Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Josh Dobbs Will Start v Jags, Rumors on Tannehill/Malik & Outside QB Options in '23

Episode Date: January 3, 2023

The Tennessee Titans have a critical win and in game on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Titans coach Mike Vrabel has already announced Josh Dobbs will be the starter. This is the right move for Mike Vrabel, but not for the team. Next, some rumors came out about Ryan Tannehill & Malik Willis over the weekend. Should we believe them? Finally, if the Titans do move on from Ryan Tannehill, what could be there options at QB in 2023?Follow 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 candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFLBuilt BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!PrizePicksFirst time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDONUltimate Football GMTo download the game just visit Ultimate-GM.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland. Titans fans, it looks like Josh Dobbs will remain the starter for a Week 18 win and end matchup against Jacksonville. I'll tell you why. It's the right move if you're Mike Rabel, but might not be the best move if you're a Titans fan. Then, we got some interesting reports on not only Malik Willis' future with the Titans,

but Ryan Tannehill's future with the Titans. We're going to go over those reports, and if both those guys are out in 2023, who are some outside QB options for the Titans? All of that and more on today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Let's get it. You are Locked on Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Titans fans, there is so much going on in Titan land right now.

But the biggest story is Mike Rabel announced on Monday that it will be Josh Dobbs as the starter in week 18 for the Titans. We're going to discuss all of that and more before we do. I want to let you know that today's show is brought to you by PrizePix. PrizePix is daily fantasy made easy. You pick two to five players, and if they score more or less than their PrizePix projection, you can win up to 10 times your money on your entry. First-time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That's prizepix.com. Promo code LOCKEDON.

Also, thank you guys for making the Locked On Titans podcast your first listen every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content for free all year round on all platforms, including here on the Locked On Titans YouTube channel. Subscribe, smash the notification bell, and throw a thumbs up on the video if you're watching right now.

I definitely do appreciate the support for the channel. But diving in here, that's the big news. Mike Vrabel comes out in his press conference and he wastes no time whatsoever and says Josh Dobbs will be the starting quarterback for the Titans in week 18. Now, number one, the number one thing that I want to say here is I told you guys that they weren't sitting Malik because he's the starter in week 18

and they were trying to get him healthy. That was always absurd. I pointed to multiple reports yesterday to show that that was always absurd thinking. Josh Dobbs is the starter because he is a far better quarterback than Malik Willis. Period.

Period. That's the end of that. He is a far better quarterback than Malik Willis. Which, as I mentioned at the top of the show, from Mike Vrabel's standpoint, that's the right call.

Mike Vrabel wants to win. Mike Vrabel wants to beat Jacksonville. Mike Vrabel wants to go into the playoffs. And Mike Vrabel wants to win. Mike Vrabel wants to beat Jacksonville. Mike Vrabel wants to go into the playoffs. And Mike Vrabel talked about all of the reasons that he went with Dobbs over Malik Willis. He talked about operational stuff, getting into the correct play. When you come up to the line of scrimmage,

you have audibles, you have cans available to you. It takes an intelligent quarterback who can read a defense to get the Titans into the correct play that they need to run based on the look that the defense is giving. It is obvious from Mike Vrabel's statement that Malik does not do that as well as Josh Dobbs, of course, joined the organization 10 days ago, and Malik's been with the organization for eight months now. And a guy who showed up eight days ago is better operationally with the offense and the audibles and the calls. Not a good sign.

He talked about progressions and going through his reads in a timely manner, getting the ball out. All the things that we've been talking about Malik that he just struggles with. He's just not doing at a high level. So I get it from Mike Vrabel's standpoint. That's what he wants to do. But in my opinion, if you're a Titans fan, do you really want a division title and a playoff appearance led by Josh Dobbs?

