Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Legend Chris Johnson DISRESPECTED by Dan Lebatard & Titans Biggest Roster Mysteries

Episode Date: July 1, 2026

Tennessee Titans legend Chris Johnson made a tragic announcement this week that rallied the entire football community behind, but of course there has to be someone to make it about them and we saw that this week with Dan Lebatard's comments criticizing the interview. This is typical behavior from a well-respected media voice, but with a Titans legend involve it does strike a nerve. Now is not the time to use this as a tool against the NFL. Also, there are some big mysteries the Titans are facing as they look at the roster. On offense, the starting offensive line is still up for grabs and the depth at offensive tackle is still shaky. Add in depth questions at tight end and you still have a lot to figure out. On defense, outside of the trenches, there is no certainty on any of the depth at any of the spots in the back seven.   LOCKED ON TITANS EVERYDAY CLUB: https://lockedontitans.supercast.com/   Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitans   TicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop...   Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitans   Follow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPod   Subscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LockedOnTitans   Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. From the opening whistle to the final kick, Let There Be Goals on FanDuel. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started now. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast. 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) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A popular radio show host criticized Chris Johnson's interview earlier this week. And as a Tennessee Titans fan, I found it very disrespectful. I'll explain why 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 Rolley. Titans fans.

Today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast is brought to you by Fandall. The biggest stage in world soccer is here. Let there be goals on Fandall. Visit fandle.com to get started on today's show. We're going to talk about some of the biggest mysteries remaining on the Tennessee Titans roster. We'll talk about defensive depth. We'll talk about who's going to start on the offensive line.

But I want to start with some disrespectful comments. that I think a very popular radio show host had recently in regards to Chris Johnson's announcement on Good Morning America. As a Tennessee Titans fan, I don't know, it just struck a nerve for me that had me upset, quite frankly. I was frustrated by it, and there's some history into it as well.

But the radio show host was Dan Levittart. And he criticized Chris Johnson's interview with Michael Strayhan on Good Morning America saying that they should have discussed, and Michael Strahan should have asked Chris Johnson what impact playing football and playing in the NFL had on his medical situation and the diagnosis.

And again, Dan Lebitard was criticizing the interview, the questions that were asked. He's not criticizing Chris Johnson. But even though that's the case, I still found it incredibly disrespectful to think that Chris Johnson's announcement in this moment that Chris Johnson wanted to have and that Chris Johnson orchestrated because he had a purpose behind it, to think that Chris Johnson would veer off the course of what his purpose is

to divert to something that satisfies Dan Levittar. Like, that is disrespectful to me. It's not about you, what you want to hear ask, what you think is important to be questioned. You know what I mean? Like, that's not what that moment was about was about Chris Johnson showing strength, trying to inspire people to do something about this, to donate money, to create a cure, to advance the medical, you know,

I don't talk well when we start talking medical stuff, guys. I could speak all day eloquently about football forever. We get in the medical rounds. It gets a little difficult for me. But Chris Johnson's whole entire point was to try to better the experience for people who have this, including him, and especially people who come after him. And for maybe other people out there who are dealing with it, or maybe other people out there who want to help and things like that.

Like, it's all about inspiring other people to take action or inspiring people to show strength that this disease has not, you know, ruined his spirit. Like, he's just trying to inspire one thing or another and show strength by doing this. And you want to twist it and be like, oh, well, actually, they should have asked the hard-hitting questions about the NFL. And listen, I just want to say this. I like Dan Levitard's content.

I have been a fan of his show for a long time. He, you know, he is an influence on me and how I do my, I love the rag-tag group that he's always had. Literally on their radio show two years ago, they added Locked on Titans into the podcast of the year nominees. Now, I think that was done tugging cheek, just to be funny. But nonetheless, like, I don't dislike Dan Lebitard what he does. I know a lot of people don't like Levitard for his views, his opinions, things like.

I respect that that's his game. He is a counterculture, go against the grain type guy. But I guess when it's the Titans and it's a legend that means something to me, and it's Chris Johnson who matters to me, like, I feel differently about it. This isn't the time or place to make this argument. to have this criticism. And let me say this. I think there is a time and a place to have that discussion.

