Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Jamal Adams NOT READY, L'Jarius Sneed is BACK & Will Levis MUST BE Team Captain

Episode Date: August 29, 2024

The Tennessee Titans are ten days away from kicking off their regular season against the Chicago Bears and safety Jamal Adams is still struggling with soreness that keeps him out of practice. It is time to be concerned about how much he can help this team this year. Next, the Titans got star corner L'Jarius Sneed back at practice and it is perfect timing. DeAndre Hopkins remains out, but optimism he will play in Week 1 remains. Finally, the Titans selected team captains and Will Levis had to be one, and he is.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/videosFor your next listen, check out the Locked On Fantasy Football podcast. Get daily insight to the best Fantasy draft strategies so you can win your league this season. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.Support 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.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.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.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)

The Tennessee Titans opened their season one week from Sunday, and Jamal Adams still isn't practicing. It might be time to be a little bit concerned. I'll explain 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. 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 fans. We are in the last week of the year without Tennessee Titans football. The game against the Chicago Bears is right around the corner. And Jamal Adams is still not out on the practice field. I'll give you the latest update and explain why. I am a little bit concerned. Also, we got other injury updates to other players at practice, players who were out of practice, players who returned to practice. So I'm going to go over all of that with you guys as well, and the Titans have picked their team captain. So I'll talk about those selections and tell you how I feel about those selections.

Before we get into all of it, 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. It's your team every day here on the Locked on Titans podcast.

Speaking of every day, shout out to my everydayers out there. Tune in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. For my everydayers on Sunday night into Monday morning, I'm going to do my final official record prediction for the Tennessee Titans. Going to tell you how many games I think they win, which

weeks I think they win. I'll do some of my team predictions, best player, big disappointment, stuff like that. And then we're writing the crossover Thursday and game preview Friday. Cannot believe the season is here. But with all that being said, make sure you throw a thumbs up on the video,

throw a Titan up down in the chat. We got to talk about this Jamal Adams situation. So Jamal Adams did not practice again on Thursday. He was out. Before practice, Brian Callahan said, quote, I feel good about where Jamal Adams is physically and hoping he's ready to go next week. Not sure about his availability for practice today.

Well, I can tell you now, since practice is done, that he did not practice on Thursday. So you start to look at the timeline of what's happened since Jamal Adams has been signed. Okay, he practiced a little bit here and there early on when he first showed up. Then he practiced in a limited fashion, really, against the Seattle Seahawks, according to Seahawks reporters. A little bit of talking, a lot of talking, quite honestly,

with Jamal Adams at joint practices, but he only played a little bit. Now, once the Titans practiced before the Saints game, no Jamal Adams. This week, two practices so far that we know about, no Jamal Adams. I mean,

is he going to play? And here's where things get even more peculiar. Why is Jamal Adams out right now? What is the injury? What is going on? I had someone ask me on Twitter, at Tic Tac Titans,

why is Jamal Adams even out? And I said exactly what the Titans have said since he stopped practicing. Soreness. Soreness. Soreness. That's what they've told us. There is no injury, just veteran soreness.

Okay, let me just say this. Jamal Adams got signed. He's practiced five or six times. What is he sore from? Where is the soreness coming from? Like, why is he sore? He's barely practiced since he got signed. The response to that and the answer to that is,

well, he had a pretty devastating injury history when he was signed. His last injury was like a major quad tear. So he's probably just sore from it being the first activity that he's had since his injury. And I will say, yeah, that sounds right.

That's logical. You're probably right about that. But that's not good. That's worrisome. It's worrisome that he was supposed to be healthy. And he said that he was healthy and he not good. That's worrisome. It's worrisome that he was supposed to be healthy, and he said that he was healthy, and he felt good, and he was ready to play when he got signed, and then you practice five or six times,

and you're already having soreness to the point where you have to sit out these important practices when it's like, you would say, oh, it's just training camp. No, it's not now. Now is prep for the regular season. They're working on their plan for the Bears. Next week, it's time for the regular season preparation and practices.