And everyone outside of Tennessee Vols fans can answer that question. Because we know the Vols fans are just losing their mind right now about what Dobbs is, who he could be. The guy's been in the NFL like seven years. He's barely hanging on to rosters. He's not a starting quarterback. So I'm glad you guys are all happy to see your college quarterback out there for the Titans. I get that, but come on guys, come on. We know that. So for me, if you're a Titans fan, who has more long-term potential to be a real NFL

starting quarterback? To me, it's obviously Malik., I have doubts that he'll get there. I don't think that Malik will end up as a starting quarterback in the NFL from what we've seen so far. But from a Titans perspective, who actually has that potential that's untapped? It's clearly Malik Willis, not Josh Dobbs, who's been in the league for seven years, six years. So, for me, if you're Mike Rabel, I get it. He wants to squeeze

as much juice as he possibly can out of this team. But if you're a Titans fan, how can you want to watch Josh Dobbs in a playoff game? What are we even doing? And here's the thing, all of you guys, and I see it right here, dog versus face. I'm sorry, dog versus face. I don't mean to call you out. I want to quiet the Jags fans. They're getting too loud down there in the swamp. That is fake pride. Pride will get you killed. A lot of you guys, oh, I just want to keep the Jags in their place. Do you care more about the Jags or do you care about the Titans? I want the Titans to win a Super Bowl. I don't give a crap. Okay, the Jags are going to win

the division if the Titans don't get better. The Titans need to improve their roster and get better. They're not going to be able to do that adequately with a 20th pick because fake pride got them a division title in the worst division in the

NFL. You guys want to run around the street and shout out, we won the AFC South. Woo-hoo, Jacksonville. You're no good. Who cares? That's fake pride. That's fake sentiment. I want to win a championship.

I want to see the Titans get better. And you guys all told me this roster sucks. The coach said this roster sucks. The coach said this roster sucks. The owner of the Titans told you when she fired the GM that this roster sucks. So what's the best way to make this roster better? A top 10 pick. Not picking in the mid-20s or early 20s again where there aren't really any first round values. The Titans need a blue chip left tackle. The Titans need the ability to trade up

to get a top quarterback. The Titans need the best wide receiver on the board. One of those options. Whatever you want. If you want them to trade up for a quarterback, the Titans need the best wide receiver on the board. One of those options, whatever you want, if you want them to get trade up for a quarterback, if you want them to get the left tackle of the future, if you want a wide receiver, no matter what you want, you listening, no matter what you want, that is much more accomplishable with a top 10 pick than a fake division title in the worst division in the NFL. Mike Vrabel is trying to win. But Titans fans should want Malik Willis out there

to A, see if he can improve at all, or B, lose and get a top 10 draft pick. I will continue. I will continue to go back to the Jets. Look at the Jets. What do the Jets need right now? What do the New York Jets need? A quarterback.

Their roster is awesome. They have a great defense. They have solid weapons. They have a pretty good offensive line when healthy. But the Jets, the Jets won their last game of the year in 2020. And instead of getting the first pick in the draft and taking Trevor Lawrence, they got the second pick in the draft and had to take Zach Wilson. Learn from mistakes. Do not celebrate needless wins

because you want to just stick it to Jacksonville. That's pride, man. Cut your own grass. Keep your own grass cut. Don't worry about Jacksonville's grass. They got Trevor Lawrence now. They got a good roster. You're not going to be able,

would you rather play Josh Dobbs and maybe magically beat Jacksonville this year just to rub it in their nose and then lose the next five division titles? Think about it, guys. Have some long-term thinking here and quit thinking about your Twitter arguments.

The Jets picked Wilson in the top ten, correct, but they won for no reason and missed out on the number one pick, which would have got them Lawrence. That is an example of how draft positioning and needless wins can hurt you. This roster needs help. Okay. They need a top 10 pick to fix this roster. All right. So Mike Rabel is going to try to win.