The question should be asked. Again, we talked about it. There is medical research out there that suggests that playing football and playing in the NFL makes you more likely to have ALS. So that is a valid question and a valuable thought process to take. So I'm not like, oh, Dan Lebitard's a piece of crap, disrespect. Like, I think the path that he's walking down is generally acceptable.

I just, what I find disrespectful is not the question that he's asking. It's the fact that he thinks that it should have been asked to Chris Johnson during that inner. And what really likes my fire, I guess, is that I think people like Dan Levitard, who again, I like as a content creator, I don't think he's a bad guy or anything like that. let me make that clear. But one thing that frustrates me about people like Dan Levitard, and there are other people out there.

But I think like Bomani Jones is a guy like this, I would say. And I like Bumani Jones as well. But I think there are some national voices out there whose entire purpose feels like sometimes to crush sports. Let me tell you why football is actually bad. Let me tell you why basketball is actually bad. Let me tell you why these owners are terrible people, and the NFL is marginalizing and oppressing and, but, and listen,

I don't think that all of that is untrue. Like, I definitely do think that billionaire owners in sports take advantage of their workforce and do shady things that need to be called out. And the NFL didn't take the CTE and concussion problem serious for a long time until they got their feet held to the fire publicly. So, like, I don't think that, you know, this is a, you know, a cause that lacks nobility. But I do kind of push back in the sense of some people, it feels like their message all the time as sports are bad.

Oh, the NFL is bad. Chris Johnson got ALS. We need to get to the bottom of it. Using Chris Johnson, that's really what, this is really where my frustration and where I find disrespect. Using Chris John, it's like when things happen out in the world

and people say, oh, you're just using that to advance. your political position and I find it gross. It's honestly the same philosophy here. He is using Chris Johnson's situation and his announcement to further his axe to grind against the NFL. And even if it's noble to grind that axe against the NFL and even if this world needs somebody to grind the axe against the NFL,

using Chris Johnson's circumstances and situation and his announcement that was meant to be for good and be impactful and show strength and inspire people to do things to use that moment and say, well, actually, Michael Strayhan and Good Morning America should have asked,

why is the NFL bad? Criticize the NFL, make the NFL look bad. And here's a sobering truth that I think a lot of these people who take this route, and Dan Lebitard's not alone in sports media as somebody who tries to constantly bash the sports that they cover.

I would bet you that the majority of people who have played sports, who have made their career in sports, professional athletes, coaches, they would tell you things aren't perfect. A lot of the problems that people like Dan Lebitard or Pablo Torre or Bimani, a lot of the problems that these people identify are actual problems that should be fixed.

But life ain't perfect, man. Whether you're talking about politics or sports or the injustices of the world, childhood, cancer, national disasters, climate things, tornadoes ripping through neighborhoods. Life ain't fair, man. It's not. And I would bet that although playing football

brings its downsides, long-term health, short-term health. It's a short career. You do get taken advantage of a little bit by the owners and the teams. They can cut you at any moment and there's no guarantees and there's no loyalty and all that bad. But I would venture to say that the people who have lived it, the people who have been involved in football their whole lives, whether you're a pee-wee football coach, whether you're an NFL coach. would tell you that football and sports in general

have done a lot more good for this world and for people like Chris Johnson than they have bad. And when you see a guy like Chris Johnson whose body is giving up on him, I know it would be easy to say, I bet he would go back and never play football again if he could avoid this. And maybe you're right. And I'm sure there are people out there who wish that they could go back

and never play football because the bad outweighed the good for them. But I'm willing to say, and I believe it in my heart, heart that football has done far more good for this world than it's done bad. The NFL with all of its flaws has done more good for this world than bad. It's brought more joy and inspire more people and brought more people together, giving people purpose. It's done more of that than it's done the bad stuff. That's how I personally feel about it.

