Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans MUST-SIGN Backup Running Backs, Cheap Versatile Fits & Let Derrick Henry Go

Episode Date: February 28, 2024

The Tennessee Titans will need a veteran to pair with Tyjae Spears at the running back position and there are a lot of great fits on the market including Zack Moss and A.J. Dillon. Also, there are some versatile options like D'Andre Swift and Devin Singletary who could be explosive additions. Finally, the Titans need to avoid high-priced names like Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs & Saquon Barkley. Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitans Follow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPod Subscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videos Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitans Support 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)

The Tennessee Titans must add a backup running back in free agency, and I'm going over the best options 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. It is the 2024 LockedOn Titans free agency preview. We talked about backup quarterbacks yesterday. Now it's time to get into backup running backs. And I think this is a very important position for the Titans. Before we get into my hype tier, my happy tier, my hate tier, do want to 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. Here on the number one Tennessee Titans podcast in the world. I dropped my Peter Skowronski film breakdown video on the Tic Tac Titans YouTube channel. Link down below to that in the world. I dropped my Peter Skowronski film breakdown video on the Tic Tac Titans YouTube channel. Link down below to that in the description.

Go check that out. Also, tomorrow, we're going to be looking at more free agents. We're going to be going over more news and reports coming out of the combine. So much to discuss. Make sure that you stick with me here on the Locked on Titans podcast. But we are going to continue doing this method

that I've been using for the free agency preview where I go with a hype tier. These are the guys that I would be hype about. I'm going to go with a happy tier where I would be happy with these names. And then, of course, I'm going to have my hate tier at the end as well. Names I would not be happy about whatsoever.

But at the end of the day, the Tennessee Titans need an RB2. I said it on yesterday's show. We heard from Rand Carthon. Tajay Spears is RB1, folks. He is the lead back for the Tennessee Titans. I know that Titans fans are jaded, really, by the running back position. You've seen Earl Campbell. You've seen back position. You've seen Earl Campbell.

You've seen Eddie George. You've seen Chris Johnson. You've seen Derrick Henry. And Titans fans have this thought that, oh, we need a bell cow running back who takes 20 carries per game and plays 80% of the snaps. That is not the way it's going to work anymore, Titans fans. The rest of the NFL has realized,

oh, why would we have a Belcal running back when we could pay three running backs, three million or less, and they all share that job. Brian Callahan said at the Combine yesterday that it's not that running backs have been devalued, it's that running backs are splitting up the responsibility of that position

more than they ever have before. The Tennessee Titans are modernizing their offensive approach. That means when I say Tajay Spears is RB1, I don't mean that Tajay Spears is RB1 like Derrick Henry. A lot of you guys say Tajay Spears can't handle a Derrick Henry workload. No one should have a Derrick Henry workload anymore. It should be running back by committee. Henry workload anymore.

It should be running back by committee. Like, it's just so hard for some Titans fans to get that thought through their head. This is not 1980s football anymore. We are going with three cheap running backs who can all share duties. So keep that in your mind when I go over my hype tier here because my number one name is Zach Moss. All right?

The Titans got mossed last year in that first game against Indianapolis. But Zach Moss had 794 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns last year, caught 27 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns. And that was as a complimentary piece to Jonathan Taylor. Now, Taylor had some injuries, so Moss got to play more, but Zach Moss would be a perfect complement to Tajay Spears. You got Tajay Spears who can run in between the tackles, run outside, catch the ball out of the backfield, great in pass protection, but Zach Moss can do all those things as well. He can run in between the tackles with

power. He can catch the ball serviceably outside of the backfield, and he has the ability to be a pass protector. Now, Tajay Spears is one of the better pass protectors on third down in the entire NFL, so I wouldn't ask Zach Moss to do a ton of that, but you look at the Cincinnati offense. They had Joe Mixon, who was kind of the do-it-all running back, and then they would have a secondary power running back. Think about like Samaj P. Ryan, for example. In that mold, Zach Moss and the Samaj P. Ryan rule would be perfect. And again, all of these running backs that I'm going to talk about today are going to be $4 million, $3 million, $2 million, which is where the position needs to go. You pay Tajay Spears his $1 million.

You pay one of these guys $3, $4 million. You got a $5 million running back room. Maybe even you add a rookie running back as well. Great. Cheap running back room. You do not need to pay running backs big time money in today's NFL. It's just not how it works. Look at the last 15 Super Bowls. The leading rusher in the Super Bowl made $5 million or less.

So, come on now. We got to be honest about the trends around the NFL, the data that is right in front of our faces. Zach Moss would be a perfect fit in that mold. Also, another guy who makes a ton of sense, A.J. Dillon. 613 rushing yards last year, two rushing touchdowns,

had 22 catches for 233 yards. You think of A.J. Dillon as a power running back, and of course, at his size, with his strength, he can be that. But A.J. Dillon has been incredibly impressive catching the ball out of the backfield as well. He's gone over 200 yards basically every year of his career since his rookie year. A.J. Dillon is an underrated catcher of the football out of the backfield. He's not an excellent pass blocker, but again, Tajay Spears is going to have that role more often than not. But as a secondary running back for cheap, who has power,

who can also still be versatile enough to catch the ball out of the backfield and do something with it, A.J. Dillon would be a great fit for the Titans. And the Titans are going back to a heavy outside zone scheme, which is something that A.J. Dillon obviously is familiar with from his time in Green Bay. Another name that I want to throw out here, Antonio Gibson, and this would be the cheapest of all the running backs. Moss and Dillon, probably about three to four million dollars. The Titans could probably get Antonio Gibson for two, two and a half million dollars. Gibson had 642 rushing yards last year. My apologies.

