Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Making HUGE MISTAKE with Malik Willis & Will Levis, Vrabel's Fabrications & Trade Target Ranks

Episode Date: October 24, 2023

The Tennessee Titans will likely have to play one of their young quarterbacks against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8, but Mike Vrabel is saying they will play both. That would be a massive mistake and Vrabel's comments make it even more confusing of a plan. Next, Mike Vrabel said the Titans didn't trade Kevin Byard because of their record which brings up an interesting question. Also, Vrabel gave updates on left tackle and injured players. Finally, who could be traded next? Tyler ranks potential trade options.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!BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/NFL today to get 10% off your first month. birddogsGo to birddogs.com/LOCKEDONNFL or enter promo code LOCKEDONNFL for a water bottle with any order. You won’t want to take your birddogs off we promise you. PrizePicksGo to PrizePicks.com/lockedonnfl and use code lockedonnfl for a first deposit match up to $100!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed.eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.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.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Right now, NEW customers can bet FIVE DOLLARS and get TWO HUNDRED in BONUS BETS – GUARANTEED. Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Tennessee Titans are making a major mistake at the quarterback position once again. I'll explain why 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. 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 the Game Time app.

Download the Game Time app, create an account, use the code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. We got a ton to talk about on today's show. Mike Grable is making another huge mistake with the quarterback position. Not only that, but we got some updates on Nicholas Petit Ferrer, Traylon Burks, Elijah Molden, a lot of good stuff for Mike Grable's press conference.

And then I will rank who is the most likely to be traded from the Titans to another team by the deadline. A lot to discuss before we get into it. Thank you guys 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. Make sure you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. It's your team every day here on the Locked on Titans podcast. Tomorrow, crossover Thursday, we're going to be talking to Aaron Freeman

from Locked on Falcons, one of my favorite coworkers here at the Locked On Podcast Network. And then Friday is Game Plan Friday, where we look at how the Titans can win against the Falcons this weekend. Make sure you don't miss any of that. Throw a thumbs up on the video right now as well. Show's always free. I'll ask for them. Return is the press of a button. But with that being said, let's dive into these quotes from Mike Vrabel. Because when I saw this and when I heard this from Mike Vrabel,

I nearly pulled my hair out. Now, not literally pull my hair out. I mean, look at this stuff. I'd never do that. But, but, it's hard not to be frustrated with Mike Vrabel and with the way that the Titans play in about the quarterback position. Here was what Mike Vrabel said about quarterback on Tuesday. Quote, well, Ryan won't practice today. We will see where he is at at the end of the week. And I'd imagine if Ryan can't play,

I would anticipate both of those quarterbacks playing in the football game. Ryan is off his roller or walker or whatever he had, and we will see where he is at at the end of the week. I mean, what? I'd imagine if Ryan can't play, I would anticipate both of those quarterbacks playing in the football game. What are we doing? What are we doing here?

All right. I have said, I think Malik Willis should get the first shot. I think Will Levis is the better quarterback, but Malik Willis deserves the first shot. Regardless, whether they play Levis or whether they play Willis, regardless, the only thing that I really wanted was a true plan for that quarterback. You should not be using Malik Willis' skill set the same way you use Ryan Tannehill and Will Levis. So if you're going to go with Malik Willis,

build a plan around Malik Willis. If you're going to go with Leik Willis, build a plan around Malik Willis. If you're going to go with Levis, build a plan around Levis. Commit. Commit. Even if it's just for a week with one of these young quarterbacks, design the offensive plan around that quarterback. What you do not do to develop your young quarterbacks is have a platoon rotation at quarterback. Oh, we're going to play Levis for a couple of snaps, drives.

We're going to play Willis for a couple of snaps. We're going to have a package for either player and take them in and out. That is not the way that football has ever been won, and it will never be won that way. It will never be won that way. I don't understand why the Titans can't be normal. Like, this reminds me of that meme where it's a mom in the front seat and her kid in the back seat

in the, you know, I don't know the word for it. Missing out. It's blanking out of my mind for a child in the back seat. It's eluding me. I know it's simple. You guys are laughing right now. Get over it. All right. So it's like the fans, us, we're in the front seat like, why can't you just be normal?

And Mike Vrabel is strapped in in the backseat going, ah, like he refuses. He refused. Okay. Your quarterback's hurt. Time to pick a backup. Just pick one. Just pick one and develop a real plan. Because the problem is, if you're flipping them in and out and they're both playing in the game and they have different packages and different things, you're not developing either of them or allowing either of them to get into a rhythm. When Mike Vrabel did that in the first preseason game, he said the reason he did it was because they're backup quarterbacks

and they may not have a full week of practice and they may not have a full game plan prepared and they may not have a full game plan prepared for them. They have to be ready to come in at a moment's notice. That is not this situation. You have had two weeks to prepare one of your quarterbacks and develop a plan for one of your quarterbacks.

