Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Mike Vrabel NOT on HOT SEAT, Offensive Line Changes Coming & Tannehill Will Start

Episode Date: September 25, 2023

The Tennessee Titans have gotten off to a disappointing start, but Mike Vrabel should not be on the hot seat and isn't. Next, Vrabel sounded open to making changes on the offensive line which is surprising and gives hope to the team. Finally, Ryan Tannehill will continue to start and Vrabel's comments on Monday make that even more obvious.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!Harry'sGet your best shave ever this summer with Harry’s razors and skin care products. Get a $13 Starter Set for just $3 at harrys.com/NFL.   NutrafolTake the first step to visibly thicker, healthier hair. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com/men and enter the promo code LOCKEDONMLB. DoorDashGet fifty percent off your first DoorDash order up to a twenty-dollar value when you use code lockedonnfl at checkout. Limited time offer, terms apply.Jase MedicalSave more than $360 by getting these lifesaving antibiotics with Jase Medical plus an additional $20 off by using code LOCKEDON at checkout on jasemedical.com.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. eBay Motors dot 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

Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel is not on the hot seat, but I'll tell you when he will be 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. We've got a lot to discuss on today's show.

Should Mike Vrabel be on the hot seat? I'm going to tell you that he's not, but we'll talk about when it's fair to ask that question. Also, Mike Vrabel sounded like he was more open to changing the Titans offensive line than I expected. We'll dive into his comments. And should Ryan Tannehill be benched? A weekly conversation that we'll address one more time. And I got a quote from Mike Rabel that I think

lets us know exactly how he views the team right now. Before we get into all of that, though, 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 round, always for free. Make sure you get subscribed, stay subscribed. It's your team every day. Shout out to my everydayers out there tuning into the show Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. Have a great rest of the week planned for you. So normally we would do Tic Tac Tuesday today and dive into the film, but after watching the film, I have to tell you guys, there's not really a lot of positive takeaways or a lot of actionable items from the tape. Everyone played poorly for the most part

from top to bottom, every level, every aspect of the Titans team did not do well. So we're not going to really get too much information from that, but some of these conversations around the team are just so much more important going forward. And the conversation about Mike Vrabel and his job status is at the top of that list. And a lot of people woke up on Monday after that loss even more upset, even more angry about what we saw from the Titans, and honestly a lack of what we saw from the Titans on defense, mental errors, lack of physicality hurting the team on offense.

They didn't even look NFL level, quite honestly. The Titans look like Vanderbilt looks in the SEC. You know what I'm saying? They really held down that Nashville vibe for college football. But overall for me, I think what's most important that people see here is that Mike Vrabel is not going to be on the hot seat this year. That is simply not the case. You can be as upset at Mike Vrabel as you want to be, but Mike Vrabel is not on the hot seat this year. Mike Vrabel won a power struggle with

John Robinson in the middle of the season last year because Robinson's roster was so bad. I mean, the reality here is he convinced Amy Adam Strunk that the roster was so bad. I mean, the reality here is he convinced Amy Adams Strunk that the roster was the problem, not the coaching. And I am inclined to agree with him. Alright, look at the Tennessee Titans team right now. What was the two biggest issues yesterday? Andre Dillard on offense and Christian Fulton on defense, right?

Andre Dillard is getting abused at left tackle. They're attacking Christian Fulton on defense, right? Andre Dillard is getting abused at left tackle. They're attacking Christian Fulton. Those were the two biggest problems. What are the two draft picks, the two first round draft picks that John Robinson whiffed on? A first round offensive tackle and a first round cornerback. Because that right there on the offensive line and in the secondary is where the Titans currently need elite talent the most.

If they had one more elite guy on the offensive line at tackle and one more elite guy, even very good guy, pro bowl level guy, at cornerback, this would be a totally different team. Not totally different, but this would be a different team that could operate and be the type of team that we thought that they could be. But they're missing those two players. They're missing another quality offensive lineman, and they're missing another quality cornerback.

High-level quality. First-round talent. That's what they're missing. And those are John Robinson misses. So what you have to realize, even if you are angry at Mike Vrabel, even if Mike Vrabel isn't the best coach in the world and he has his own flaws and his own warts and his own blind spots, which I love pointing out,

as Mike Vrabel said about the team in the preseason, I always find something to complain about. I'm always looking, and I usually do. And that's how I feel with Mike Vrabel. I'm always looking for something. And he didn't say complain. He said another word that I'm not going to repeat on the podcast, but I'm sure you guys can fill in the blank. I'm going to find something to blank about with Mike Vrabel. Alright? So, I'm no Mike

Vrabel apologist. But the reality is, it is going to take more than one offseason for Rancarthon to fix all of the problems that John Robinson created with the missed draft picks. His draft classes in 2020 and 2021 set the team back. Trading A.J. Brown set the team back. Those are John Robinson actions. So Vrabel may not be perfect,

but there's no way that Mike Vrabel went to the owner of the team last year and was like, this roster is so bad, I can't win with it anymore. It's either we replace this guy or I'm leaving. And just months later, in three weeks into the next season, that same owner who agreed with Mike Vrabel is going to say, you know what? Your new general manager had six months to fix all those problems.