He had 265 rushing yards last year. One touchdown. 48 catches, though, for 389 yards and two touchdowns. He gives you that versatility. He's 6'2", so he has the size that you need to still give you some power as well. And Antonio Gibson was rated the 12th best pass-blocking running back in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus. So I think that's very important as well. You want versatility.

You don't want to be predictable. You don't want the defense to know what kind of plays you're going to run based on the running back that's in the backfield. And Antonio Gibson could give you some value in the return game as well as a kick returner, as a punt returner, more of a kick returner. But he gives you a ton of versatility. And for two, two and a half million dollars, I think Antonio Gibson would be a great fit.

And also worth noting that Randy Jordan, the Titans new running backs coach, just came from Washington where he worked directly with Antonio Gibson. So I think that would be a great fit for the Titans for cheap. And I want to throw one more name into my hype tier. And I know that some of you may not agree with it. And that's fine. Ezekiel Elliott. Zeke is going to be very, very cheap.

Again, he's looking at like veteran minimum contracts for the rest of his time in the NFL. 642 rushing yards last year, three rushing touchdowns, had 51 catches for 313 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Zeke has always been a very good pass protector as well. If you want a veteran who still has some juice in the tank to run with power, to catch the ball out of the backfield, to pass protect, to give you the versatility that you need for a value contract, Ezekiel Elliott could make a lot of sense. So I would be hype about that and maybe a little bit of Buckeye bias as well.

But with that being said, that is my hype tier. Let me know what your hype tier would be. I'm going to get into my happy tier right now. Before I do though, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. What's the first thing that you would do if you had an extra hour in your day?

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That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P.com slash locked on. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. It is the second installment in our 2024 Locked on Titans free agency preview. We did backup quarterbacks yesterday. Check that out if you missed it. Doing backup running backs today because Tajay Spears is RB1. And I explained that whole situation to start. My hype tier, Zach Moss, AJ Dillon, Antonio Gibson, Zeke Elliott. Now I'm going to get into my happy tier, which, again,

I would be happy with these players, but I'm just not over the moon like I would be with my hype tier. Before we get into that, I do want to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day. It's your team every day

here on the Locked on Titans podcast. But getting into my happy tier, number one, Devin Singletary. Now, I think Singletary might be a little more expensive than the guys we talked about in our first tier, which is why he's in my happy, not hyped tier. I don't know if I would be okay paying $5 million for Devin Singletary. I would like that to be more around $3-$4 million like the rest of these guys.

I don't think Singletary is a good player, but I don't know, again, I don't think that he's so much better than the other names that I would pay him that million dollar extra more. But Singletary had 898 rushing yards last year, four rushing touchdowns, caught 30 passes for 193 yards. He is not a very good pass protector. Let's just call it what it is. But again, Tajay Spears is going to be the RB1 who's going to be on the field more often than not on third down. But Devin Singletary, still, run in between the tackles, run to the outside, familiar with his zone running scheme like they just had in Houston,

can catch the ball out of the backfield, make a play, do something with it. So Devin Singletary is at the top of the happy tier for me. Similarly, I like DeAndre Swift. Now Swift, like Singletary, is a guy who's probably going to get paid more than my hype tier. Part of my hype tier wasn't just guys that I think fit for the Titans, but fit at the right price. With Devin Singletary, with DeAndre Swift,

these guys are going to cost a little bit more. And I would be happy with them because I think they're good fits, but I don't know if I would want to pay those guys what they're going to get. But either way, DeAndre Swift, 1,049 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, had 39 catches, 219 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. He is a guy who has a ton of speed, a ton of juice. He's going to make guys miss.

If the Titans don't just want a backup running back to be a complement to Spears, they want two lead running backs who they can use interchangeably, DeAndre Swift would make a ton of sense if they want to pay for that. I don't think that they should, but I would be happy with DeAndre Swift. I wouldn't hate it, but I also wouldn't be hype either. So those are the two names at the top of that tier. For me, continuing forward, the next name is Deontay Foreman. We saw what Foreman could

do for the Titans. I continue to say this and bring up this example. In 2021, Derrick Henry got hurt for half a season. The Titans rushing yards after Henry got hurt were the same as the rushing yards before Henry got hurt. And they did it with Dontrell Hilliard and Deontay Foreman who were on their couches in the middle of the season. You know why they were able to do that? Because they had a good offensive line, which is a good lesson for you guys who overvalue running backs.

The offensive line makes the running game, not the running back. Period. Is Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, are these guys better running backs than the names that I'm going through right now? Yes. Yes, they are. But if you have a good offensive line, it's not going to make a difference. All right?