And that's how I see it. And using Chris Johnson's situation to continue to grind your acts, even if it's a noble cause, again, I just push. back on that. I find it disrespectful. There's a time and a place to have that conversation. And it wasn't Chris Johnson's interview on Good Morning America

with Michael Strayhan. So, with that in mind, let's move forward off this topic. I'm obviously a little fired up, but, you know, that's how I feel. So take it for what it's worth. Let's talk about some of the biggest mysteries remaining on the Tennessee Titans roster, and we go to the

most obvious one, the offensive line. do want to let you know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDual Sportsbook. The biggest stage in world soccer is here. And every match feels like it has the potential for a memorable moment. One goal can completely change the energy of a game, shift momentum, and alter the outcome in an instant. That's what makes tournament soccer so exciting from the opening whistle to the final kick. Now, Fandle is giving fans another reason to stay.

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So from the opening whistle to the final kick, let there be goals on Fandle. Visit Fandle.com to get started now. And let's continue today's edition of the Locked-on Titans podcast. Again, we talked about why I found Dan Levitard's comments about Chris Johnson's interview disrespectful and out of place.

But now I want to move away from that. Talk more Titans football because I'm looking at the roster. And there are some big mysteries on the roster right now that simply we don't have Saul. And now the most obvious one of them all is the offensive line. What is happening on the offensive line?

Now, before we talk about it, I do want to thank you for making Locked on Titans, your first list in each and every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. Make sure you get subscribed, stay subscribed. It's your team every day. Speaking of every day, shout out to my everydayers.

there. Tune in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. If you aren't in every day or you need to be one. AFC South Preview Week is next week. So, so excited. Always love having the crossover segments, diving into the rankings in the AFC South. Where do the Titans stack up against their division rivals? So again, make sure that you stay locked in

to the number one Tennessee Titans podcast in the world, locked on Titans. But we look at the offensive line. Dan Moore, J.C. Latham at tackle. No mystery there. Peter Skoransky at Left Guard. no mystery there. But center and right gourd.

What's really going to happen there? We can't know for certain right now. Now, I will tell you, as I've said for a couple of weeks now, I feel very confident, very confident that Austin Shlopeman is going to be your starting center. Like, I won't come off that at all unless I see it in the preseason game, that someone is playing a head. head of him on the starting offensive line.

All right. But at right guard, we really can't have a clue. I mean, right now, like I told you earlier this week, right now, if I had to guess, if I had to tell you this is who is going to be starting on the offensive line week one, I tell you it's going to be Cordell Volson.

Makes me sad to report that opinion to you guys. But nonetheless, that is my opinion. I think it's going to be Cordell Wilson. And I explain why, and I will continue to explain why, I think the Titans want to have veterans. I don't think that Jackson Slater as near as developed as everyone hopes he would be. I think Fernando Carmona is a rookie.

And I think the Titans want to have veterans in front of Cam Ward. And I said this the other day that if you're going to suck, at least have some experience. Like at least know what you're doing, know the offense, know the calls, know the checks, know the protections, know your assignment, you know, do the right things in the locker room, take care of yourself, be in the training room, get healthy, all these things so that we can count on. I think the Titans would rather go with a bad veteran who they can count on than an unknown young guy who they don't know if they can count on.

They just need something that they know what they're getting. They know how good the guy is, they know what they got to work with, they know that he knows he's going to know what to do. They know what they're going to expect. They just need something reliable. They don't need to go with the high-up side super risky play. That's not what they need to do. That's what I think their mindset is right now,

is, hey, if the O-line didn't turn out the way that we wanted, we at least want to have valuable veteran experience guys in front of our young quarterback, so we know what to expect. It's that simple. So I think Cordell Voulson is going to, to end up starting. But again, that is much more up in the air, in my opinion, than center. It would be much more likely and reasonable that Jackson Slater or Fernando Carmona could catch Cordell Volson than it would be that Pat Coogan or

Andre James could catch Austin Shlopman in my opinion. Like, that's where I'm at with that. I don't think Shloatman's getting caught. It's not happening. Like, I don't buy it. So that is the biggest mystery on the entire team. But at the end of the day, I don't think it's as big of a mystery as maybe many people see it because Shlopement is going to be the guy at center. It's all about what's going to happen at Right Guard. And with the philosophy that I've lined out, I don't know that it's that big of a mystery item. So be curious to see how things play out in the first couple of weeks in training camp. And that first couple of preseason games, I'm going to have my eye on Jackson Slater at Right Guard.

