Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans MUST FIRE Mike Vrabel if No Will Levis, Trade Vrabel to Patriots & Dillon Radunz Must Play

Starting point is 00:00:00 if Mike Vrabel plays Ryan Tannehill over Will Levis, he should be fired by the Tennessee Titans. We'll 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,

Starting point is 00:00:23 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 LinkedIn Jobs. LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to faster. Post your job for free at linkedin.com

Starting point is 00:00:56 slash locked on NFL. That's linkedin.com slash locked on NFL. Post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. The Titans should fire Mike Vrabel if he plays Ryan Tannehill over Will Levis. The Tennessee Titans should trade Mike Vrabel if they can get a first round pick for him. And the Titans have to play Dylan Radins as a starter. We're going to get into all of that on today's show.

Starting point is 00:01:20 Before we do, I 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 long on all apps, always for free. Not going to beat that anywhere else, so make sure you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. It's your team every day. Shout out to my

Starting point is 00:01:37 everydayers out there. Tune in Monday through Friday if you aren't an everydayer and you need to be one. And I want to give an apology to my everydayers. I said I was going to do a bonus episode on Friday, but I'm sure some of you guys can hear I'm a tad bit under the weather. I've been pretty sick all weekend. So for the betterment of my health and the rest of this week,

Starting point is 00:01:55 I had to nix that. But I'm back with you guys, of course, for today's opening week episode. Let's talk about this because I think that Mike Vrabel absolutely should be fired if he plays Ryan Tannehill over Will Levis. And as a matter of fact, I think Mike Vrabel would be trying to get fired if he played Ryan Tannehill over Will Levis, honestly. Like, it would be a fireable

Starting point is 00:02:18 offense to the point where Mike Vrabel knows that it would be a fireable offense at some point. Like, there's no way that he doesn't understand that. Okay? So, let me just say this. I think that Mike Vrabel is a good coach. I know a lot of you guys hate Mike Vrabel. You think he's terrible.

Starting point is 00:02:36 I'm sorry, but you don't go to the AFC Championship game after being 2-4. You don't lead the Titans roster in 2021 to 12-5 in a No. 1 seed. And they should have won that game. It was more Tannehill's fault. You don't do all that if you 2021 to 12-5 in a No. 1 seed, and they should have won that game. It was more Tannehill's fault. You don't do all that if you aren't a good coach, okay? But is Mike Vrabel a great coach? I don't know. I think he's in the top half of the NFL.

Starting point is 00:02:55 Maybe he's in the top third. You know what I mean? Maybe he's in the top 12, top 10, somewhere in there. But could you do better? Could you find better? I absolutely think that you could, and you look around the NFL, and let's just have an honest conversation here. Most of the good teams are led by offensive-minded head coaches. It's just the reality, okay? You got

Starting point is 00:03:19 John Harbaugh with the Ravens, who's pretty good. Obviously, Mike Tomlin was more of a special teams guy as well. Sean McDermott in Buffalo. If you're going AFC stuff, but I mean, Eagles, the Chiefs, the Lions now, the Bengals. Like, you know, it just, it is what it is. Okay? I think that's a reality that you have to point to and a trend that you have to point to in the NFL.

Starting point is 00:03:43 All right, and look, Mike Vrabel has his warts here. Okay. Mike Vrabel looks like he wants to win every football game 12 to nothing. Okay. That's the way he coaches. And he says in his press conference, yeah, we need to run the ball. We need to stop the run. And I get you do need to do those things.

Starting point is 00:04:01 But the reality is there are more important things in the NFL nowadays. Efficient passing games, pass defense. Those the reality is there are more important things in the NFL nowadays. Efficient passing games. Pass defense. Those are the things that are most important. Alright? Also, some of the personnel things. Like Josh Reynolds. Not on this team. Kalief Raymond. Not on this team. A guy like Amon Ross St. Brown. Not drafted to this team. The Titans don't have any speed at wide receiver, any deep speed whatsoever because Mike Vrabel is so committed to the wide

Starting point is 00:04:31 receivers. Everybody needs to play special teams. I mean, Traylon Burks played special teams last year at the beginning of the year. Why are you playing your first round wide receiver on special teams? Did the Eagles do that with Devontae Smith? Did the Vikings do that with Justin Jefferson? Like, what are we doing here? What are we doing here? So there are just some weird things that Mike Vrabel does as like an old school mentality coach that I just don't think are as important as they used to be.

