Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Malik Willis & Will Levis UNDER PRESSURE, OL MUST Start & Most Exciting Players to Watch

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Tennessee Titans players facing the most pressure in the Titans' first preseason game against the Chicago Bears on Saturday are the young quarterbacks Malik Willis and Will Levis. We're going to talk about 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. Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast.

Starting point is 00:00:47 I am your host, Tyler Rowland. Titans fans, the first preseason action of the year is ahead on Saturday when the Tennessee Titans take on the Chicago Bears. We're going to talk about which players are under the most pressure, which players must play against the Bears, and what players I am most excited to watch. Before we get into all of it, though, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs.

Starting point is 00:01:11 LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to faster. Post your job for free at linkedin.com slash locked on NFL. That's linkedin.com slash locked on NFL to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Thank you guys for making the LockedOnNFL to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Thank you guys for making the Locked On Titans podcast your first to listen each and every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year long on all apps and always for free.

Starting point is 00:01:37 Make sure you get subscribed. Stay subscribed to the Locked On Titans podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, where it's your team every day. Want to alter the schedule just a little bit? Going to have no episode on Friday night. Want to make sure that we do our game preview here so that the podcast folks

Starting point is 00:01:56 can have that on their commute on Friday morning. So no show on Friday night, but I will be back on Saturday immediately after the game ends. I'll be going live here on the Locked On Titans YouTube channel. Make sure that you check that out. Again, get subscribed, stay subscribed. Throw a thumbs up on the video if you're watching right now as well.

Starting point is 00:02:12 The show's always free. All I ask for in return is the press of a button. But with that being said, do want to dive into our game preview for the Titans' first preseason game against the Chicago Bears. I'm going to start with which Tennessee Titans are under the most pressure. Before I get into it, let me know down below in the comments who are the Tennessee Titans that you think are under the most pressure in this preseason matchup against the Bears.

Starting point is 00:02:36 Well, number one for me, got to start with the quarterbacks. It's Malik Willis. It's Will Levis. And my everydayers who are listening to the show Monday through Friday, shout out to you guys. Couldn't do it without you. But my everydayers, remember, we started this week. And I said, I think Malik Willis will get the start in this game

Starting point is 00:02:54 and went even a step further and said, I think Malik Willis has earned the right to start in this game. So I think that's what's going to happen. Now on Thursday at practice, Mike Vrabel before practice said that they've already decided who the starting quarterback will be, but they're not going to announce it. And then after practice, acting head coach Terrell Williams said that they hadn't decided yet. So I don't know what happened there, who's lying, whatever. But either way, we still don't know who the starting quarterback is going to be. I would put my money on it being Malik Willis, which is what I said at the beginning of the week as well. But regardless of that, both of those quarterbacks are under a tremendous amount of pressure. You look at it from Malik Willis' standpoint, not only is he fighting for a backup quarterback spot, but he may be fighting for a roster spot in general. If Will

Starting point is 00:03:39 Levis were to beat out Malik Willis entirely, the Titans may cut Malik and not keep three quarterbacks at all. I mean, that is a possibility of what could happen here. out Malik Willis entirely, the Titans may cut Malik and not keep three quarterbacks at all. I mean, that is a possibility of what could happen here. So Malik Willis and Will Levis definitely under pressure. And if you're Levis, you were a higher draft pick. You were brought in after the other guy was taken. You were from a familiar system in college that's supposed to create a smaller learning curve for you,

Starting point is 00:04:02 a shorter learning curve for you. There's a lot of pressure on Levis to go out there and not get beat out by Malik Willis, who a lot of fans had given up on, and it looked like Mike Vrabel had given up on as well, but Malik has battled his way back here, so by far and away, the two players with the most pressure on them

Starting point is 00:04:18 are certainly the young quarterbacks and Malik Willis and Will Levis. So excited to watch them play. Can't wait. Again, I think it's obvious that Malik Willis is going to start in this game, and he should, and that's fine, but both quarterbacks should get an opportunity. If it were me, I would go first quarter Malik Willis, second quarter Will Levis, third quarter Malik Willis, fourth quarter Will Levis. That's what I would do, and then next game, I would maybe do

Starting point is 00:04:43 two series Malik, two series Levis and go back and forth like that. Because what you don't want is you don't want to only see Will Levis with third stringers and then get to see Malik Willis with the second stringers because that doesn't create an even playing field. So if you let those guys both have their opportunities with both sets of teams, which is what's been happening in practice, then that gives you a more accurate depiction of who's the better player. So hopefully we get something like that, but those two are definitely under the most pressure.