Can he catch Cordell Voson? I think there's no way that Carmona is going to catch Cordell Bolson early on, but Slater has a shot. I just definitely think that he's the underdog right now. Now, standing on the offensive line, who's going to be the thorough offensive tackle? What are they doing with offensive tackle depth? We know about the interior depth. Coogan, Carmona, Slater.

Those three guys with Volson and Shloatman, that's all the interior guys you could ever need. Your cup. Backup center, two backup. guards, sure. But a tackle. Tackle is scary.

That third offensive tackle behind Dan Moore and J.C. Latham. Right now it's got to be Austin Deccalus. But man, I continue to say he's just so bad. But again, it falls in line with the philosophy that I lined out earlier

of the Titans know that the offensive line isn't good, so they want experienced players. Austin Declos has a ton of experience. Now, as I said when he was signed, it's bad experience. He's not any good. Will Brendan Crenshaw Dixon

in year two as an undrafted free agent out of Florida? Will he take a step forward and win that spot? What about some of the undrafted free agent guys they brought in? Isaiah Miller from Louisville. Emil Wagner from Notre Dame who went to high school about 10 minutes from me

that's pretty cool will one of those guys be able to step up Wagner not super athletic but smart gritty technically sound knows what to do

Isaiah Miller more athletic now I've heard that Isaiah Miller might actually be playing a little bit of guard for the Titans not so much tackle.

That would be interesting if that's the truth. We'll be able to see, again, when we start to see them out there in lineups, some of these open training camp practices, things like that, when the fans get the eyes on the deployment of the different teams

and starting groups and the lines, I guess, so to speak, if you're talking hockey, the lines. But even with those options, that's not very good to me. That's concerning. J.C. Latham missed time last year. Dan Moore has been dealing with injury.

Ali Udo ain't walking through that door. Ali Udo is underrated. He played pretty good in spot duty last year for a swing backup offensive tackle. And again, swing tackle just means your backup offensive tackle and they call it swing tackle because they can play right or left.

They can swing between the two spots. That's what you need from a backup tackle, of course, because they got to be able to play either. But, oh boy, that's a scary point. proposition. Now, the last mystery on offense for me is the tight end depth. Maybe you could throw in, will there be three QBs? That's still a mystery. I don't know if they're going to keep Levis. I think they would cut him at this stage. Will they keep three QBs to keep Will Levis around? That's a mystery for certain, but the tight end depth. And again, this is a

good starting point before we go to defense and talk even more about the scary depth on defense. I talked about the secondary, but it's everywhere, really. Well, at least in the back seven. But outside of Bellinger and Helm, we don't know. Kylan Granson, Jaron Kanek, David Martin Robinson. Will any of these guys actually make the team? I could absolutely see Tide End being a place where the Titans churn.

We heard those rumors that they were interested at David Njoku. Was that real? Was that fake? It's hard for us to know. You know what I mean? but wouldn't be a complete shock to see the Titans do some churning at tied-in because maybe they don't buy into any of those guys as the third tight-in. How could you? Grantson's been a journeyman who's more of a special teams player at this point,

my opinion. Canick only been a tight-end for one year? Can he be ready to be a tight-end three for real? I think he's going to get like fullback and special teams duties. He's year one and then see what he can do at tight-end later on after that. DMR is a practice squad-level player. so I don't know. I don't know about the tight end depth.

It's something that I'm keeping my eye on. But let's go to the defensive side of the ball. We got a lot to talk about there. Do you want to mention something real quick before we do that. Started doing some more content. I'm going to be doing some short content, some podcasts and stuff for the Sleeper app, the Fantasy Football app, Sleeper.

I'm going to be doing that. The Sleeper Titans podcast is going to be on YouTube. Doesn't change anything that I'm doing here with Lockdown. I'm still doing Tick-Tit Titans film breakdowns. still doing Locked-on Titans podcast. I'm just going to be doing more content because I got hired to do more content. I'm everywhere, baby.