Like, now is the time you sit out all of training camp and you barely practice during training camp so that you can be ready for these practices. And you know how I can prove that? Legereus Sneed. Back out on the practice field. Sneed has not, it's been the same thing. Sneed has not practiced barely at all for the Titans

during training camp. And that's fine because he's ready to play right now. I talked about it on last night's show, my everydayers will remember. He said it's go time. So Legereus Sneed is following the veteran maintenance plan of, hey, we don't want him getting banged up. We don't want to overwork him.

But now it's time to practice for real because it's time to play for real. So you have a guy doing a veteran maintenance plan like Jamal Adams, but it proves that these practices are important because Legereus Sneed is out there. It proves that these practices are important because LeJarius Sneed is out there. So, my concern here is the Titans just traded Elijah Molden who, in theory, can do the similar things.

Not the same, but similar things to Jamal Adams. He's not as big as Jamal Adams. He's not as physically violent as Jamal Adams. That's all true. But he can play dime package linebacker. He can play early down slot and run situations. He can do those things. What you just sent him away, by the way, was for a seventh round pick.

We finally got clarification after I recorded yesterday's show or went live yesterday. It's a seventh round pick in 2026. That's fine. They were getting rid of Molden. They're going to send him to a place that wants him. That's fine with me. But you do that because you have Jamal Adams and he's a luxury.

But now you don't have Elijah Molden. So what are we doing now? What if Jamal Adams isn't ready to play? Remember that quote? Remember, Brian Callahan said he is hoping that Jamal Adams is ready to go by next week. So he doesn't even have an injury and he may not be ready to go for week one?

What is going on? That math doesn't math for me. Things aren't adding up. You get rid of Molden who could be your Jamal Adams insurance and now what are you left with? Mike Brown? Julius Wood who just joined the team yesterday? If the Titans want to run all these different formations and these different personnel packages on defense like we expect, how can you expect Julius Wood to be ready for that?

So now Mike Brown is your third safety on game day and he's playing an integral role in your defense. Mike Brown, I like Mike Brown, but is that the plan? The plan is, hey, Jamal Adams may not be ready week one. We're going to trade Elijah Molden, who is Jamal Adams' insurance. Now we're riding with Mike Brown. So if the Titans are going to play a ton of three safety looks like the Ravens did last year, the Ravens had a ton of safeties on the field all the time.

Well, you have Quandre Diggs. You have Amani Hooker, and then what? It's Mike Brown? So maybe Jamal Adams practices next week week and this is all for naught. Maybe Jamal Adams plays and plays well in week one. But I think when Jamal Adams was signed, I had concern that his body was just broken down and could not play anymore. And stuff like this makes me think that I might have been right and I would rather be wrong.

So, let me know how concerned you are about Jamal Adams scale of 1 to 10 down below. I know a lot of you guys are going to be low because it's going to stay more optimistic than me, but I think it's only logical that there is some level of concern about Jamal Adams and this is why when everybody said it's a low

risk, high reward. No, I said it's a low risk, low reward because the guy's not going to be able to play. He's not going to be able to stay healthy. So they maybe didn't spend a lot of money on him. But that, you know, they still need a player. That's why they signed him. And having him in that role and trying to rely on

Jamal Adams' body, it can get you in a tough spot. So let's hope he's back out on the practice field next week. But speaking of being back out on the practice field, let's do an injury update on Thursday's practice. Who was out there? Who wasn't out there? Who returned?

A lot to discuss on today's show. Before we do, though, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by 5-Hour Energy. I love 5-Hour Energy. I'm tired after lunch all the time. I just get tired after I eat. It is what it is.

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Go to 5hourenergy.com today. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Kind of looking at the injury situation for the Titans as they head into preparation for their week one game against the Bears. I talked about my concern with Jamal Adams' situation and how strange that it is to me. But now I want to talk about some other general updates at practice. We got the return of some players. Some other players still out.