Why didn't you do it? It's just not going to go that way, okay? So, we can all be frustrated and angry and upset with some of the decisions Mike Vrabel has made, some of his philosophical things, the way he wants his team, but the reality is this roster is not good enough. That is because of the failures of the previous general manager, the new general manager, like Andre Dillard,

like Arden Key. These are Sean Murphy bunting. These are lottery tickets that the Titans went after. The Titans went and said, hey, we don't want to throw big-time, long-term money at some of these major issues we have on our roster. We're going to do a little $2 scratch-off on some cheap guys who haven't maybe had the opportunity before and see how it goes.

All right, Sean Murphy Bunting has been incredible. He's been the best defensive player on the Titans for the last two weeks. Arden Key is a pretty solid player for $7 million. He's maybe not the juggernaut that people acted like he was going to be after week one, but Arden Key is a good player. Those are successes. Aziz Alshayer, a success. week one, but Arden Key is a good player.

Those are successes. Aziz Alshayer, a success. But, hitting on all of them would have been insane for Rand Carthon. So, on the flip side of that, Rand Carthon seat isn't warm at all either, and people blaming Rand Carthon and criticizing him this morning. What are we talking about?

Or, on Monday, what are we doing here? The guy had limited cap space to fix all these holes on this roster while still trying to keep high-priced guys like Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry around. That's a tough task for Rancarthon, okay? So I think they're doing fine. That is why the reality is

Mike Vrabel's seat will not be hot until the middle of next season. If the Titans finish out this season on a losing note, they have a losing year, they don't look good, it looks like it might go right now, and then the Titans come out next year after having a whole another offseason and likely making a lot of changes to the roster, and they're bad again, then Mike Vrabel's seat is incredibly hot. I think if Mike Vrabel has a losing season this year

and another losing season next year, then Mike Vrabel will be fired. That's my expectation, but not until then. And that's just the way that it's going to go. But with that in mind, I'm going to give Mike Vrabel some credit. He seemed more open to changing the offensive line than I expected when he talked to the press on Monday. I'm going to go over what he had to say.

Also, talk about Ryan Tannehill. When we, you know, maybe consider taking him out, putting in Malik Willis or Will Levis. We'll have that conversation as well at the end of the show. But before we get into all of that, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by Nutraful. All right.

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Nutrafol.com slash men. Spelled N-U-T-R-A-F-O-L.com slash men. Enter promo code locked on NFL. That's Nutrafol.com slash men. Promo code LOCKEDONNFL. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We talked about Mike Vrabel, where his job status should be. And I'm just telling you guys, he's not going to be on the hot seat unless he has a losing season this year,

and then they have a losing season next year. That's when you can expect to see Mike Vrabel fired if this pattern continues. But until then, he's not, and he shouldn't be, because they need time to clean up John Robinson's mess. But with that being said, I want to talk about this offensive line, which is a mess that needs to be cleaned up right now. Before we get into it, thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day.

As a reminder, we typically dive into the tape on today's show. We dive into the all 22. I give you guys my thoughts on what I saw schematically, blah, blah, blah. But when you lose 27 to three, there's not a lot of film that really matters. Not a lot that you saw on tape that makes a difference, especially on the

offensive side of the ball. I'll have some thoughts for you guys what I saw on tape and weave that into the what's next Wednesday conversation that we have on tomorrow's show. But wanted to really talk about some of these talking points that are

much more important for the team right now, and that includes the offensive line. So, I've complained about Aaron Brewer, but at this point, Andre Dillard is it's just going to be difficult to do anything with the way that he's playing football right now. Will it improve? Will it get better? Maybe so. Maybe so. Maybe so. But the Titans cannot do what they did last year.

And when I planned out this segment, and I plan to talk about this again here, because, I mean, what else should we be talking about? If the offensive line doesn't get better, it doesn't matter. Nothing else matters. We could talk about, I could go over the routes that they're running. I can go over the schemed up plays that Tim Kelly is calling.