And your answer is to tell us that you're going to play both? Now I already know. I already know what the comments are going to be. He's just trying to throw off the Falcons. He's giving Arthur Smith more to game plan for. That is nonsense. That is moronic, is what it is. And I said the same thing last year when people said,

oh, the Titans aren't announcing Malik Willis is going to play because they want the Chiefs to prepare for both. Do you think the Falcons are going to use any additional effort or lose any additional sleep because they might see Malik Willis or Will Levis? No. They are going to care about that at all. They are going to do anything different than they would normally do. They are going to run their defense because they don't need an incredibly specific game plan to stop the Titans offense with Will

Levis or Malik Willis. Will Levis, you're not going to treat that much different than Ryan Tannehill and Malik Willis. They're going to say we're going to play base coverages and blitz and he's going to fall apart. Do not do not come at me with the this is just how coaches make the other coaches spend more time. There is no schematic game plan advantage from the Titans pretending like they're going to play both quarterbacks. So one, either Vrabel is being a fool about this and actually is going to play both quarterbacks, or he's an absolute liar, which I have been saying all along.

Mike Vrabel is a liar. All that man does is lie at his press conferences. And he did it again. He did it again later in the press conference when he talked about Kevin Bayard and lied about that too. So I just don't understand why the Titans can't be a transparent organization. I don't understand why Mike Vrabel has to constantly lie. And the alternative is, if Mike Vrabel isn't lying about this,

then he's being an absolute fool about it. Either he's a liar or he's a fool. And I personally don't know which one makes me feel better because I think both of them make me feel equally worse. I think I'll go with liar makes me feel a little better. I would rather Vrabel just lie all the time and still do the smart thing. But unfortunately, we've seen him lie and still do the dumb thing. So I don't understand this plan. And with this sort of leadership, and here's one other thing. Let me throw in this. They asked Mike Vrabel, the media asked Mike Vrabel, do you think it's a detriment to the quarterbacks

to have them split snaps like this? And Vrabel said, I don't know. I've never played quarterback. Well, if you're the head coach of an NFL football team and you don't know if it's a detriment to your quarterbacks to split reps constantly, then why are you the head coach of the team? Who else is going to know? You should be the one person who does know whether that's good or bad for the team. If Mike Vrabel doesn't know whether it's good or bad for a quarterback

to constantly be splitting reps like this, then he should be a defensive coordinator, not a head coach. It's that simple. So he's either a fool or he's a liar. And either way, it's not great that he's the head coach of the team in this position if he can't understand the right things to do with a young quarterback. Because the only hope that the Titans have now is to develop a young quarterback, whether he's on the roster or he's not yet.

And if Vrabel is saying these kind of things about the quarterback position, what are we doing here? That's my question. But with that being said, Mike Vrabel said more stuff that we got to dive into that doesn't make any sense. He talked about Kevin Byard. But more importantly,

he announced Nicholas Petit Ferrer as the starting left tackle for the team. So I'm going to dive into that as well as who gets traded next at the end of the show. Before we get into all of that though, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by GameTime. GameTime is absolutely fantastic. It is the best place to buy tickets, especially if you're looking for last-minute tickets

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Again, create an account, redeem the code LOCKEDONNFL. That's L-O-C-K-E-D-O-N-N-F-L for $20 off. Download GameTime today. Last minute tickets. Lowest price. Guaranteed. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We talked about Mike Rabel's just insane quotes about the quarterback position.

Let's hope that he is an absolute liar, which he has proven to have been in his press conferences for a long time. But he also said some interesting stuff about things outside of quarterback, like a comment he made about Kevin Byard's trade, which I'm going to dive into. He announced Nicholas Petit-Ferrer is the starter at left tackle. Also gave an update on Traylon Burks and Tierra Tarr and Elijah Molden. So I'm going to get into kind of all of that stuff right now. And then at the end of the show, we're going to look at the Tennessee Titans,

who I think could be traded next. And I'm going to rank the options in terms of how likely it is that they get traded. So before we get into all that, though, thank you guys, of course, for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day. Make sure you get subscribed, stay subscribed, throw a thumbs up on the video right now. Shout out to my everydayers tuning in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys.

It's your team every day here on the Locked on Titans podcast. So again, get subscribed, stay subscribed. But with that being said, I first want to hit on this quote from the Kevin Byard thing. Mike Vrabel said that the Titans record right now didn't factor in to the decision to trade Kevin Bayard.

And credit to Paul Koharski, who everybody, you know, doesn't like and all that, and I've had my own issues with Paul. But I liked Paul's question. He followed up, so if the team was 5-1, you still would have traded Kevin Bayard. And, of course, Mike Vrabel ran from a transparent answer because Mike Vrabel's biggest enemy is transparency.