We'll get into that. Talk about team captains at the end of the show. And as a reminder, my first show next week, my official record prediction for the Titans. Very excited to get your guys' feedback for that. Before we get into the rest of today's show though, do want to let you guys know about the locked on NFL division previews. You've heard of NFL division previews for the AFC South, but to become the most informed NFL fan, make sure that you check out the entire

2024 Locked On NFL season preview covering every division across the league from our 32 NFL hosts who cover each team every day. This eight-episode series will stream live on the 24-7 Locked On NFL YouTube channel and Amazon Fire TV app. Catch all the action on Tuesday, September 3rd, starting at 7 p.m. Eastern. I know you guys enjoyed that ASC South Division preview that was posted here on the channel.

Got a lot of good feedback for that. So make sure that you check out the 2024 Locked On NFL season preview. It's the kind of analysis, insight, and entertainment that you will not find anywhere else. It's part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. So, who is out of practice? We obviously know Jamal Adams, but DeAndre Hopkins remains out. Although, the Titans did double down and say that they are hopeful

that DeAndre Hopkins will play week one for the Titans. And whether he is going to play week one or not, it's only smart to say that they expect him to play in week one. That's the way that they should handle it. Obviously, with DeAndre Hopkins being out, it still puts a big microscope on Traylon Burks. Traylon Burks has to step up this year. This is the final season for Traylon Burks. Traylon Burks has to step up this year. This is the final season for

Traylon Burks to define how his career is going to go. If he does not perform this year, he is going to be looked at as nothing more than a depth wide receiver than Nick Westbrook-Akene. That is what Traylon Burks' role is going to be going forward for

the rest of his career if he doesn't step up this year and show that he can be closer to a first round talent than what he showed so far so with Hopkins out Burks has to step up again Arden Key still out after he tweaked his hamstring before the Saints game that is not great news everybody was excited to get him back from the suspension that didn't happen but then he gets the injury and who knows whether he's going to be ready to go or not. Jalen Harrell, you have been promoted. You are now one of my top employees, okay? Jalen Harrell, it is time.

You're probably going to be the starting edge rusher for the Titans as a seventh-round pick in week one, so we'll be curious to see how that all works out. Hopefully, Key comes back just to, if more than anything, be a part of the rotation in week one. Jamal Adams, like I said, out. Hopefully, Key comes back just to, if more than anything, be a part of the rotation in week one. Jamal Adams, like I said, out. That puts Mike Brown in an important role. And then Otis Reese.

Otis Reese still out with a concussion. With Cedric Gray not being at practice because he's on IR, and with Otis Reese not being at practice because he's injured with a concussion, James Williams. Tons of chance. Campbell is out with, I mean, James Williams. Here you go. It's Jack Gibbons and James Williams

as your second string linebackers. Time for the rookie to get some important play. I mean, he might have to play in the game at some point. So, especially on special teams, that's obvious, but just putting James Williams in the spotlight as well. As for guys who came back to practice, I already mentioned LeJarius Sneed. So important to have LeJarius Sneed back at practice for the Titans. He was the second biggest.

I mean, if you want to take out like the coaching staff and stuff like that. I think Calvin Ridley was the most important offseason addition, but I would say LeJarrius Sneed is number two. They need Sneed to be a lockdown corner. He has to be worth the money. He has to be good right away. We've been waiting. We've been waiting. They haven't practiced all season with him

because he's expected to just come in right away and be great. And that has to be the expectation for the money that he was paid, for the way that they've managed him and treated him throughout the offseason so far. He needs to come in right away and be great. So back at practice, practice these two days, practice next week. Should be ready to go. Very excited about that. Chito is also back.

Now, I saw that he was a little bit limited. Might have been back to full on Thursday. But Chito back at practice, and he talked about how he just wished that he would have been able to be out there and, you know, ingratiate himself with his teammates, make sure that he got chemistry with his teammates on defense. He said he wanted to, you know, earn the respect of his teammates as well, but without that being ready to, or without that being able to happen,

he's still got to go out there and play. It's the same thing. Like the Titans paid him money to be one of their better players, and he needs to be that. So it's good at least that they can be back in practice, kind of get that chemistry, hit the ground running, and they still have some practices before they literally just go into a game. Ernest Jones, Titans' new linebacker, he was out there at practice, ready to go past his physical.

