Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans MUST CALL Mike Williams, Joe Mixon on Bargain Deal & Defensive Dumpster Dives

Episode Date: February 21, 2024

The Tennessee Titans are focused on free agency, but there should be a slew of new names hitting the market soon who are cut by other NFL teams for cap reasons. One of those expected names is Mike Williams and the Titans need to call him on the first day that they can. Next, there will be some running backs who should be available that could fit, but Joe Mixon makes the most sense with price and familiarity. Finally, on the defensive side the Titans could find some value in the secondary including a potential reunion with Kevin Byard.Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSubscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitansSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!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.NissanOur friends at Nissan have a lineup of SUV’s with the capabilities to take your adventure to the next level. Take the Nissan Rogue, Nissan Pathfinder, or Nissan Armada and go find your next big adventure. Shop NissanUSA.com.BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON today to get 10% off your first month.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelGet buckets with your first bet on FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – if your bet wins! 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 need to call Mike Williams. We're going dumpster diving 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 FanDuel. Make every moment more. Right now, new customers

get $150 in bonus bets with any winning $5 bet. That's $150. If your bet wins, visit fanduel.com slash locked on to get started. We're going dumpster diving on today's show. Who are some candidates that could be cut by other teams who make sense for the Titans? I am going to start with Mike Williams from the Los Angeles Chargers. Before I get into it, I do want to 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. Shout out to my everydayers out there tuning in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys.

And throw a thumbs up on the video if you're watching on YouTube right now. The show is always free. All I ask for in return is the press of a button. Also want to let you guys and throw a thumbs up on the video if you're watching on YouTube right now. The show is always free. All I ask for in return is the press of a button. Also want to let you guys know next week is Combine Week and the NFL news and the NFL transactions are going to come fast and furious. So make sure that you stay locked in with me here on the Locked on Titans podcast so you're getting all of the latest news, not only for the Titans, but the stuff around the NFL that can impact the Titans,

like potential cut candidates. So before we dive into this precisely, I want to remind you guys of something that President of Football Operations, Chad Brinker, said on his recent interview with the OTP. He said that one of the biggest places of value that the Titans are going to be looking at is other people's cap casualties. People who were cut by other teams who were good players, but those teams just needed to save money. And one of those players at the top of my list is Mike Williams, the wide receiver from the Los Angeles Chargers. And to start out and be honest, there is major risk with Mike Williams.

There's no other way to slice it. In the last 51 possible games, so the last three seasons, he's only played 32 of them. So he only played three games last year. Major injury risk. I am acknowledging that. But let's go through why it could make sense for the Titans to get Mike Williams in Nashville. Number one, his last full season, 2021, 76 catches, 1,146 yards and nine touchdowns. When the guy plays football, he is a really, really good player. All right. Also, he fits the mold of what Will Levis needs. Six foot four, 218 pounds. Those are very similar measurements to a guy like T. Higgins, who everybody wants the most. Now, of course, Mike Williams is 29 years old, and like I mentioned on

yesterday's show, with age comes more often to be injured. All right, that's a reality, and we're seeing that here, but one thing that I want everyone to keep in mind as we have these conversations about wide receivers, I would love T. Higgins. I would love Mike Evans. I would love Calvin Ridley. I would love Michael Pittman. Sure, sure, I would. But there is a large, large chance,

a very high chance, that all four of those guys go back to their teams. T. Higgins is going to get tagged. The Colts aren't going to let Michael Pittman leave. Calvin Ridley back to the Jags. Why would Tampa Bay let Mike Evans leave when he's been there his entire career and got 1,000 yards every year?

So yeah, if these guys hit free agency, obviously I would prefer them over Mike Williams. But let's remove those guys who may not even hit free agency in the first place and look at some of the options we talked about in recent days. Like yesterday, I talked about Gabe Davis, Darnell Mooney, Tyler Boyd. Those may be the top wide receivers on the market.