Starting point is 00:04:56 All right. And let's look at this from the Levis angle. Just alone on this particular decision. Will Levis might be better than Ryan Tannehill right now. Now, Will Levis creates some more turnover-worthy plays than Ryan Tannehill. That's for sure. He's more risky. But he also has more reward because of his arm and athleticism

Starting point is 00:05:15 and his confidence as a young player, not scared in the pocket. Will Levis has to play. This team is 3-5. The roster is not good enough for a deep playoff run. They've lost to Kenny Pickett in the Steelers. They've lost to washed-up Deshaun Watson. I mean, like, they've lost to Derek Carr.

Starting point is 00:05:33 What are we doing here? They lost to Gardner Mitchell. What are we doing here? The only thing that matters for this season is the development of Will Levis and the development of the young players who might be here next year. And if Mike Vrabel isn't committed to that vision,

Starting point is 00:05:50 if Mike Vrabel isn't understanding that that is where this team's at, then he absolutely should be fired because he clearly is not the coach for this Tennessee Titans team. I think Mike Vrabel would be a good head coach and if he takes over a good roster, and let me just say this, I don't think that Mike Vrabel regressed as a coach like some people think.

Starting point is 00:06:11 The roster regressed. I still think Vrabel is a good coach. But even with a good roster, I don't think that he's irreplaceable. So if Vrabel wants to play Tannehill over Levis, if Vrabel doesn't understand where this team is, matter of fact, Mike Vrabel had Will Levis inactive for six weeks. What are we doing? How does that happen? And I'm sure we could go through all the years and all the strange decisions that happen. Why does a guy like Rashard Matthews just quit on the team? Why does a guy

Starting point is 00:06:44 like Tyson Braylow just quit on the team? Why does a guy like Tyson Braylow just quit on the team? Mike Vrabel hijacks defensive play calling from Dean Pease in the second half of the AFC Championship game in 2019. There are enough examples here. Mike Vrabel keeping with Todd Downing for two years. I think Mike Vrabel is

Starting point is 00:06:59 a good coach, but there are enough offenses here, and if he does this and plays Tannehill over Levis, like, I'm sorry at some point, enough is enough. He's a good coach, but he's not so good that he's irreplaceable. So, if Mike Rabel

Starting point is 00:07:14 plays Tannehill over Will Levis, he should be fired. It's that simple to me. It's really that simple, but with that being said, should the Titans trade Mike Rabel to the New England Patriots? According to a new rumor from the Patriots side of things, that's something the Patriots could be interested in. And if that's the case,

Starting point is 00:07:35 I'll pack Mike Rabel's bags myself. So we'll talk about that trade plus how Dylan Radins needs to start on the offensive line. We're going to talk about all of that in just a moment. But, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. Look, guys. LinkedIn Jobs is the place to go if you are looking for great hires.

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Starting point is 00:09:04 Terms and conditions do apply. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Just talked about how I think Mike Grable should be fired if he plays Ryan Tannehill over Will Levis. It doesn't make any sense for this team. But now I want to talk about a different option that the Titans could have to get rid of Mike Grable, and that is to trade him to the New England Patriots, which is something that we heard about from the Patriots side of things

Starting point is 00:09:44 over the weekend. So before I get into that, I want to thank you guys for from the Patriots side of things over the weekend. So before I get into that, I 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. It's your team every day here on the Locked on Titans podcast. Make sure you throw a thumbs up on the video. Also, would you fire Mike Vrabel if he played Ryan Tannehill over Will Levis? Let me know down below in the comments.

Starting point is 00:10:05 Do want to remind you guys also, Friday, 2 p.m. Eastern, at Locked On NFL Kickoff Live, you got three excellent hosts. You got insights from all the local hosts like me for the Titans. They're going to get you ready for your fantasy matchups, your gambling bets,

Starting point is 00:10:19 just the whole entire weekend. It's excellent. Remember, Friday, 2 p.m. Eastern, and you don't got to do anything. It'll be out on the Locked On Titans YouTube channel, so make sure you guys check that out. But we got a report over the weekend from Ben Volan of the Boston Globe. And look, Ben Volan is not like the reports you heard about Amy Adams-Strunk nixing the Derrick Henry trade from like these independent offbeat Ravens reporters.