That's all good news. Josh Wiley, Kind of important. Kind of important. Josh Wiley. Back at practice. Look. Wiley got a lot of hype throughout training camp. He got another concussion or at least was in concussion protocol for a while. He's had a hard time staying healthy and staying available. So he's gotten a lot of pub this offseason with what he's done at training camp.

And everyone said he's basically, I mean, the Titans said it. They made him a co-starter with Chigaconkwo. So he's been elevated from a backup to a co-starter this year. That is a confirmed fact. And with that, as Spider-Man's Uncle Ben would say, with great power comes great responsibility, and now if you're going to be a co-starter, and you're going to get all this excitement and all this hype during training camp,

well, then you better produce Josh Wiley, and you can only do that if you're out on the field, so at minimum, very good, and you see the way the Titans use their tight ends? They might use a little bit more tight ends than we even thought that they would, but Josh Wiley is going to be an important part of that, You see the way the Titans use their tight ends? They might use a little bit more tight ends than we even thought that they would, but Josh Wiley is going to be an important part of that. And I think, honestly, the Titans having five tight ends on their roster with Wiley, Chig, DMR, Thomas Odekoye, and Nick Van Et,

who's supposed to be signed back to the roster. With those five guys, I think the Titans are trying to give them a little protection from Josh Wiley's injury history. So, he's got to prove it. He's been given an elevation, and he's got to prove that he was worth it. Bryce Oliver, back with the Titans on the practice squad. We talked about that yesterday. But in a strange turn of events,

Justin Mello reported that he had declined the Titans' offer to come back, but then immediately tweeted after that that he had declined the Titans offer to come back, but then immediately tweeted after that that he changed his mind and did decide to come back to the Titans. He almost went to the Jets. Brian Callahan said he kind of talked to him like, be careful what you wish for. We put, you know, effort in developing you here.

You know the system. And then Bryce Oliver ended up coming back. Also, Rancar Thon said that they'd like to have, or it was Brian Callahan said, that they would like to have Rashad Weaver back on the practice squad if he'd like to come back. So that's interesting to see. And then finally, I do want to give this note.

It happened as I'm recording, but the Titans have signed defensive lineman James Lynch, former fourth-round pick from the Vikings out of Baylor in 2020. He's played three years in the NFL, 37 games, had three starts, 53 tackles, two sacks. He is being signed to the practice squad, though. So the Titans still have an open spot on the 53-man roster

that they have not filled. Very curious what happens with that. Maybe we'll get some news over the weekend, and we'll be breaking that down after. But it's time to talk about team captains because the Titans picked their five. I'll tell you who they are and what it means next. Before I do, I do want to let you guys know

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available to U.S. customers. Titans fans! Let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We talked about Jamal Adams' injury concerns. We talked about other injury updates at practice, both good and bad. Now, I want to talk about the Titans team captains because the team officially selected and voted on their captains for the season. There are five of them. I'll tell you who they are, what it means before we get into that. I do want to thank you again for making the Locked on Titans podcast

your first listen each and every day. I also want to tell you that I know you guys heard the NFL division preview for the AFC South. It was here on the YouTube channel. It was on the podcast feed. Excellent conversation. But to become the most informed NFL fan, you have to make sure to check out the entire

2024 Locked on NFL season preview covering every division across the league from our 32 NFL hosts who cover their team each and every day. It's eight episodes. It's going to be a full series. It's going to stream live on the 24-7 Locked On NFL YouTube channel

and on Amazon Fire TV. Catch all the action on Tuesday, September 3rd, starting at 7 p.m. Eastern. The 2024 Locked On NFL season preview is the kind of analysis, insight, and entertainment that you will not find anywhere else. It's part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. So the Titans, five captains. Obviously, Will Levis. No shocker there.