Hollywood Brown, who I like for the Titans to add speed on the outside, but a lot of you guys seem to not like him very much. So if you got Gabe Davis, Darnell Mooney, Tyler Boyd, Marquise Brown, like, to me, why would you pay Gabe Davis three years, $36 million, when you could do a one-year prove-it deal with Mike Williams and see if he can stay healthy and see if he can be productive. I would rather do a short-term prove-it deal with Mike Williams

who has more talent than Gabe Davis or Tyler Boyd or Darnell Moody than give one of those guys a multi-year contract to lock them in. Like, basically, I would rather take a boom or bust one-year prove-it deal with a guy like Mike Williams than give a multi-year contract to guys like Gabe Davis and Darnell Mooney. Like, I would rather take the risk. And that's if T. Higgins, Calvin Ridley, Mike Evans, Michael Pittman, if those guys are not available, the top tier names don't hit the market

and the Titans have to pivot, I still want them to add people in free agency. But again, I would rather take a one-year prove-it deal on a big risk like Mike Williams that doesn't hurt you into the future because it's a one-year prove-it deal where you have the money to give a one-year $10 million deal to Mike Williams and see what he can give you.

I would rather go that route than give a multi-year deal to a player who I don't think is as talented as Mike Williams. And there are those of you out there who believe that the Titans should have drafted Mike Williams instead of Corey Davis. Well, let's close that loop. Let's bring it full circle. And we talk about T. Higgins being a Clemson guy. Mike Williams, Clemson guy. So there's that connection with DeAndre Hopkins, and maybe that would make sense for the Titans again. Let me know down below how you feel about this, but I would much rather give a one-year prove-it deal to Mike Williams

to see who he can be than give a multi-year deal to Gabe Davis or Darnell Mooney. It's not even a question in my mind. Some other names that could be available at wide receiver, though, that could be cut by other teams. Again, Mike Williams is going to save the Chargers $20 million when they cut him. So expect him to be cut. Some other names like that.

Marquez Valdez-Scantling. Now, we're talking $4 or $5 million here. That would be a one-year, $5 million deal. The Titans aren't getting anywhere close to any kind of money. Again, I would rather give a one-year deal to 6'4", 200-pound Marquez Valdez Scantling for $5 million than give Gabe Davis three years for $12 million

or Darnell Moody three years for $10 million. Like, to me, it's all about the risk and the value that can be there. And I just don't, I don't understand. I already explained why I don't understand the Gabe Davis, Darnell Moody, Tyler Boyd stuff. So I absolutely would like a one-year $5 million deal, one-year $6 million deal for MVS than I would those guys. And MVS has missed one game in the last two seasons,

and seven games and his entire six-year career so a guy who's out there on the field can be a deep threat catch the ball down the field I like those options on one-year deals and you know a little risk involved way more than I like multi-year deals for c plus b minus level players that I don't really think make a difference. All right. So with that being said, though, do want to move forward here. Talk about some other options on offense because there are some running backs and some offensive linemen who are probably going to get cut by their teams who could make sense. And some of them, I don't think make any sense for the Titans. So we're going to get into those in just a moment before we do.

sense for the Titans. So we're going to get into those in just a moment. Before we do, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Sometimes we all need the opportunity to get something off our chest, whether it be big or small, certain things can really start to get to you. And it's important to let that out, especially to someone who's unbiased on your life. So today I want to say how I really feel about something. You might even be thinking the same thing and I explained it already. I do not want the Titans to go out and pay big free agent contracts for B-level players. All right, for C-plus level players, it would absolutely make me pull my hair out.

Now, I mean that figuratively because I ain't never pulling out this hair. But you guys know what I mean, and I'm sure some of you feel exactly the same. Therapy can be different for everyone. And look, I know that a lot of us have much bigger problems than what our favorite sports team is doing. But either way, it's important to get things off of your chest every once in a while. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online. It's designed

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Titans fans, let's continue today's dumpster dive edition of the Locked on Titans podcast going over guys who should be cut or expected to be cut by their current team who could make sense for the Titans as free agents. I just explained why it is a risk. I admit it's a risk, but I would rather go with Mike Williams than some of the other B-level options on the free agent market. Now I want to dive into other positions, including O-line, running back. We're going to get some defensive guys like Joey Bosa

at the end of today's show. Before I dive into all of that, thank you 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 to the number one Tennessee Titans podcast in the world. But with that being said,

running back, running back is an interesting spot because again, I don't want to pay top tier money at running back. I don't want to pay seven, $8 million for Derek Henry, $10 million for Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard. I'm absolutely out of that business. The Titans have been focused on running back and defense for too long. It's time to evolve. It's time to move on.