But if you really care about winning a Super Bowl as a Titans fan, then you want the left tackle of the future, a trade up for CJ Stroud or whatever quarterback you like, or another top wide receiver. That is what this team needs. Not a fake division win against Jacksonville

to get blown out in round one with Josh Dobbs. Give me a break. Pride will get you killed. Pride will get you killed. Pride will get you killed. But with that said, I've already gone eight minutes too long because it just fires me up to see people root against the Titans winning the Super Bowl because they just want to stick it to Jacksonville because of fake pride in the worst division in the NFL. It's nonsense.

And with that in mind, though, we got some major reports on Ryan Tannehill and Malik Willis' future with the Titans. I'm going to go over those, give you my thoughts on what I've seen. Before I get into it, though, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode of Locked on Titans is brought to you by PrizePix.

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you can win up to 10 times your money on your entry. So go to prizepicks.com or just download the PrizePicks app to your phone. Sign up and use the promo code LOCKEDON. That's one word locked on.

You're going to get a 100% instant deposit match up to a hundred dollars. If you're a first time user deposit a hundred bucks, get a hundred bucks, deposit 50, get 50. Again, all you got to do go to price picks.com or download the price picks app, enter that promo code locked on, and you will get that 100% instant deposit match. Titans fans, we are going to continue today's show. I just want to let you guys know that injuries to the Titans, not just limited to the team, content creators, obviously I was questionable for today's show with a voice injury,

but I'm here and I'm ready, and by God, I am fired up about this football team. We just talked about Josh Dobbs starting. I get why Mike Vrabel's doing it. But if you're a Titans fan, that probably isn't what you want. Mike Vrabel is only worried about winning right now, keeping his job. Titans fans should be worried about the future trying to win a Super Bowl. Okay? Because that's not happening this year.

So with that in mind though, we got some pretty interesting reports over the weekend is all I will say about not only Malik Willis, but Ryan Tannehill. What's funny is I recorded my show yesterday and I said, it's my opinion. Mike Vrabel has given up on Malik Willis. He's given up on him. And we've seen it. And right after, right after I got done recording, Peter King, one of the most respected reporters in NFL history,

quite frankly, Peter King has been one of the most tapped in NFL reporters for decades. Also, shout out, also a Bobcat, my fellow Bobcat. Shout out to you, Peter King. One of the main reasons I went to Ohio University's journalism school is because Peter King was a graduate, and I knew I could make it if I went that way. Didn't go the way I wanted, but either way, here we are. But Peter King said about Malik Willis that he thinks Vrabel is pretty much done with Malik Willis.

That's the vibe around the league. Mike Vrabel is done. And some other little pieces of information have come out basically saying that Malik Willis was a John Robinson drought pick that Mike Vrabel maybe wasn't on board with. So if you start to put together the pieces, Mike Vrabel starts a guy in a win-and-end game who's been with the team for eight days

over a guy who's been with the team for eight days over a guy who's been with the team for eight months and his reasoning is operational, audibles, progressions, read between the lines, guys, and then we get reports that Rabel's out on Willis. I mean, start picking up the breadcrumbs, guys. Just start doing it. So anyways, I thought that was incredibly interesting. And it's funny that I felt that way

on Thursday. And by the end of the weekend, there's national media reports confirming it. Look, you guys come on here and tell me all the time when I'm wrong. Nobody's going to pat themselves on the back or nobody's going to pat you on the back. So I just like to remind you guys, it may not always be what you want to hear. You may disagree, but just hear me out. That's all I'm saying. Just hear me out when I say stuff that maybe you don't agree with. So I thought that was interesting, but that was not the most interesting thing that Peter King said on Pro Football Talk. He also mentioned that it was his guess. in NFL reporters in the league. His guess, that is how reporters say things without revealing their sources.