Starting point is 00:10:47 No. Ben Volan has been a respected media member in Boston for the Boston Globe for quite some time. Okay. So this is not some offshore independent reporting. Ben Volan said that Mike Vrabel is believed to be the home run choice, quote unquote, home run choice of Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots. Voland even tweeted that the dream

Starting point is 00:11:14 scenario for the Patriots coaching staff would be Mike Vrabel at head coach, Josh McDaniels back at OC, and then Jerron Mayo, the former linebacker, who's the defensive coordinator now at defensive coordinator. And Volan said this in his article that it seems increasingly likely that this season is Belichick's last in Foxborough. He just got an extension, but apparently the Belichick extension only runs through 2024. So it would only be one year for Robert Kraft to pay Belichick to fire him. And we know Robert Kraft has that money. Volan also added, two sources close to

Starting point is 00:11:51 the Patriots have independently said the same thing. They believe Vrabel, currently the Titans coach, is Kraft's home run choice to succeed Bill Belichick. Now, what is even more interesting is this nugget from Ben Volley. The Titans are 3-5, and their roster has fallen on hard times the last two years, mostly outside of Vrabel's control. General Manager John Robinson got fired. Will Levis might be the answer at quarterback,

Starting point is 00:12:23 but it's way too early to tell. I disagree. And there is chatter that Vrabel doesn't always see eye to eye with new GM Rand Carthon, who was a surprise outside hire. That is interesting. That last part is interesting. That last part is interesting. Vrabel doesn't always see eye to eye with new GM Rand Carthon. Now, let me connect some dots for you guys. So, we got conflicting reports before the trade deadline about what the Titans wanted to do with Derrick Henry. We got the Titans aren't trading Derrick Henry.

Starting point is 00:13:04 We got the Titans aren't trading Derrick Henry. We got the Titans aren't trading Derrick Henry, but they're still open to taking calls. We got that the Titans are shopping Derrick Henry. Like, we got conflicting reports. We got Diana Rossini making reports, but then we had Ian Rappaport making reports. To me, in my opinion, Mike Vrabel talks to Rossini and Rand Carthon talks to Ian Rappaport.

Starting point is 00:13:24 That's what I think is happening here. Okay? So, I think that it is possible that it's true. Vrabel and Carthon don't always see eye to eye, especially about what the future of this team is. So again, if Mike Vrabel plays Will Levis over Ryan Tannehill and the GM and the coach don't see eye to eye about the future of the team and who should be traded

Starting point is 00:13:52 and what they should do. And remember when Kevin Byard was traded he was asked what kind of message does this send to the locker room and Mike Grable said I'm sure everybody has their personal thoughts on it. I have my personal thoughts on it. So it's possible that Mike I'm sure everybody has their personal thoughts on it. I have my personal thoughts on it. But it, you know. So, it's possible that Mike Vrabel's personal thoughts on it were, you're cutting my knees out from under me, not helping me win. I don't want to do this. I'm not trading Kevin Byard.

Starting point is 00:14:18 So, I could see there being a void here of Rand Carthonse and Miss Amy. This team isn't good enough. John Robinson butchered the roster. We got to prioritize our young guys. We got to trade some of these veterans. And we got to get this team ready for when the new stadium opens. And I can see Mike Vrabel saying, no, I want to win right now. No, I don't want to trade guys.

Starting point is 00:14:37 We can still make a push. And being hard-headed like he has shown to be. Now, let me say this. If the Titans can trade Mike Vrabel to the Patriots, they absolutely have to do it. They have to. In 2000, the Patriots traded for Bill Belichick and gave up a first-round pick.

Starting point is 00:14:58 We just saw Sean Payton get traded for multiple picks. I would trade Mike Vrabel in a heartbeat if I could get a first-round pick back this year. Trade Mike Vrabel to the Patriots for a first round pick, maybe even a second round pick added onto it, and then go hire an offensive minded head coach, which if you look around the NFL, most of the best teams and the best offenses are led by offensive minded head coaches. So I really like Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator from the Detroit Lions. He's a guy who runs a similar system to what the Titans are trying to run based on the play action coaches. So I really like Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator from the Detroit Lions. He's a guy who runs a similar system to what the Titans are trying to run based on the play action and Jared golf. You know what I mean? I think that that would be a great offense

Starting point is 00:15:33 for Will Levis to play in. And then you hire a smart defensive mind and see what you can do there. Like I think that's a viable path forward for the Titans if they can trade Mike Vrabel. I really do. I mean, even if you don't like Ben Johnson per se, maybe Kellen Moore for the Chargers, Brian Johnson for the Eagles, who I liked as an OC choice before the year,

