, you know, he's a former, I know that Mike Vrabel liked him, but he's not a former regime guy. Rancarton and his scouting team was the one who brought Otis Reese in. So if he can put on a little more weight, get a little bit stronger to take on blocks, get a little bit better with his awareness over the middle of the field and pass coverage, the Titans may have a gem here. Now, I got him on the bubble because there's no guarantee that that happens.

I can't sit here and tell you with certainty that Otis Reese is going to be this. Otis Reese is going to be that. At the end of the day, he's fighting an uphill battle. There are three linebackers. The Titans drafted a linebacker, which clearly they wanted Cedric Gray more than they like Otis Reese because that's why they're drafting him so high. They also went out and got another converted safety

in James Williams from Miami. So, Otis Reese's archetype is no longer special on the team. James Williams is basically the same thing. James Williams is a big-bodied safety who is converting the linebacker at the NFL level, who plays with great physicality, plays with great violence, but maybe isn't the most disciplined guy, some awareness issues, things like. So very similar there.

So will the Titans favor James Williams over Otis Reese? That is a battle that I'm going to be watching for because those two guys, again, like I said, skill sets, background, kind of similar. Kind of similar. So what I would also say is both those guys fit the Kenneth Murray role, right? Like, Otis Reese could be that downhill,

violent, good athlete guy. Just like Kenneth Murray is. James Williams, that is literally who he is. Downhill, violent, physical, good athlete, good size. Like, to me, my hope is that Kenneth Murray is gone after the year or even gets replaced during the year by an Otis Reese, by a James Williams.

You know, so you have Jack Gibbons as linebacker one, and then you have an Otis Reese or James Williams next to him, and then Cedric Gray comes in on third downs, and then by next year, maybe you have Cedric Gray as linebacker one with Otis Reese or James Williams next to him. That, you know, let's hope that something like that can take place here. You know? But, but we can't know that that's going to happen,

and that's why Otis Reese, James Williams, both on the bubble for me. They're both bubble guys. We don't know for certain. I think one of them for sure makes the team. Will it be both of them? It could be both of them, though, but they're going to have to be good on special teams as well, which we know Otis Reese can do a little bit of. Will James Williams do that as a highly touted prospect

who didn't pan out? He seems willing, but we'll see. Now, a guy who is certainly going to help on special teams is Luke Gifford. So Gifford came over from the Cowboys in free agency last year, and he is a, like I say with Hassan Haskins on offense, he may be a linebacker, but Luke Gifford is a special teams player.

He's not a linebacker. He can't play linebacker. But Luke Gifford is a special teams player. He's not a linebacker. He can't play linebacker. Crazy. The Titans tried to use Luke Gifford as an overhang outside linebacker against the run last year because Autry was so bad in run defense and Arden Key was so bad in run defense and Rashad Weaver's so bad in run defense. They didn't have another edge outside of Harold Landry who could be an edge against the run. So they tried Luke Gifford there a little bit, but that's the only time that he got on the field as a defender. But on special teams, Luke Gifford is a very, very good special teams player. The problem is he gets hurt a lot. He's been injured. He was injured last year for the Titans.

Can they trust him? So if they don't feel like they could trust Luke Gifford, also they could cut Gifford and save some good money as well. But if Otis Reese and James Williams are there and they want to go with a purely special teams guys, the sixth linebacker, Gifford would absolutely be the favorite to get that spot. And that's why I have them in the bubble section rather than the long shot section. So that's where I'm at with the linebackers. I think Otis Reese and James Williams have great potential, but they're really going to have to clean up some of the other parts of their game. It'll be fun to watch to see if they can do that

because they definitely have the size and the athleticism to really make an impact for the Titans in year one on special teams, but also on the defense as well because I would rather see some of these guys out here and getting a shot over Kenneth Murray. So with that being said, though, do you want to talk about some of the long shots to make the team at the linebacker position?

And one time, Titans' former draft pick, who I'm not going to lie, I forgot that he was a draft pick. He's been so out of sight and out of mind. So we'll talk about that next. Before I do, do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. So look, guys, comparison is the thief of joy. You've heard that before, but it could not be more true than in today's society because everybody's on Instagram and Facebook and Twitter and Snapchat,

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for no additional charge. So stop comparing and start focusing with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com slash locked on to get 10% off your first month today. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. It's our positional preview series. We're talking linebacker. Let's cap off the entire positional preview series. I've gone through every single player on the Titans roster over the last two weeks, giving you my locks, my bubble guys, my long shots.