Starting point is 00:05:09 Outside of that, it's what we talked about on yesterday's show. Again, my everydayers will know. Let me know down below in the comments if you're an everydayer. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you guys listening Monday through Friday. But, Bonnie Rice, Jack Gibbons, locked in that battle. Everybody's worried about the quarterback competition, but the more important competition is between Gibbons and Rice for the starting linebacker spot next to Aziz Alshayer.

Starting point is 00:05:34 That's the most important battle that we have going here on offense or defense. So, I'm excited to see how those guys play. I don't think that Alshayer plays in this game, which means that Gibbons and Rice could play next to each other. Now, on the depth chart, they're listed in the same spot at linebacker playing the same position. There are different roles and responsibilities for each of the inside linebacker spots. So will the Titans bring up Chance Campbell to start next to Jack Gibbons, or will they just let Rice and Gibbons go at the same time? That'll be very interesting watch, but those guys are battling for who will be a starter.

Starting point is 00:06:06 And if you're somebody like Monte Rice, who was a top 100 pick, a third-round pick, a guy going into his third year, you cannot afford to get beat out by Jack Gibbons, who is an undrafted free agent out of Abilene Christian, who came in last year. You just can't let that happen. So a ton of pressure there. The last one that I want to mention is the kicker battle. I mean,

Starting point is 00:06:26 I said offense or defense, Gibbons versus Rice is the most important, but the most important position battle going on right now may very well be a kicker, considering how much of an impact that'll have on the Titans' season. Caleb should've. Trey Wolf battling it out.

Starting point is 00:06:42 As you guys know, I'm a part of the Wolf Pack. I think that Trey Wolf will win the job. I want Trey Wolf to win the job. That's how I'm feeling right now. Bigger guy, bigger leg. I think it opens up more possibilities for the Titans. But Shurik is a guy who's been with the organization for a year longer than Wolf. Wolf is an undrafted free agent from this year out of Texas Tech.

Starting point is 00:07:03 Shurik came out of Iowa, and the Titans got him last year, so he's been around longer. Both of those guys should get opportunities to kick field goals in this game. The Titans may break it up where one kicker gets one game, the other kicker gets the other game, stuff like that. That may happen. But I hope that we get to see both of those kickers. And boy, there is a ton of pressure on them every single second

Starting point is 00:07:22 that they're out on the field and every single kick that they make. It's going to be very exciting to see who can stand up to it. I do want to point out that earlier in the week in two-minute drills where the Titans were trying to get a last-second field goal, should have went nine for nine in practice and then missed both the kicks in that drill where Trey Wolf came in and made both his kicks in that drill. So just saying bigger, stronger leg, more clutch, younger, well, younger, less years, you know what I mean? Wolfpack baby. But anyway, the quarterbacks, the inside linebackers, the kickers, those are the people who I,

Starting point is 00:07:58 I feel have the most pressure on them going into this game. Let me know down below. Do you guys agree? Who do you think has the most pressure? Very interesting to see what you guys have to say. But with that being said, we are going to move forward here and talk about players who I think must play in this game. I'm going to talk about some guys who are probably on the line, but mostly focus on the offensive line, who I think needs to get some real snaps in this preseason. But before we dive into that, needs to get some real snaps in this preseason. But before we dive into that,

Starting point is 00:08:30 I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. These days, every new potential hire can feel like a high-stakes wager for your small business. You want to be 100% certain that you have access to the best qualified candidates available. That's why you have to check out LinkedIn Jobs. LinkedIn Jobs helps find the right people for your team faster and for free. You just create a free job post on LinkedIn Jobs. Then you're going to add the job in the purple hashtag hiring frame to your LinkedIn profile to spread the word that you're hiring. They're going to give you simple tools like screening questions

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Starting point is 00:09:29 slash locked on NFL. That's linkedin.com slash locked on NFL to post your job for free. Terms and conditions do apply. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. It's a little bit of a preview of the Titans preseason game against the Chicago Bears on Saturday.