Starting point is 00:15:55 Frank Smith, the Dolphins offensive coordinator. I mean, Eric Biennemi, I guess, would be an option. I don't know if his personality fit is there with the struggles that he had early in Washington and the way they look now. I don't think that's my favorite choice, but I know a lot of you guys are interested in that. I mean, like I said, I think Vrabel's a good coach, but he's not so great that I'm not willing to trade him for a first-round pick and then replace him with an offensive-minded head coach to pair with my new young quarterback and go

Starting point is 00:16:23 with Rancar Thon's vision. Now, if any of this happens, if any of this happens, I will have to admit that I was wrong and that Rand Carthon wasn't hired to just be Mike Vrabel's assistant and be his grocery shopper. I would admit that that was wrong if this happens. If these reports are true, then maybe that is wrong. And I can admit that maybe I got that wrong. But I would rather the Titans do the right thing and me be wrong than the Titans do the wrong thing and me be right. I'll always side to that, okay? So, for me, if

Starting point is 00:16:55 Carthon and Vrabel don't see eye to eye, if Vrabel wants to play Tannehill over Levis, if the Patriots want to give up a first-round pick, remember Mike Vrabel was at New England getting inducted into the Hall of Fame not a couple weeks ago saying this place is different. But was smiling and yucking it up with Robert Kraft in the press box. It's not insane that they talked about him coming over. Okay? And it's not insane to think the Patriots would do it

Starting point is 00:17:19 because they've done it before if they think he's the right guy. So I think Mike Vrabel is a good coach So I think Mike Vrabel is a good coach. I think Mike Vrabel is a good coach, but I don't think he's irreplaceable. And again, if he makes crazy decisions that hurt the development of the future, and if the Patriots are willing to give up that, I would fire him or trade him in a second. I would pack his bags and I would trade him in a second. And I would go hire Ben Johnson of the Detroit Lions and make sure that he got an experienced defensive coordinator. Mike Rabel special teams. Mike Rabel is a defensive

Starting point is 00:17:49 guy and the defense has never been consistent. The offense has been sluggish multiple years in a row. There's good there, but there's just not enough good to justify not taking that offer and not making that change. So that's how I feel about that. Let me know. Would you guys make a trade? Would you trade

Starting point is 00:18:07 a, would you get a, sorry, sick, sorry. Would you trade Mike Vrabel for our first round pick in this year's draft from the Patriots? Would you do that? Because I sure would. But we are going to talk about another decision Mike Vrabel needs to make for the betterment of the future for the Tennessee Titans. Sorry, guys. I'm struggling. I'm trying to get through. And it has to do with playing Dylan Radins. So we're going to get into that in just a moment.

Starting point is 00:18:41 Before we do, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. Score early this NFL season with FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook. Right now, new customers get $150 in bonus bets with any winning $5 Moneyline bet. That's $150 if your team wins. If you've been thinking about joining FanDuel, there's no better time to get in on the action. The app is so easy to use. There's a wide range of betting options. You can do spreads, player props, over-unders, more, and a little early week teaser

Starting point is 00:19:09 for you guys, or spoiler for you guys. I'm betting on the Tennessee Titans this weekend against the Bucs. Just letting you guys know that. Now, visit FanDuel.com slash locked on. That's FanDuel.com slash L-O-C-K-E-D-O-N and kick off the NFL season right.

Starting point is 00:19:27 FanDuel, official partner of the NFL. Titans fans, we are going to cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland. Of course, make sure that you guys get subscribed, stay subscribed. It's Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year long, always for free. Shout out to my everydayers out there. Tomorrow, we're going to dive into the film,

Starting point is 00:20:04 break down Will Levis' second start against the Steelers. Also going to talk about some of the issues on defense in the run game. Also talk about the offensive line as well. And speaking of offensive line, I want to talk about Dylan Radins here. Because he had a really good performance against the Steelers. Against some great edge rushers once he came into the game. So we're going to talk about that before we do again. Thank you guys for making Locked on Titans your first listen.

Starting point is 00:20:26 But this is another one of those decisions where, and this is another one of those examples of Mike Vrabel's stubbornness, Mike Vrabel's unwillingness to do logical things sometimes. Just, it's frustrating. It's annoying. And it's part of those blind spots, I think, that make Mike Vrabel replaceable. Okay? And Radins has consistently been one of those players. All last year, 2022, Mike Vrabel

Starting point is 00:20:56 rolled out Dennis Daly at left tackle. And he was the worst left tackle in the NFL. And then, he plays Dylan Radins for 10 snaps. Radins looks good, and he tears his ACL. You go back to the year before that, Radins on the bench all year for Questenberry. And then, Dylan Radins plays one game

Starting point is 00:21:18 against the 49ers. He gets a lot of help. But they make Nick Bosa switch sides and go away from going against Dylan 49ers. He gets a lot of help. But they make Nick Bosa switch sides and go away from going against Dylan Radins. This guy can't break the lineup. So he comes back from ACL this year. Thought he played pretty well. Alright.