The Titans are eating that dead cap hit for Derrick Henry, $4 million, no matter what now. They didn't extend him before the void deadline. We talked about that earlier this week. My everydayers will remember. So no matter what you do at running back, you're going to pay that $4 million in dead money for Derrick Henry.

All right? So you got to just let that go. It's a sunk cost. So with that though, rather than paying $4 million in dead money for Derrick Henry and giving him another $8, $7, $9, $10 million on top of that for this year, I'd rather just go with someone half the price. I've been mentioning options on the free agent market

for the last few weeks now that I think make a ton of sense. Zach Moss, Devin Singletary, DeAndre Swift, Deontay Foreman, A.J. Dillon, like the list goes on. And the list continues here because Because there are some running backs who could be cut by their teams. Number one being Joe Mixon. And look, Joe Mixon, as a person, may not be the best guy ever.

I think, like most people in human history, he's done some good. He's done some bad. You know what I mean? Not excusing the actions, but just saying, if you want to go through every football player on earth and figure out if they're a good or bad person,

you're going to find a mixed bag. And Joe Mixon is a mixed bag, admittedly. But Mixon represents exactly the kind of running back that the Tennessee Titans need. And he would be a perfect fit with Tajay Spears. He can run with power between the tackles, versatile to run all the routes out of the backfield, very good at catching the ball out of the backfield,

very good at catching the ball out of the backfield. He may not be a great pass blocker, but Tajay Spears is good in pass protection. So good balance there. And would be able to absorb a large portion of the load that has to be absorbed at the running back position. So Mixon and Spears, and obviously you add in that Joe Mixon came from Cincinnati. He's going to know what Brian Callahan wants.

He's going to know how the offense works. He's going to know the terminology. So, he's going to be able to fit in right away. So, whether it be the role that they need, whether it be the familiarity, whether it be the price tag, Joe Mixon isn't going to be getting the money that Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry and Tony Pollard and, well, I wouldn't even include Tony Pollard. I think the shine is off that, right? But Saquon, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, like Joe Mixon isn't getting that ever again, okay? He's going to be around four, five million dollars at maximum., would you rather pay Derrick Henry $12 million total

with the dead money and his new money, or would you rather pay Joe Mixon $8 million, $9 million? I mean, I know a lot of you are going to say, well, Derrick Henry at $12 million. My answer is clear. I want the more versatile running back who knows the system, who's cheaper. You add that with Tajay Spears for

a million dollars, now you have a good running back room for less than 10 million. I mean, that is the best you can do here, in my opinion. Now, there are other names who have been mentioned as potential cut candidates at running back. I saw Alvin Kamara, Aaron Jones. Number one, there's no way that the Packers are going to cut Aaron Jones. He fits too well there. He's exactly what they need for the Green Bay Packers. I don't think that that's going to happen. Maybe there's a restructure, an extension,

something like that to take down the cap hit. But Green Bay has so many resources. They're not in dire need. The Saints, on the other hand, though, they're like $80 million over the cap. Okay, so they're going to have to restructure some deals. They're going to have to cut some people to be able to get cap healthy. Okay?

And while I don't think, I don't actually think Alvin Kamara gets cut. I do think Joe Mixon gets cut. I do think Mike Williams gets cut. I do think MBS gets cut. I don't think that Alvin Kamara or Aaron Jones end up getting cut. So would I be interested? Especially interested in Alvin Kamara. That would be up getting cut. So would I be interested? Especially interested in Alvin Kamara. That would be something that I

would look at, but I don't really think either of those guys end up hitting the market at the end of the day. But Joe Mixon, that would make a ton of sense and he would fall right in line with those other value options, that running back, that makes sense. Now on the offensive line, there are two names that look like they for sure

will be cut by their team. Number one, David Bakhtiari from the Green Bay Packers, and number two, DJ Humphrey from the Arizona Cardinals. I'm not interested in either. Number one, David Bakhtiari's knee is shredded. All right, Taylor LeJuan quit playing football because he had a bad knee surgery that didn't allow his ACL to return to repair, allegedly, according to him. He filed suit, you know what I mean? And David Bakhtiari is like if Taylor LeJuan kept playing with his torn up knee that never healed.