Starting point is 00:10:05 We just talked about the Titans that are under the most pressure in this game. Now I want to talk about some players who I think must play against the Chicago Bears. Before we get into it, I do want to thank you guys for making the Locked On Titans podcast your first listen each and every day, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. Make sure you get subscribed, stay subscribed. It's your team every day. Another reminder, I will be going live immediately after the Bears game

Starting point is 00:10:32 to break down everything that happened, talk some tighten up, tighten down for the players who played well, the players who didn't play as well, all of that. So a full recap coming for you guys after the game on Saturday. Make sure that you stay locked into the Locked on Titans podcast and don all of that. So a full recap coming for you guys after the game on Saturday. Make sure that you stay locked in to the Locked on Titans podcast and don't miss that. But with that being said, some players who must play

Starting point is 00:10:51 in this game for the Titans. You guys, again, let me know down below right now which players you think must play in this game. But for me, I got to start with the offensive line. I talked about this earlier in the week, but I'm hammering it home again.

Starting point is 00:11:07 And especially after the terrible week that the Titans offense hadn't practiced this week. I mean, we're not breaking down Thursday's practice as I intended because I wanted to do a preview for the game for my commuter folks on Friday morning so that you have that on your way to work. But Thursday's practice was ugly. Tannehill threw two more interceptions.

Starting point is 00:11:26 Levis threw a pick six. Malik Willis threw a pretty decent pass. But overall, the entire week, it was a weak week for the Titans offense. So with that being said, what is the weakest link of the Titans offense? It's the offensive line. By far, in a way, the biggest concern.

Starting point is 00:11:45 And this isn't like the Titans offensive line last year where you had Nate Davis returning, Ben Jones returning, Aaron Brewer who'd been with the team for a couple of years, Taylor LeJuan returning. This isn't that. The Titans have a brand new left tackle who hasn't been a starter for most of his career.

Starting point is 00:12:03 The Titans have a rookie left guard. The Titans have Aaron Brewer at center. Yeah, he's returning, but he's playing a brand new position. They have Daniel Brunskill at right guard, a brand new player on their team. They're going to be having Chris Hubbard, a guy who was signed a couple of weeks ago

Starting point is 00:12:20 at right tackle. You cannot play the preseason like this offensive line is ready to go. They need to play. They need to play in game one. I don't just mean game three. I need, they need to play Saturday. The Titans all starting offensive line needs to play on Saturday for at least two series. Let them play the first quarter. Two offensive series. Whatever comes first. They need to actually play in-game reps, not just joint practices,

Starting point is 00:12:54 not just practices against the Titans defense. Full, live contact. This offensive line needs to be given the opportunity to gel. Have some continuity. Gain some chemistry going into the season. The offensive line is not in a position to sit these preseason games. And in my opinion, the Titans

Starting point is 00:13:13 come out early in the season every year and lose. Why? Because they aren't ready to play because none of the starters play in the preseason ever. The Titans don't have offensive linemen that are so good and the offensive line isn't in a position where the Titans can afford to sit them out

Starting point is 00:13:32 and not play them in the preseason. The offensive line must play a couple of drives, even just one drive. The offensive line, starting offensive line, must play in every preseason game or it would be a big mistake by the Titans. Outside of the offensive line, any rookie. There is no rookie, and that includes, of course, Peter Skowronski.

Starting point is 00:13:53 There is no rookie on this team, whether drafted, undrafted. There is no rookie that should be sitting out this game. Tajay Spears, Will Levis, Josh Wiley, Skowronski, Duncan, Colton Dowell. Again, any of the undrafteds, they have to play in this game. Period. There is no rookie that is above playing in week one of the preseason on this roster. There isn't. So, now that's my expectation.

Starting point is 00:14:24 I'm a little more worried about the offensive line. I think that Vrabel will get a little wild and maybe sit out those guys. I think it would be a big mistake, but the rookies absolutely should be out there. We shouldn't have any concern about that. Moving forward, Kyle Phillips.

Starting point is 00:14:41 Kyle Phillips needs to play in this game. I know all you guys think that Kyle Phillips is Cooper Cup. You think that Kyle Phillips is Hunter Renfro. Wes Welker. I think that's insane. He hasn't proven anything so far to get that kind of optimistic projection from anyone, in my opinion. And last year, he played in, what, four games?

Starting point is 00:15:11 Had eight catches? Kyle Phillips has absolutely not done enough to not play in the preseason. He should be playing most of the first half. If they don't want to have him do punt return, because they don't want him to get hurt or whatever, whatever, that's fine. I think he needs to practice punt return too and gain his confidence back there. But he needs to at least play wide receiver. And part of this, we talk about the O-line. We talk about Kyle Phillips here. Part of this is you have to give yourself

Starting point is 00:15:40 the opportunity to properly evaluate the quarterbacks. Like I talked about in segment one. You need your starting offense. Let's see Malik Willis behind the Titans starting offensive line healthy with Kyle Phillips and Chris Moore and NWI. I know they aren't the best wide receivers in the world, but they're better than the third stringers. Well, maybe not.