I've hit some free agents at certain positions that are still available for the Titans. So if you missed any of those, make sure that you check them out before training camp kicks off next week on Tuesday. Can not wait. But before we get into my long shots for the linebacker position, I do want to thank you guys again for making Locked on Titans 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. So make sure, of course, that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. It's your team every day. I also put out my Roger McCreary film breakdown earlier this week on the Tic Tac Titans film channel. Link to that is in the description. And then finally, I want to let you know that Locked On has launched the first

ever national sports 24 7 streaming channel on YouTube. It's also on Amazon Fire TV. It's called Locked On Sports Today. 24 7 sports coverage. The biggest sports stories, local national coverage, everything find Locked On Sports Today. Now available here

on YouTube or also on the free Fire TV channels app. But, our last three guys are long shots. Number one is Garrett Wallow. Okay? And, I had a funny interaction. Someone said I was obsessed with

Tavondre Sweat because I tweeted about him last week. Okay, and my response was, I'm obsessed with everyone on the team. I am obsessed with the Tennessee Titans. So, yes, you caught me red-handed. I am obsessed. Okay? I'm obsessed with Sweat, with Burks, with Levis, with Latham,

with Landry, Simmons, Sneed, all the way down to the Garrett Wallows. I am obsessed with this team. That's why I made it my life's work. Okay? All right. But shout out to Easton Freeze, who covers the team. We have good interactions online. He said, would you like to tell me about your Garrett Wallow obsession?

My response to that, Easton, is I know who Garrett Wallow is. I have heard of Garrett Wallow. How many people on the street, even Titans fans, if you went up to him in these social media style videos, you said, what does Garrett Wallow do for a living? How many people know? How many? I do. I what does Garrett Wallow do for a living? How many people know? How many? I do.

I know who Garrett Wallow is. All right. So that's my answer. But Wallow's 6'2", 230. He was a fifth round pick in 2021 with Houston. Came over to the Titans last year. He's going to be a special teams only player. He's not talented enough as a linebacker.

He's only got six tackles for the Titans last year. Look, he's not going to make this team. Wallow is a guy who will probably be out of the NFL here with either, if not this year, next year. Just not a lot of high and upside. Getting older as well. Special teams only player. I would rather have Luke Gifford if I had to choose

between the two. And I think both of those guys are fighting for a similar spot. Another guy who's kind of in the same vein as a Jojo Doman. I liked Jojo Doman out of Nebraska when he came out in college. He's more of a coverage centric linebacker. He has good athleticism, but the physicality isn't there. And the coverage, like he's more coverage centric. I would say that's what he's better at, but it's still not good enough for him to make the roster. So, absolute long shot. The guy I really wanted to talk about here was Chance Campbell.

You guys remember when Chance Campbell got drafted by the Titans in the sixth round in 2022? He has just been poof, gone. Didn't play in 2022 at all because of injury. Only played four games last year. Chance Campbell is a guy with good size. He's a similar size to Jack Gibbons, but a little bit, excuse me,

a little bit of a better athlete, a little bit more athleticism. So to me, out of all of the long shots, even the bubble players, if there's one guy who could kind of rise unexpectedly and be the Titans three linebacker or four linebacker, it's probably Chance Campbell. If he can stay healthy, if he's improved, you know, it's just he hasn't really had a lot of opportunities,

but as a former sixth round pick, maybe he can kind of harness the size and athleticism that made him appealing and turn that into a way to be a depth linebacker for the Titans. I could absolutely see the Titans keeping Gibby, Murray, Gray, Otis Reese, James Williams, and then Chance Campbell is kind of like your pure

special teams linebacker. Hey, we're not really developing you into a linebacker, but if we had to play you, it could work. You're more experienced than Otis Reese and James Williams. If we got in a pinch, blah, blah, blah, you could work on special teams as a big-bodied guy with good speed. So I think out of all the long shots, to me, Chance Campbell is the guy who has the best chance to actually make it.

I think he could beat out like a Luke Gifford for the sixth linebacker spot, but that'll be an interesting name to watch because I've heard a little bit of Chance Campbell positivity out there from the OTAs and stuff. So maybe he could stay healthy and turn this thing around. But we'll see. Either way, he's still a long shot to me, but probably the most realistic long shot to actually make the team

if one makes it out of Wallow, Dome, and Campbell. I would go with Campbell as the guy who has the best shot. But that's the linebacker position. Next week, it'll be training camp week, and I'm going to break down my 53-man roster predictions before things kick off. And then when practices start on Wednesday, I'll be ready to aggregate and bring you all of the big news

that you need to know. So make sure that you stick with me here on the Locked on Titans podcast. 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.