His guess is the Titans would like to move on from Tannehill this offseason. Now, I just told you, I feel like I'm right about Mike Rabel giving up on Malik Willis. But I was wrong. I was wrong about this Ryan Tannehill report. Dead wrong. That's on me. I was wrong about that. I thought in my head Mike Grable was giving up on Malik

Willis because he wants to roll with Tannehill in 2023. But according to this, Peter King's guess is the Titans would like to move on from Ryan Tannehill this all season. That's wild to me. What is the option then? What are we doing, Mike? If you don't want to roll with Willis and Tank for Caleb Williams or Drake May or Quinn Ewers or whatever,

if you don't want to do that, and you don't want to keep Tannehill, then what is the plan at quarterback? What is the direction for the Titans in 2023? I just don't. It's hard to put together what Mike Vrabel could be doing because my thought always was, remember I told you guys a couple of episodes ago,

we're going to spend a lot of time this offseason on what Mike Vrabel was going to do and what I think the Titans should do because those are going to be two different things. My thought process always was I think the Titans should roll with Malik Willis

and if he sucks, then you get a top pick and you get the next quarterback. The other thought was Mike Vrabel won't want to do that. He'll want to squeeze as much juice as he possibly can out of this core group and try to win

and he'd stick with Tannehill. If Mike Vrabel doesn't want to do either of those things, then what the heck does Mike Vrabel want to do? That is something to wonder. And as a matter of fact, not only are we going to wonder, we're going to talk about it.

Let's go through what the options could be at quarterback in 2023 if the Titans go away from Ryan Tannehill and Malik Willis. I'm going to dive into what I think makes sense. Before we get into that though, do want to tell you guys about BetOnline.net, our sponsor for today's show. BetOnline.net is your number one source for all of your gambling info, your betting info, stats, news analysis. I'm from Ohio. Sports betting just became legal yesterday.

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It's the fastest and easiest way to get all your betting info. Head to the website today or use your mobile device to learn more. BetOnline, Where the game starts. Titans fans. We are going through today's show. And in my opinion. It is a banger, an absolute banger. There's so much, so much to discuss right now, guys. I got to tell you, this is

going to be one of the most toxic off seasons and Titans fandom history. No one is going to agree on what to do. No one is going to see eye to eye. I mean, it's already happening on Twitter, in the comments. People are angry. They want to see the team do what they want. And I don't know if everybody's going to get what they want. I don't even know what could possibly happen, but that's why we're going to go over the options. happen, but that's why we're going to go over the options. If the Titans get rid of Tannehill and Malik, what are they going to do? Before we dive into that, do want to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day.

Remember guys, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round for free, for free on the Locked On Titans podcast. Locked On Titans YouTube channel. Make sure you subscribe. Here with you Monday through Friday all year long. But for your second listen, check out Locked On NFL. I actually host a Thursday show of Locked On NFL. You get all your Titans news here with me.

Get all your national news with the Locked On NFL podcast as well. So if the Titans go away from Tana Hill and Malik, me. Get all your national news with the Locked On NFL podcast as well. So if the Titans go away from Tannehill and Malik, number one, we got to talk about it. The GOAT, Tom Brady.

It is no secret that Mike Vrabel and Tom Brady are very close. They are very close. They are very close. Also, I think, and this has been debated, there is some evidence otherwise, this and that, but you go back to the Tom Brady comment. They want that MF-er over me?

Some say that was about Derek Carr. I think it was about Tannehill. I think Mike Vrabel wanted to let Tannehill go in free agency and bring in Tom Brady. And I also think that John Robinson said,

I don't want to get an old quarterback. I want to roll with Tannehill. I traded a fourth-round pick for him. He's made this team better than ever. I want Tannehill. I think Mike Vrabel wanted Tom Brady. So, although Tom Brady's older now, I think it's very possible that Mike Vrabel says,

I want Tom Brady. We'll cut Tannehill and we'll roll with Brady. Because here's the reality of what we need to talk about. And I'm going to discuss this when we bring up another veteran quarterback that I'm not high on. Look, I would do Brady for one year. If the Titans cut a bunch of players like Bud Dupree, Taylor LeJuan, one year. If the Titans cut a bunch of players like Bud Dupree,