Starting point is 00:15:59 But with that offense, I want to see both the quarterbacks behind the starting offensive line so we can properly evaluate them with proper wide receivers that they can throw to. So, I think Kyle Phillips needs to play in this game. And on the flip side, Elijah Molden on defense. Molden missed almost all of last season. I think he ended up suiting up in two games.

Starting point is 00:16:21 Had a groin injury. Reaggravated the groin injury. There was some scar tissue or things like that after surgery. Didn't heal well. All that. It was a lost year for Elijah Molden. Well, now he's playing slot corner. He's playing safety. He needs to go out there and play and regain his confidence, not only in his

Starting point is 00:16:37 play on the field, but in his groin. He needs to regain the confidence in his groin. Y'all know what I'm saying. Anyways, moving right along. I do think Elijah Molden needs to play in this game his groin. Y'all know what I'm saying. All right. Anyways, moving right along. I do think Elijah Mould needs to play in this game. And then the last guy I want to mention is Rashad Weaver. So Arden Key and Harold Landry are going to be your starters. I think that Weaver, because Weaver basically missed

Starting point is 00:16:57 most of his rookie season with the leg break, Weaver needs this time to go up against maybe some lesser competition, kind of find that strength that he's been working on in his lower body, develop some of his plays, some of his rush moves. I think Weaver really needs this time to work on his game, honestly, in a scenario where the Titans don't necessarily need him to be perfect. So I think Weaver needs to play. So the starting offensive line, any rookies, Kyle Phillips, Elijah Molden, and Rashad Weaver

Starting point is 00:17:26 must play in this game. Let me know down below if you disagree with any of my suggestions. Let me know what your suggestions are. We're going to get into the players that I am most excited to watch and the players that should not play in this game here in just a moment. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We're doing a preview of the Titans preseason game against the Chicago Bears on Saturday. I looked at the Titans who I think have the most pressure in this game,

Starting point is 00:18:13 the Titans who must play in this game. Now I want to look at some players that I'm just excited to watch and talk about which players should not play in this game. But before we get into all of that, thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content, all year round, always for free. Make sure you get subscribed, stay subscribed

Starting point is 00:18:34 to the Locked on Titans podcast. Throw a thumbs up on the video if you're watching right now. Help support the channel. Also, another reminder, I'm going to be going live on Saturday after the game to break down everything you need to know from the matchup and talk about all the stuff that happened out on the field. A real Tennessee Titans football game, man.

Starting point is 00:18:50 I'm just so excited. Could not tell you how excited that I really am. But let's talk about the players that I am excited to watch in this game. Number one, wide receiver Reggie Roberson. And again, let me know down below which players you are most excited to watch, which players you don't think should suit up in this game. Very excited to see your guys' answers. But Reggie Roberson has been balling at camp.

Starting point is 00:19:16 Him and Will Levis have an incredible connection. He caught a couple of touchdown passes from Malik Willis this week, I do believe. Roberson has been a standout. He's got incredible speed to get deep down the field. He was with the Titans last year in training camp. Most of the season went to a different team's practice squad, came back to the Titans this year,

Starting point is 00:19:33 and he's been showing out. And I think with the lackluster performance of Racey McMath, of, you know, Mason Kinsey's been hanging around for a while. Colton Dow hasn't been all that impressive this training camp. With that information, a guy like Reggie Roberson and his unique skill set that the Titans don't have, the Titans do not have a deep threat burner. Like, Traylon Burks is a deep threat. Big physical speed, all that, but like a burner. Getting downfield, Reggie Roberson could give them something that they don't have. Now, special teams will be the key.

Starting point is 00:20:09 Can Reggie Roberson provide value on special teams that makes him worthy of the wide receiver sixth spot? Well, in my opinion, when you're getting so much value from Chris Moore and NWI on special teams, you can add a sixth wide receiver that maybe doesn't have all the special teams value, but it's just, I don't know, a good wide receiver. I mean, I know that's groundbreaking stuff when you're talking about the Titans, but just saying.