He hates nothing more than having to tell the truth to people. He doesn't want to do it, alright? But PK asked a good question. You know, if you're 5-1, and Vrabel was like, well, we're not 5-1. That's a hypothetical situation. But it's a valid question. You're telling your customers, you're telling your fan base,

you're telling your locker room that you traded Kevin Byard regardless of your record not to get draft capital and all that, but, well, obviously to do that, but you're not bailing on the season. I get what Vrabel's trying to sell here. I get why he's lying. He's lying because he doesn't want the rest of the players in the locker room to know and to confirm for them, hey, we aren't trying to win.

But actions speak louder than words. Who are you fooling, Mike Vrabel? It's disrespectful in my mind. It's disrespectful to his customers. Don't forget, fans are customers of a business. We own them. They don't own us. If the customers wanted nothing to do with the Tennessee Titans product

anymore, they would be forced to make changes based on that. Alright? The customers have the power here over the business. That is the way that it should work. Especially in professional sports. With how much public money goes to the team. And for this new stadium, give me a break. So Mike Vrabel damn well owes his customers transparency and honesty. All right? It's clearly not resulting in wins if his lying is what he thinks is smart. But to say that the record didn't matter,

so you're telling me that you don't think that you're going to be any worse as a football team with trading Kevin Byard? You trade away a two-time All-Pro safety and you don't think that that makes your team worse? Like, spit in my face and tell me it's raining, Mike. Pee on my head and tell me it's a hurricane. I mean, what are we doing here? You didn't trade Kevin Byard because you're 2-4? Yes, you did. You're pulling

the plug. All right. It's just nonsense. No transparency here. It's unbelievable, man. Like other organizations go through the same things, trades and releases and quarterback decisions. You don't have to fib and lie and tell half-truth. Like, transparency will set you free. Honesty is the key in these circumstances. All it's going to do is cause more criticism. It's like I said with the backup quarterback job early in the year. Mike Vrabel protecting Malik Willis and Will Levis from a real answer and a real winner in the competition for backup quarterback

only hurts both of them more, not less. He thinks he's protecting people by lying. All he's doing is hurting them more. And it's the same thing right now. All right? So, absolute nonsense to tell me the record of the team didn't have anything to do with trading Kevin Byard. Absolute liar, man, to our faces with a straight face. Unbelievably bold and wild to me.

But anyways, moving along, one thing I do agree with Mike Vrabel on that he said on Tuesday, Nicholas Petit Ferrer will be at left tackle going forward. Mike Vrabel said he earned the opportunity with the play in the second half against the Ravens. I guess he was good in run blocking, but my God, he was bad in pass protection. Just as bad as Andre Dillard, not worse. So, yikes. He earned it, I guess. But either way, I agree with that. Nicholas Petit-Ferrer is the

younger player. He should play over Andre Dillard. The Andre Dillard experiment is over. It's done. We know he's not a starter. He's not going to be good enough to play left tackle. So play the young guy, play the young guy who you have under team control for the next two years. That is cheap team control for the next few years. That's the smart thing to do. And I know a lot of you guys are screaming right now, Peter Skowronski at left tackle. It is not going to happen, folks. They do not view him as a left tackle. And next year when they get a real left tackle, he's going to have to play left guard anyways. Mike Vrabel said, Peter's going to be at left guard. He's going to be, it's going to be a good position for him.

The Titans drafted him knowing that he could be a pro bowl, all pro level guard. They are not, to salvage this season, going to mess up his development at his true position when they know next year they're going to be adding a new left tackle. Skowronski is not the long-term left tackle. This season is about long-term answers. Play him where he's going to play and let him develop. You don't move him out of his position

to try to salvage an offensive line that's never going to be good enough. There is no combination of this offensive line that is good enough. So don't move Skowronski away from the position that he is going to play for the next decade for this team. I get that. I've been, I've agreed with Mike Vrabel on that for a long, long time. I have. Also, Elijah Molden, T.R. Tartt, and Traylon Burks

back at practice this week. Apparently, Traylon Burks back at practice this week. Apparently, Traylon Burks practiced all last week as well. So a good sign Burks should be back in this game. And with the young quarterbacks playing, the Titans need all the help that they can get on offense if they truly want to try to win this game, which it looks like they are. But the Titans could certainly trade more people.

And Mike Vrabel had a comment at his press conference on Monday that stood out to me as obviously a lot of them had. But he had a comment that stood out to me on Monday and I think it's possible that the trading isn't done. I'm going to talk about that quote and tell you who I think is most likely to be traded next for the Tennessee Titans. Before we get into that though, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs.