Taylor LeJuan, Zach Cunningham, and Robert Woods, cut those four veteran players, you're going to get around $40 million of cap space. Well, Carlos, I agree. Brady ain't coming here with Todd Downing. I agree with that,

but I mean, we gotta think that Todd Downing's going to get fired, right? I mean, please God. So here's my thing with Brady. He could probably take a little bit less. So they cut Tannehill. It's $18 million in dead cap. Tannehill is 18 million in just dead cap space. But if Brady comes for 10,, $15 million, whatever, then, you know, maybe the Titans can make that work and make it a $5 million cap hit.

So you're only paying about $20 million, $22 million, $23 million for a quarterback spot. That's acceptable. I would at least accept that. Again, not what I would do. The Titans need to go get their Joe Burrow. The Titans need to go get their Trevor Lawrence. The Titans need an elite quarterback.

Please, God, we have done this. Oh, we're going to have a good run defense. We're going to have a good defense, good run game, and an average quarterback. We're going to see how far that'll take us. We've been doing it for 20 years. 20 years. Let's try the other side where you throw the ball every time.

Your defense is okay, and you got an elite quarterback. Can we that just once just once I want to try it last time we had a quarterback who was worthy of making it winning an MVP they did go to the Super Bowl so let's try that anyways I could see the Brady thing working out if Brady took a small amount of money. Okay? And with Tom Brady's situation, why not? But I gotta tell you, I don't think that the best fit for Tom Brady is Tennessee. I think it's Las Vegas. So they have a better roster.

They have a coach that he's played for before. And if you were single, rich, and competitive, I'd rather live in Vegas than Nashville, personally. So, anyways, Brady is an option. But I don't really like it and I don't really see it. Next, Derek Carr.

Guys, I think Ryan Tannehill is better than Derek Carr, personally. But, but, I'm not going to get mad at you if you think Derek Carr is better. Sure. What's most important is, it's not a big improvement. Why? Here's what's going to happen. If you cut Ryan Tannehill, you got $18 million in dead cap off Tannehill.

And then you think Derek Carr is going to take less than $20 million? No. Derek Carr is going to want $25-30 million. So why would you pay Tannehill $18 million in dead cap to cut him? Pay Derek Carr another $20 million to come here and not have a big improvement at quarterback. They're in the same tier. They're the same guy.

Derek Carr is Ryan Tannehill with eyeliner. He's the emo version of Andy Dalton. So, if you think Derek Carr is better, if you think Ryan Tannehill is better, it doesn't matter because they're the same. So, a little, oh, this guy's a touch better. This guy's a touch better. If you think Ryan Tannehill is better, it doesn't matter because they're the same. So a little, oh, this guy's a touch better. This guy's a touch better. It's nonsense argument. I would take

Tannehill. You could take Derek Carr. But either way, if I'm going to pay Derek Carr and my quarterback spot is going to cost $40 million, then I'm just going to keep Ryan Tannehill because Carr isn't a big enough upgrade. Yes, Donald Reed, it's a lateral move. It's a lateral

move. You don't pay more for a lateral move. Like, it doesn't make any sense Derek Carr makes zero sense I mean it's absurd honestly to think that way outside of those two I think the best option for the Titans lose get a top 10 pick if you want a quarterback that bad

if you're in the top 10 you can realistically pay to trade up and the Bears could get the number one pick this weekend. The Seahawks will have a top pick that they're getting from the Broncos. There are ways to trade up into the top five with teams that have their quarterback. Yes, yes, Dan, he gets it. Trading from 10 is way easier than 17 or 20. You are not trading into the top five from 17 to 20. You will have to give two first round picks to do that.