If your quarterback isn't one of your captains, you got bigger problems as a team. Also on offense, Lloyd Cushenberry, the center, new free agent signing. Like hearing that. Jeffrey Simmons. Jeff and Levis Like hearing that. Jeffrey Simmons. Jeff and Levis were absolute locks. Jeffrey Simmons is the best player on the team. He's got to be a captain.

And again, if he's not, it's not great. Kenneth Murray, the fourth captain. The second defensive captain. Again, like Lloyd Cushenberry, a free agent that came in and obviously has made their mark. And then finally, the special teams captain is Morgan Cox, the long snapper from Tennessee. I think maybe it would be Nick Falk, but Morgan Cox is a Tennessee guy,

and he is a model of consistency. All right, so two offense, two defense, one special teams, five captains. The Titans will have an honorary captain each week, a sixth captain. The first week of the season, it's Calvin Ridley. So I already like that. But with Levis, like I was saying, your quarterback has to be your captain. If Will Levis isn't your captain, your team is in trouble. Like the team has to believe in the quarterback.

The quarterback has to set the example. The best players on the team, the leaders of the team, have to be the leaders of the team. You know what I'm saying? And the quarterback is de facto, by the nature of the position, a leader on the team. There's no way around that. So if Will Levis wasn't voted captain, it would be an issue.

So love to see that. Lloyd Cushenberry, though. Brian Callahan said that he's really come in and been a leader. He's not a big boisterous guy, is what Callahan said, but he demands a certain level and he has a certain standard that he holds everybody to, and everybody in the offensive line room and on the offense looks up to Lloyd Cushenberry for that standard that he carries for himself.

So, that's how he was voted captain. And again, like I said, with quarterback center center is the leader of the offensive line. De facto. These are two guys who are the most vocal players on the offense. The quarterback calls the plays, the snap count, the audibles, the adjustment, the offensive line. The center is the guy who's calling protections and communicating because he's in the middle of everything. He's the pivot. That's why people call it the pivot. So this is good news to have your quarterback in your center be the leaders on your offense.

That's great. And Jeffrey Simmons, no shock there. Like I said, he's the best player on the team. He is clearly the most vocal player on the team. Simmons never stops talking, and that's something that I personally find very endearing. It's very endearing quality when people talk a lot, okay? Let me just say that

personally, but love Jeff Simmons, favorite player on the team. He's absolutely a captain. He is the top, top captain with his pedigree as a player. You know, Will Levis will have to earn that from Jeffrey Simmons, but Simmons is a dog, man. Love Jeff Simmons. Can't wait to watch him play after not seeing him all preseason. But Kenneth Murray. Kenneth Murray. Like Lloyd Cushenberry, your middle linebacker, your green dot linebacker, that is who you want to be one of the leaders of your team because they're going to have an impact on the most people around them. They're going to communicate to the back end and to the front end of the defense.

They're going to call the plays. They're going to line people up. Like the middle linebacker, historically speaking, stereotypically needs to be your leader. So I just love that the best player on the team and the quarterback are captains. And then the center and the middle linebacker are captains. Like that's just classic football, man. It's just what you want. It just feels good. It gives you the warm and fuzzies. Morgan Cox, I already gave an explanation for that. Tennessee guy, long-time veteran, multi-time

all-pro, great long snapper, but I hate to tell you, I don't have any groundbreaking takes on Morgan Cox being awarded the captaincy. Cool. Alright. Special teams guy. There's only three dudes that are going to get it. So, you know, understandable, but that's going to do it for me today, folks. Maybe we'll get dudes that are going to get it. So, you know, understandable. But

that's going to do it for me today, folks. Maybe we'll get some more roster news over the weekend. It's possible, of course, but if we don't get any big news, then I'll be here with my official record prediction for you guys for next week's first show. Make sure you throw a thumbs up on the video. Throw a Titan up down in the chat. That's going to do it

for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.