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That's linkedin.com slash locked on NFL. That's linkedin.com slash locked on NFL to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Also want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by PrizePix. Look, guys, PrizePix is daily fantasy sports made easy. It could not be any simpler than using PrizePix. So here's what it is. PrizePix has a projection for every player. For Titans examples, Derrick Henry, 80 rushing yards, DeAndre Hopkins, four catches,

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deposit match up to $100. Price picks. It's daily fantasy sports made easy. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We've talked about the Titans quarterback situation and how I think that Mike Vrabel, excuse me, it makes me so frustrated. Mike Vrabel is either lying or he's botching it completely.

Let's hope that he's lying. We'll see on Sunday. Talked about some of the other tidbits from Mike Vrabel's press conference. Notes on Kevin Byard's trade, Andre Diller, Nicholas Petit-Ferrer, other injured players as well. But now, I want to talk some more trade deadline content. Ladies and gentlemen, who will be the next Tennessee Titan traded? I'm going to rank my four options that I think make the most sense for the Titans here.

Before I get into that, though, I do want to read you guys a quote. You thought I was going to do my little first listen before I did. I got you. I got you. I want to go over this quote that Mike Vrabel had in his press conference. Quote, quote, quote. Ran and I will always look at opportunities to strengthen the roster, the growth of it, the ability to add pieces or draft capital. If the Titans go out and lose to the Falcons on Sunday

and they sit at 2-5, I get it. Mike Vrabel can sell the vision right now. Let's get to 3-4. We have a manageable schedule ahead. We can get some wins. We've only played one division game. We can get back in. I get the vision. I get what he's trying to sell. I get it.

But if they drop to 2-5 and lose a home game against the Falcons, their first real home game that they've lost all year, I don't count London. Give me a break. They go to 2-5. I mean, it is time to fire sale everything. And the trade deadline is Tuesday.

So they wake up on Monday. They better be ready to ditch everybody if they drop to 2-5, period. And if they look to trade more players, the person who makes the most sense is Danico Autry. It's Danico Autry. Autry has four sacks this year. And look, Autry has fallen off as a run defender. And he's not a guy who you want out there starting every single play.

He's 33 years old. Right now, he would be best as a rotational player who is a pure pass rusher, who you can use inside, outside, run, game, stunts, twists, all that stuff up front. That's what Autry can be right now. He doesn't make any sense on this football team. He doesn't.

And with him getting four sacks and only getting $ and a half million dollars for the full season, you could get a team to take Autry, he'll probably be under four million dollars for the trade deadline. Because he's cheap, he's incredibly productive

at an important asset or an important facet of football in the pass rush. I think that Autry actually has the most value and is the most likely to be traded. And I hope that it happens. It would make all the sense in the world. I mean, he's 33.

He can still pass rush. Get him to a contender like the 49ers, whose pass rush is struggling. Get him to a contender like the Chiefs. Him and Chris Jones together? I could see a team giving up a 4th, 5th, 6th round pick, a Day 3 pick for Autry, and I think that would be a smart move for the Titans.

Again, you're going to look at it, if they get a 6th round pick, it'd be like a 6th round pick for Danico Autry, but it's about amassing ammo. So now, instead of having two 30-year-old players who aren't going to be with the team next year, the Titans have multiple draft picks at the end of day three or during day three that they can package together to move back up

into the top 100. And if the Titans have nine or 10 draft picks, they can make a couple of packages, move up into the top 100 picks. And now you may only have six picks, six or seven, but instead of having three sevenths, now you've turned it into four top 100 picks and two sixth rounders. You know what I mean? Like, it just gives you so much more maneuverability. So outside of Autry, though, I would go with Derek Henry next. We're starting to hear some heated up rumors.

We heard from Rossini that the Titans hadn't got any interest, but we're starting to hear some rumors here as we get closer to the deadline that teams are going to start to call on Derrick Henry. That could make sense with his price tag, though, $5.8 million for a team acquiring him. I just don't think a team is going to pay a running back that much for a half a season of work. DeAndre Hopkins could make sense, but at his price, again,

that's why I don't think it's as likely as Autry. And then lastly, Christian Fulton. The Titans would get rid of Christian Fulton for anything that they could, I think, in my opinion. But why would any team give up anything for him? When he's leaving after the year into free agency, it hasn't been that good. So for me, it's Autry, then Henry, then Hopkins, then Fulton. But we'll keep an eye out on the trade.

Trade movement here and see what happens throughout the rest of the week. I wouldn't expect a trade for the Titans if they make another one until after the game on Sunday. The Titans are into their game planning. They're into practice. I don't think we see another big move or anything like that until after the game. But if the Titans lose that game again,

fire sale, in my opinion. But with that being said, that is going to do it for today's show. Talk quarterbacks. Talk tidbits for practice. Talk trade values. That is going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland,

and this was Locked on Titans.