I can go over how Sean Murphy Bunting's been awesome on defense and how the run defense is still historically. We saw yesterday that if the offensive line doesn't get the job done, this team cannot win games. They don't have enough. Okay? So, when I planned this segment, I planned it with the expectation of saying,

Vrabel is going to crush this team by not being open to an offensive line change. He left Dennis Daly in there for 14 weeks or 13 straight weeks last year before making a change. And by then, I mean, they had lost, what, four games in a row. So, I was worried that Vrabel would even be willing to make a change or even discuss it. But I want to look at this quote that Mike Vrabel had on Monday. And Mike Vrabel said, quote,

We'll continue to look and see what's best and where guys go. But as it stands here right now today, I don't see something changing until we have some more time to visit on it tomorrow and see who's available, see who's healthy, and try to find a way to beat the Bengals. In my opinion, that quote, the beginning of it,

it's like that one meme, not going to lie, in the first half they had us. Because in the first half I read, but as it stands here right now today, I don't see something changing. And then, until we have some more time to visit on it tomorrow

and see who's available. Mike Vrabel talked about Peter Skowronski's status. He said he didn't know whether it was more likely or less likely for Peter Skowronski to play against the Bengals. But when Vrabel says that, until we have time to talk about it tomorrow and see who's available for the Bengals. In my mind, that's, hey, if Peter Skowronski is available,

we're going to change the offensive line or we're going to at least consider it. Now, I personally will be shocked if Mike Vrabel changes the offensive line this quick. Even if Skowronski is back, I would be shocked if Radins played or Duncan played over Andre Dillard at left tackle

or Skowronski for that matter. I would be shocked. But the fact that Mike Vrabel is saying we'll talk about it tomorrow, he's not even shutting it down entirely. He's saying, hey, we're going to discuss it, how to beat the Bengals. To me, that is a good sign that Mike Vrabel is at least considering this. He's not even shutting it down entirely. He's saying, hey, we're going to discuss it, how to beat the Bengals. To me, that is a good sign that Mike Vrabel is at least considering this.

He's at least having an open mind to the changes. And again, for me, I want to see Dylan Radins at left tackle. I want to keep Peter Skowronski at left guard. Let Aaron Brewer stay at center with Brunskill and Hubbard at right guard and right tackle, respectfully. That is what I want to see. If you make a change, if you make a change,

it needs to be Dylan Raines at left tackle, the position that he played in college. Keep Skowronski at left guard, where he's going to be a pro bowler, an all pro at left guard. And like I said on Sunday's recap, in the Tennessee Titans' future, they could have a pro bowl, all pro level guard in Peter Skowronski. They need to get a new left tackle next to him. The end goal is not moving Skowronski to left tackle.

Okay? So just keep him at left guard. Let Radins try at left tackle. By the time that fails, if it fails, NPF will be back from his suspension. Let him try it at left tackle. If Mike Vrabel is going to keep Ryan Tannehill in it, if Mike Vrabel is going to continue to sell, Mike Vrabel was outside of the locker room yesterday as the guys were going back inside after the loss, telling the veterans, it's a long season.

It's a long season. Selling hope. Selling hope. Well, to be able to sell hope to this team, you have to keep trying at left tackle. You cannot just leave Andre Dillard in there all year at this rate. Andre Dillard leads the NFL in sacks allowed six

by double amongst offensive tackles. The next closest offensive tackle, I think it's a guy from San Francisco, has given up three sacks. Andre Dillard, six. Double the next closest offensive tackle in I think it's a guy from San Francisco, has given up three sacks, Andre Dillard six. Double the next closest offensive tackle in the NFL. You cannot sell that to the veterans in the group. You cannot ride that like you rode Dennis Daly last year. You can't. You cannot do that.

Not with Dylan Radins on the bench. Not with MPF back from suspension. So again, Radins at left tackle, Skowronski at left guard, Brewer, Brunskill, Hubbard,

leave as much of it the same as you can. Just try someone else out at left tackle. That's all there is to it. And I think Vrabel's quote leaves me a little bit of optimism. I also want to say this. If the Titans cut Andre Dillard after the season, it's $7 million in dead cap. They're expected to have $80 million in salary cap space.

I don't care about the $7 million. Don't listen to people who tell you that the Titans signed Andre Dillard to a three-year deal worth $29 million. Do not listen to those people. That is not how the contract actually operates. The Titans can get rid of Andre Dillard next year, $7 million in dead cap with $80 million in cap space. Who cares?