Like Bakhtiari cannot stay on the field. He cannot stay healthy. And he's going to get cut and go to the Jets to play with Aaron Rodgers anyway. And then the Jets are going to have to deal with his injury history. So at the end of the day, David Bakhtiari is one of the best left tackles of the last 10 years. But that time is over, okay? He's just not healthy enough to be that player.

And then DJ Humphries played 15 games last year. At his age, 30 years old, I just, it's not, the thing is I don't want to just go out and give money, you know, give multi-year deals to guys just to spend the money. I don't want to just go spend the money to spend the money. The Titans need to spend money on people who can actually make a difference. Alright? And DJ Humphrey's going to be better than the left tackle the Titans have had

for the last three years. That's true. But is it an elite tackle? Is it somebody who can be your tackle for years to come? I don't think so. Because if he was still that, then the Cardinals wouldn't be getting rid of him. The Cardinals are not in a situation

where they're desperately trying to find money. You know what I mean? So it would just be a, hey, you're not worth what we're paying you. We're going to go with other options. They might draft Joe Ault at the end of the day. Number four, Marvin Harrison Jr. is gone at three. So

I would not be interested. Again, you need to find your left tackle in the draft. You need to find your left tackle in the draft. Period. Period. Point blank. Period. You can find a right tackle in free agency. Fine. You can add a center in free agency. Fine. But go around the NFL.

The good left tackles were drafted by their team early in a lot of cases. So that's where I'm at on that. I'm not interested in either of those older guys. Finally, tight end, C.J. Uzama. Look, the Titans have Chigakonkwo and Josh Wiley as their top two tight ends. They need a tight end that can block as their number three. C.J. Uzama, who can block, who can still add some value in the passing game, unlike Trevon Wesko.

And again, the Callahan connection knows the offense, knows the system, will know what's asked of him. I think C.J. Uzama with Chigakonko and Josh Wiley would be a perfect fit. I like Mixon. I like Uzama. I like Mike Williams. I mean, these are all options that would make sense for value, value contracts. Great values for the

Titans. But with that being said, we gotta talk defense because names like Joey Bosa and Kevin Bayard could be available for the Tennessee Titans. So we're going to talk about that before we do. Do you want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook.

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make sure that you visit FanDuel.com slash Locked On. That's L-O-C-K-E-D-O-N and shoot your shot. FanDuel, official sportsbook partner of the NBA. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We're going over some cut candidates from around the NFL

who could make sense for the Tennessee Titans. As a reminder, President of Football Operations Chad Brinker mentioned these guys directly in his interview with the OTP, talked about cap cuts are guys that present tremendous value for teams around the NFL. Those are names that the Titans, or guys that the Titans

are going to be interested in. We talked about the ones on the offensive side of the ball that make sense for me. Now I want to talk about the defensive guys. Before I do, I want to remind you guys that Locked On has launched the first ever national sports 24-7 streaming channel. It's on YouTube and now it's also available on Amazon Fire TV and the free Fire TV channels app.

It's called Locked On Sports Today. That's right, Locked On Sports Today. Again, it's here for you 24-7 covering the top sports stories of the day with local experts from Locked On plus coverage from every league from our national shows like Locked On NFL, which I do on Thursdays. Find Locked On Sports today. Now available on the free Fire TV channels app. But Joey Bosa

is the first name that comes to mind. And again, the Chargers have to save money. They're way over the cap. So they're going to be making some tough decisions. Now Joey Bosa is the first name that comes to mind. And again, the Chargers have to save money. They're way over the cap. So they're going to be making some tough decisions. Now, Joey Bosa is a guy like Mike Williams who simply cannot stay healthy. All right? He simply can't.