Starting point is 00:21:36 I was okay with sticking with the offensive line that they had, keep Radins on the bench, blah, blah, blah, that. But we have gotten further enough now and we have enough evidence now where we know. And let me just read some numbers to you guys from the game. Nicholas Petit-Ferrer played 10, 17 snaps in the game, 10 of them pass-blocking snaps. Gave up a sack

Starting point is 00:22:00 and 7 pressures. That means out of 10 passing plays the NPF was in, 7 pressures. That means out of 10 passing plays that MPF was in, seven pressures. 70% pressure rate. And look, Mike Rabel put MPF at left tackle over Andre Dillard and I'm cool with that. But,

Starting point is 00:22:16 MPF was terrible in pass protection against the Ravens too and Mike Rabel acted like he played significantly better. I don't agree. Okay? And then, Andre Dillard

Starting point is 00:22:27 comes back in. Andre Dillard, 71 steps. He had a 54.6 pass blocking grade, gave up a sack, and seven pressures as well. Not great, Bob. Not great.

Starting point is 00:22:42 Oh, by the way, NPF had a 14.0 pass blocking grade. PFF is whatever, but the pressures in the sacks and our eye test, you watched the game, right? I did. Tells us that NPF and Andre Dillard aren't starting tackles in the NFL. They are swing tackles. They are backups. Okay? So it's good to have those answers.

Starting point is 00:23:07 But then Dylan Radins comes in. Radins plays a lot of right tackle in the game. 58 snaps. 76 overall grade. 82.8 in run blocking. 66.8 in pass protection. Zero sacks allowed., gave up three pressures. I mean,

Starting point is 00:23:32 every time Radins comes in, he seems to look like one of the best five offensive linemen on the team. But Mike Frabel, for some reason, refuses to play the guy. And since he got drafted, it feels like he's been in the doghouse of Mike Frabel. I don't know what he did, but I am not the only person out there who says it seems like he's got something personal against Raidens.

Starting point is 00:23:54 I mean, I don't mean to make like an accusation or anything, but at some point, we have to wonder like, what the heck? Why can't this guy get on the field? You played daily over him all year last year? Why? I just simply don't understand. So, to me it's obvious. We saw all three of the offensive tackles play. We saw all four. If you want to throw Hubbard back in at right tackle because you're trying to get

Starting point is 00:24:19 the best look, Hubbard has been the best offensive tackle on the team. He hasn't been a starter in three years and got signed a couple weeks before camp. That is a disaster if we're honest and we just talk about that in a vacuum. But Hubbard has been the best and I want to give Will Levis the best protection possible the rest of the year so that we can get a good look at him and to keep him healthy. So I want Hubbard back in at right tackle against the Bucs and I think he will after the concussion. But I want to see Dylan Radins play left tackle.

Starting point is 00:24:48 Give him a shot. We know Dillard, and we know MPF are not the answer. Give Radins a shot. What do you got to lose? And again, if Mike Vrabel doesn't want to do that, and Mike Vrabel doesn't understand where this football team is right now, then what are we doing here? Also, Nugget4U should have said it before,

Starting point is 00:25:08 but again, a little under the weather today. I'm fighting through. It's my Jordan flu game, all right? The trade deadline, to my knowledge, does not apply to coaches. Now, I wouldn't trade Rabel until after the season, but if the Patriots offer that first-round pick right now, then you take it.

Starting point is 00:25:31 But just saying, trade deadline doesn't apply to coaches from what I've researched. I could be wrong about that. I don't want to speak like fully, but I did a little bit of research. It's not super clear, but what I found, it does not look like that applies. So I'm just saying.

Starting point is 00:25:43 Just saying. Something to think about. But anyways, that is going to do it for me. I'll be back tomorrow. Again, we're going to break down what I saw on tape from Will Levis, go over the good and the bad because there's a lot of both. So we're going to get into all of that. Tic-Tac Tuesday,

Starting point is 00:26:00 Monday night for the YouTube crowd. You guys always get mad, but either way, 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.

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans MUST FIRE Mike Vrabel if No Will Levis, Trade Vrabel to Patriots & Dillon Radunz Must Play

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