Starting point is 00:20:32 So Roberson, I want to see if he can carry that over and continue making plays in the games. I'm a little worried about this next one. John Ajuku. Offensive tackle out of Boise State. Been injured, I feel like, for most of the week. Haven't seen him at practice, so I doubt that he plays, but I was really

Starting point is 00:20:52 excited to get a look at the rookie undrafted tackle. Mike Vrabel has mentioned him quite a bit throughout training camp as somebody who's kind of impressed him, but now he's a little banged up. Hasn't practiced in a little bit. Doubt that we see him out there, but it would be cool if we could. Next guy I want to mention is Xavier Newman-Johnson. Interior offensive lineman. Right now he's listed

Starting point is 00:21:12 as the third string center behind Aaron Brewer and Corey Levin. I liked what I saw from Xavier Newman-Johnson at times last year. I think if the Titans can continue developing him, he has the potential to be a low-level starting offensive lineman or at minimum a really, really good depth signing on the interior offensive line. I would expect Corey Levin returned to practice after missing a couple of practices,

Starting point is 00:21:38 but maybe if they're worried about Levin, who's an older player, they'll just go with Xavier Newman-Johnson and maybe let Corey Levin stay out of the game. I doubt that, but maybe. But either way, I'm really excited to see what Xavier Newman-Johnson can do, because I think he has real potential to be on this team for a couple of years. On defense,

Starting point is 00:21:56 the two edge rushers, the undrafted free agents, Thomas Rush out of Minnesota, Caleb Murphy out of Ferris State. I'm not high on Sam Okwe and Onu personally, so I would like to see the Titans have a better fourth edge rusher or fifth edge rusher, depending on what you want to call Autry. So I would like to see Thomas Rush or Caleb Murphy

Starting point is 00:22:14 kind of solidify that spot and take that spot away from Sam Oakway and Onu, but let's see if they earn it. I think Thomas, I like Caleb Murphy a lot, but I think Thomas Rush might actually have the advantage here because Mike Rabel talked about him on special teams earlier this week. So maybe Thomas Rush that's in the catbird seat on that. Jaden Peavy, the interior defensive lineman out of Texas A&M that was undrafted last year,

Starting point is 00:22:37 played in one game for the Titans last year, didn't get on the field, but he has gotten a swarm of praise from Terrell Williams, Titans interior defensive line coach. He is slimmer, quicker feet, quicker hands, more professional, more locked in. I mean, Williams even kind of hinted that Peavy may end up being a starter for the Titans this year.

Starting point is 00:22:59 So I don't think that that's the case. I don't think he beats out Tartt or obviously Autry or Simmons, but Peavy could be a very, very important player for the Titans this year, so I'm excited to see what he looks like. Further down the depth chart at linebacker, we talked about Givins and Rice, but Chance Campbell should get a good opportunity,

Starting point is 00:23:20 sixth-round pick for the Titans, who was out all year injured last year. Otis Reese, the undrafted free agent who played safety in college, transitioning to linebacker in the NFL. Mike Vrabel raved about Otis Reese and said about how excited he was to watch him play earlier this week. So I'm excited, too. I'm excited for that, too.

Starting point is 00:23:38 Anthony Kendall, Amani Marsh, LJ Davis, the undrafted free agent guys at defensive back, cornerbacks, I'm excited to see them. LJ Davis had a pick six off Will Levis in practice on Thursday. Anthony Kendall, Amani Marsh got some praise from Kevin Byard earlier this week, so excited to watch those guys. As for guys who shouldn't play, pretty simple. Tannehill, Henry, Hopkins, Burks, Chig, Trevon Wesko, Christian Fulton, Sean Murphy Bunting, Roger McCreary, Az, Burks, Chig, Trevon Wesko, Christian Fulton,

Starting point is 00:24:10 Sean Murphy Bunting, Roger McCreary, Aziz Alshire, Harold Landry, Arden Key, Jeffrey Simmons, Danico Autry, Kevin Byard, Amani Hooker. Just don't play any of the starters on defense, basically, is how I'm feeling. No need for that in the first preseason game of the year. This is when the Titans need to get more clarity on the guys lower on the depth chart. You know who your starters are. Play them in the last preseason game. Don't need to play them now with the exception of the offensive line.

Starting point is 00:24:30 They need to play. But with that being said, that is going to do it for my preview of the Tennessee Titans preseason game against the Chicago Bears. Again, I'm going to be back with you guys on Saturday night to break down everything that happened.

Starting point is 00:24:42 But that is going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Malik Willis & Will Levis UNDER PRESSURE, OL MUST Start & Most Exciting Players to Watch

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