And unlike Mike Williams, I don't think Joey Bosa is going to come in any kind of bargain. There's not going to be any bargain value to Joey Bosa. He's still going to want a big contract. He's still going to want to show or want to say that he's healthy. He's ready to go. And look, when he's healthy, he is one of the best edge rushers in the NFL. That's a fact.

But you're not going to get enough bargain to deal with the risk. With Mike Williams, I'm like, okay, one-year deal, $10 million. There is risk involved, but that's a very risk-averse contract. That would be worth it for the bargain. But if I'm not getting a good discount on Joey Bosa, then what am I doing? Especially when Harold Andrews is making $20 million. Especially when Jeffrey Simmons is making $20 million.

Especially when Arden Key is making $7 million. Especially when they might bring Danico Autry back for $7 million. When you have that much money in your defensive line, you cannot afford to go out and get a Joey Bosa with the risk involved without getting a tremendous bargain. And just my personal opinion, the bargain is not going to be there. So I'm out on Joey Bosa

unless something drastic changes in terms of what he is going to command on the free agent market or unless I'm just entirely wrong about his market out there. And I don't think I am. I don't think you're going to get a super huge discount for Joey Bosa. So, with that being said, I'm not interested at other positions. Cornerback, Trey White from the Buffalo Bills probably is going to get cut, but he's coming back from a torn ACL

or a torn Achilles, had a torn ACL the other year. Just tough to come back from those injuries, but a guy who I am interested in and I don't think that he gets cut. I don't. But if he does, Zavian Howard from the Miami Dolphins. So, LeJarius Sneed, Jalen Johnson, top names on the market, for sure. Will the Chiefs let LeJarius Sneed go? I doubt it.

Will the Bears let Jalen Johnson go at 24 years old? I doubt it. You know what I mean? But if the Dolphins cut Zavian Howard, now, there is a top-tier quarterback who's a little bit older. He's not as, you know, young as Jalen Johnson, a little bit older, but is still at the top of his game, still in his prime. I think adding Zabian Howard would make a ton of sense.

He can play press man. He can play zone. He's played in the Fangio zone defense. He's played press man like we saw a ton from him last year when they kind of evolved their defense. So he can do a little bit of everything, and I think that would be a perfect fit for the Titans as a number one corner. I think Xavier Howard would be a good dumpster dive option. At safety, Kevin Byard probably getting cut by the Eagles.

You bring back KB for cheap, just saying. Just saying. I would be open to that saying, just saying, I would be open to that reunion, alright? I would be open there. Marcus May from the Saints, not so interested in there. Guy who plays with physicality, but gonna struggle in coverage. Quandre

Diggs from the Seahawks would make some sense. I still think Quandre Diggs is a good player. Had a little bit of a down year last year, but the years before that, he was cooking, man. He was one of the better safeties in the league. So I think he would be worth a shot at a bargain deal. I saw Justin Simmons from the Broncos as a potential cut candidate. I just don't think the Broncos get rid of Justin Simmons. I know they need to make some moves. They need to change things up, but I just don't see that as a logical option because I don't

think the Broncos are going to get rid of Justin Simmons if they do though. I still think he's going to command too much money to make sense for the Titans. There are so many decent safeties out there this year. It just doesn't make sense to pay one top dollar. It really doesn't. Finally, linebacker CJ Mosley from the Jets. That would be a good bargain option. I mean, Mosley isn't going to command huge dollars at his age. So to me, I think C.J. Mosley could be right in that range of, you know, five, six million dollars for a linebacker per year. And I think that that would be a smart route to go

rather than play top tier money or try to draft somebody super high. Draft linebackers in the late rounds. It's been proven that you can hit on guys there and then find values like the Titans did with Aziz Alshire last year. That is what my plan would be at linebacker. But let me know down below which one of these dumpster options

which cut candidates around the NFL you think makes sense for the Titans. I'm going to be back with you guys tomorrow. I think we're going to be looking at perfect fits for the Titans. I'm going to be back with you guys tomorrow. I think we're going to be looking at perfect fits for the Titans and free agency from outside sources. But as always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.