The Titans don't have the roster to do that. They need their picks. The Titans don't have the roster to do that. They need their picks. So, if you're 7, 8, 9, 10, you can give up one first round pick and move up and get C.J. Stroud, get Bryce Young, which are the only two quarterbacks

that I'm willing to do that for at this moment. My evaluations are not complete. I can fall in love with Levis or Richardson, sure. But right now, Stroud and Bryce are the only guys that I would trade up for. But you can. You have the potential to do so if you're in the top 10.

And Tristan, we should have traded for Jerry Judy. You know how dumb, how can you say that right now? What? What would Jerry Judy do for this team right now? Why would that help them now with Tannehill on IR and Josh Dobbs in? You could have Jerry Rice. If you want to go get Jerry Judy or DJ Moore or whatever,

sure, but wait until the offseason. sure. But wait until the offseason. You know, wait until the offseason. So for me, that's the best option. Lose, get a top 10 pick, and trade up to get CJ Stroud. Because I think Bryce Young is going number one to Houston person. So trade up to number two with the Bears. Trade up to number three with the Seahawks. And get C.J. Stroud then.

Dude. Dude, I worry about, like, your guys' mental capacities. Josh Dobbs may end up being better than Tannehill. Dude, what? Like, how drunk are Volves fans, man? Tennessee Volves fans are going to make this all season the worst. I mean, the worst. What are we talking about, man?

What are we talking about? Anyways, moving forward. If you don't want to go after Tom Brady, I'm cool with it. I do not want them to go get Derek Carr, what, in a lateral move for more money? What? Go trade up for CJ Stroud. If you're not going to do any of that,

then maybe you get a guy like Garner Minshew and you tank the season. But why wouldn't you just do that with Malik? See, it doesn't make any sense. Either the Titans trade up and go get the quarterback of the future because they get a top 10 pick and they can realistically afford to do it. Or they bring in Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback of all time, to work directly with Mike Vrabel, Tom Brady can be the OC. Who cares at that point?

Or, just ride with Malik or stay with Tannehill. I mean, change for the sake of change is dumb. So, to me, I don't like any, none of those options I think are going to happen. Yeah. Well, sorry, BT. I know that there are Tennessee Vols fans out there that, that understand that Josh Dobbs is barely hanging on to an NFL life and he's been in the league for

seven years and he's nowhere near good enough to be an NFL starter. But by God, there are a lot of people out there who don't get it. And it just, oh, he's a ball. He's an orange. It's absolutely absurd. Some of the things that Tennessee balls fans are saying to me. It's insane. But anyways, it's going to, I feel bad for anyone who's not a Tennessee Vols fan having to deal with Vols fans this offseason.

So, but yeah, at the end of the day, Tom Brady makes some sense, but I don't think it's realistic. The Titans can't get up to get a quarterback if they win this game. And if you're not going to go either of those routes, then just stay with Tannehill. I mean, or roll with Malik and Tank. Like, I just don't see a viable path to the Titans competing for a Super Bowl next year.

viable path to the Titans competing for a Super Bowl next year. So, if not, like, again, I don't care about the AFC South anymore. The AFC South is garbage. Like, this doesn't make any sense.

I don't think that you'll clown me in the Buckeyes. JT Barrett is not an NFL player. Cardo Jones, not an NFL player. I don't, I'm not insane. I don't just support Buckeye players because I like the Buckeyes. Like that's what makes it so hard for me

to understand how people can do that in their brain. Like how can you watch Josh Dobbs for the last seven years, struggle to even survive in the NFL and then come in my comments and say, he'll be better than Tannehill. Like I don't have that level of psychosis in my brain. I just don't like it's insane. Uh, but anyways, we got a lot to figure out. It's going to be a long offseason, but it's all about the quarterback position now. And, oh boy, like I said, going to be a toxic offseason. But that's going to do it for me.

I think my vocal cords are going to shred soon if I don't get out of here. So thank you guys all so much for tuning in. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year long. Monday through Friday, free all the time. Subscribe, baby. I'll be here with you to break it all down.

That's going to do it for me today, though, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this is Locked on Titans. It was locked all time.