All right, so let's not act like the Titans made some long-term financial commitment decision to Dillard that is dumb. He's a lottery ticket with plenty of financial freedom going forward. So everybody just relax on that. But Mike Vrabel sounds open to it, and I think he needs to make some changes. Let Dylan Radins get a shot. When Peter Skowronski is back, that's the key. You don't do anything until you get Skowronski back in the fold.

But with that being said, do want to move forward. Talk about Ryan Tannehill's status with this team. Also, the Titans added a fan favorite back to the practice squad. I'll tell you who that is as well before we get into it, though. Do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, America's number one sportsbook. Right now, new customers get $200 in bonus bets

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That's FanDuel,'s edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. It's kind of a talk it out Tuesday. I know we normally have a tic-tac Tuesday and go over the film, but after you lose 27-3, there's really not much on tape to discuss. Rather, kind of go over some of these talking points and some of these debates and conversations that everyone's having within the Tennessee Titans community. We talked about Mike Vrabel's job status.

He's not on the hot seat and he won't be this season. We talked about some changes that could come on the offensive line and how Mike Vrabel's quote sounds like he was open to it. Now I want to talk about the quarterback situation. Of course, thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen. I got a lot of content coming your way tomorrow.

We're going to have some film discussion. We'll look ahead to the Cincinnati Bengals game based on what happens with the Bengals on Monday Night Football, which some of you guys are probably listening to this on Tuesday. This is recorded before Monday Night Football, so we'll dive into more of that on Wednesday's show. The YouTube people get so mad that they get their podcasts and their show a little early. But either way, moving right along,

we got tomorrow's show, crossover Thursday, game plan Friday, reactions on Sunday. Make sure you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. It's your team every day. But Mike Vrabel is not ready to bench Ryan Tannehill. So I am just going to take a moment

to speak to the people who are expecting that to happen, who are hoping, who think that should happen. This quote right here from Mike Frable. Quote, I'm also going to think the Saints and certainly the Browns

are going to be two of the better defenses in the league. On the road, you have to be really good. Against those two defenses, we were not. We're going to get back to work. As I was just talking about last segment, Mike Vrabel was telling the veterans when they were coming back to the locker room after the loss,

it's a long season. It's a long season. Mike Vrabel always says the teams that continue to improve throughout the season are the teams that play the longest. Okay. Okay. That that that is all real solid coach speakish. It certainly is. But what all

of this tells me is Mike Vrabel ain't benching Ryan Tannehill. That's not something that's going to happen again until after week six. I said this last week. I'm going to say it again now. If the Titans are 1-5 or 2-4 after six games, then you bench Tannehill. You go to London against the Ravens.

If you come home from that 1-5 or 2-4, you bench Ryan Tannehill, you go to one of the young guys over the bye week, and then you come back out for the second half of your schedule, which is easier, and you see what you have in your young guys. If Willis doesn't cut it, you put in Levis. If Levis doesn't cut it,

you go back to Willis and you just go back and forth until you figure out which guy is worth having or if none of them are worth having. Because that's all that, if the Titans get to 2-4 or 1-5, all that matters going forward is who's playing quarterback next year.

That is the only thing that matters. Trade Tannehill if you can. Trade Henry if you can. Trade Bayard as sad as it makes me to say it. I mean, it breaks my heart to say that. I love Kevin Bayard. He's my favorite Titan ever. But what are we doing here if the Titans

are 1-5 at the bye week? So, what Vrabel said right there, I mean, think about it. He's saying, I think the Saints and the Browns are going to be two of the better defenses in the league on the road.

You know what those are? Excuses. Oh, it's not that our offense is bad. Our offense is way better than it looks. We just played two really good defenses. Oh, it's not that our offense is bad. Our offense is way better than it looks. We just played two really good defenses. Oh, it's not that we were terrible. It's that we were on the road. Hey, it's a long season.

Mike Vrabel is not admitting right now. Whether he should or not is not what I'm saying. But I'm saying Mike Vrabel is not admitting defeat right now. Mike Vrabel is not saying, oh, we can't make the playoffs. Mike Vrabel isn't saying, oh, we can't win a Super Bowl. He isn't saying that yet. And his words here and his actions yesterday after the game just prove it. Don't expect Malik Willis or Will Levis to play this week, the week after.

Again, after week six, go to the bye week, install a young quarterback. Mike Vrabel hasn't given up until then. That's what I feel, and that's what I hear from these words from Mike Vrabel. He's telling us, we just played against two good defenses. We're going to be better. That's what he's telling you. So just trying to make sure you set your expectations in the right place. But either way, either way,

that is going to do it for today's show. I'll be back with you guys tomorrow for What's Next Wednesday, Crossover Thursday after Game Plan Friday. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.