I'm everywhere, but I just wanted to clear that up for you guys. But with that being said, again, let's go the defensive side of the ball. Fans, let's cap off. Today's edition of the Locked-on Titans podcast. Again, we talked about the disrespect for CJ2K's interview with Michael Shrayhan. We talked about the big mysteries for the Titans

on the offensive side of the ball. Now I want to move to defense before we do. Thank you for making Locked on Titans. 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, you guys got to join the Locked on Titans Every Dayer Club. You're going to get commercial free versions of the podcast. You're going to get added to the Locked on Titans group chat with me and a bunch of other Locked on Titans Everydayers. Make sure that you hit the link down below in the description and join the Locked on Titans Every Dayer Club now. With that being said, mysteries on defense.

All of the depth in the back seven. Yeah, we know what the defensive line is going to be. There's tons of depth on the defensive line. At defensive tackle, you have Jeff, JFM, Solomon Thomas, Jordan Elliott, Jackie Marshall, Timmy Horn, Cam Horsley. Like, at defensive line, or on the defensive end, you still have Falk and Jermaine and Femi and Harold and Jacob Martin and Truman Jones, like, they have players there.

They have enough depth at the defensive line. But what about line deck? Me personally, outside of Gray, Hill, and Barton, I've just been penciling in James Williams for year three, Muhammad Diabadi. How can we know that? How can we know that? that's just me, I guess.

That's just, as they would say in gambling or you're doing a bracket, that's the chalk answer, right? I'm just, oh, they'll probably have five linebackers. Those are the top five linebackers, right? You know? But like, maybe Adori and Musai, the undrafted free agents of Sean Brown, Mani Powell, Shad Banks.

Maybe they make a play. Maybe the Titans churn there and add somebody who was cut by another team. I don't think that the final depth spots at linebacker are set in stone whatsoever. And everybody kind of just, you know, pencils in James Williams and Mohamediyabadi and goes about their day. I don't know if it's going to be that simple.

And I feel the same again about cornerback. Alante Taylor, Cordell Flott, Marcus Harris. Those are the only guys, the only guys that I can even for a second. tell you I'm confident or making the team. Even Josh Williams. I think Josh Williams makes the team.

But eight weeks from now, would I be shot if Josh Williams doesn't make the team and that they replaced him with a pickup off another team's cuts? No. I mean, Key Drain Calligan,

Micah Robinson, Latrell McCutcheon, Jalen McMurray, Jaden Lucas, Eric Haller. Like, I wouldn't be surprised if none of them even sniffed the roster. I wouldn't be surprised if all of them are gone by week two of the preseason because they've been churned in that position.

Same thing with safety. Outside of the big three of Winston Hooker Adams, Kendall Brooks, Sunnusi Kane, Jerich Reed, Bishop Fitzgerald, the undrafted free agent out of USC that I like a time. How can we look at each other and say with any certainty whatsoever that those guys are making this roster? Like, I would not be shocked if three cornerback spots,

two safety spots, two linebackers spots are literally filled with guys who aren't even on the roster right now. That would not be a shock in any way. The depth is such a concern on defense. While the top end talent, the Titan's starting defense, looks about as good as it's looked in a while.

The depth, rough. But I guess that is part for the course when you're rebuilding roster, like the Titans. You're not going to have great depth. You barely have great starters. You know what I mean? Like it's hard enough to find good starters, let alone good depth in the NFL.

But boy, definitely a concern there for the Titans. But with that being said, that is going to do it for today's show. Again, definitely do appreciate all the support with the new venture over with the sleep the sleeper team. Very excited to bring you guys more content there. Got some more content stuff coming your way from the locked on podcast network to some some things in the works there.

Film breakdown still going on Tick-Tac Titans. It's summer break though. I got to take a little bit of a break right during the year. But we're going to have some more film content coming as we get closer to training camp on the one-man content machine baby. So I'm going to be here with you throughout the rest of the summer break leading up into training camp so much to discuss. Make sure that you get subscribed, stay subscribed.

It's your team every day. With that being said, that is going to do it for me today. Folks, as always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was locked on tight.