We saw that already play out in 2021. We literally saw it play out on the field. Okay? So I would love to have Deontay Foreman back. As part of a three-man running back by committee last year in Chicago, he had 425 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns, 11 catches,

77 yards, one touchdown receiving. He's not as much of a threat out of the backfield to catch the ball, but he can still do it. He's not, you know, someone who just has stone hands who can't handle it. But if they want a power running back to pair with Tajay Spears directly

in that Samaj P. Ryan role, then I think Deontay Foreman would make a lot of sense. And Foreman's only getting bare minimum money going forward if he's in the NFL. He's going to make $1.75 million, $2 million at max. So he would be a cost-controlled value running back. I would love that. Some other names who would stay in my happy tier,

they're not as high as Singletary, Swift, Foreman. They're not in that tier, but they're not as happy as those guys. But I would still be happy if the Titans ended up with one of these guys for cheap. Number one, Gus Edwards. 810 rushing yards last year. 13 rushing touchdowns. This guy is a power back. If you know anything about Gus Edwards, you know he is running with power,

strength, breaking tackles. And you talk about short yardage guy. You talk about goal line guy, guys who you just want a bigger bodied stronger guy to run the football than Tajay Spears in those circumstances and scenarios, Gus Edwards makes a ton of sense. He's not going to get paid a ton,

only caught 12 passes, but had 180 yards on those, so a guy who can work on screens like Derek Henry could as well. I don't like Gus Edwards as much as I like the other names that we've talked about, but again, I think that he would fit that power back role and he would be cheap for the Titans as well. Some other names really getting down here.

Damian Harris could be an option. Didn't have a super productive year in Buffalo last year, but could be a really cheap option. Vet minimum type guy. Not as happy about that one, but I wouldn't be upset, I guess. And then Corderell Patterson. Now, Patterson would be more of a RB3 to me. If the Titans were like, hey, we like some of these rookie running backs in the draft. We're going to take one in the seventh round. We're going to take one in the sixth round to be our RB2.

Okay, cool. But bringing in Patterson as an RB3 who has some return ability for you as well, obviously has versatility, had 181 rushing yards last year, nine carries, 38 receiving yards for a touchdown. I mean, again, or nine catches, 38 receiving yards. Again, he had his role really minimized in Atlanta. I don't think he's an RB1 or an RB2 anymore, but if they bring him in as an RB3 with the understanding that they're going to bring in a running back in the draft to be the RB2, I would be fine with that. That would be cool.

I would rather have Corderell Patterson than Jonathan Ward or Julius Chestnut. So it's not really even a question to me. And you're talking absolutely no question that minimum deal for Corderell Patterson. Now it's time to get into my hateson. Now it's time to get into my hate tier. Now it's time to talk about the running backs that I would be

absolutely furious if the Titans gave a contract to and obviously as I've said throughout the last few weeks that includes Derrick Henry and I know that upsets a lot of you guys but at the end of the day and it's time to move on I don't want to pay the price. And I'll dive into that, but keep it quick and move into the other names

that I wouldn't be very happy about as well. Before I get into that, though, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Get buckets with your first bet on FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook. Right now, new customers get $150 in bonus bets with any winning $5 bet. That's $150. If your bet wins, the NFL season may be over.

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slash locked on and shoot your shot. FanDuel, official sportsbook partner of the NBA. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition and cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. It's installment two of the 2024 Locked on Titans free agency preview. I did my hype tiers. I did my happy tier. Let me know what your guys' hype, happy, and hate options are down below. But now I do got to get into my hate options

and the backup running backs and the running backs I would not be happy about if the Titans paid. Before I get into that, thank you for making Locked On Titans your first listen each and every day. Also want to let you know that Locked On has launched the first ever national sports 24-7 streaming channel. It's called Locked On Sports Today, and you can find it on YouTube.

And now it's also available on Amazon Fire TV and the free Fire TV channels app. Locked On Sports Today is here for you 24-7 covering the top sports stories of the day with local experts from Locked On, plus our national shows covering every league. experts from Locked On plus our national shows covering every league. I host Locked On NFL on Thursdays.

That's one of our national shows. Go check that out as well. Find Locked On Sports today. Now available on the free Fire TV channels app. Mama, I made it to TV. But, getting into my hate tier, as I teased, Derrick Henry is at the top of the list.

I don't want to pay Derrick Henry what he's going to cost. Again, I gave you much cheaper options. I would rather pay Zach Moss $3.5 million than pay Derrick Henry $6 million. I know that a lot of you guys don't agree with that. I don't care. I want a running back that is more versatile. Derrick Henry cannot run a want a running back that is more versatile. Derrick Henry cannot run a full route tree out of the backfield. Derrick Henry is not even good at catching the ball out of the backfield. He's so stiff in his hips going back. I just went back and watched every single Tennessee Titans game on film twice in the past three weeks. Watching Henry mosey out of the backfield, drop the football,

be so uncomfortable trying to catch the ball out in the flat. He doesn't have the ability to watch Tajay Spears quickly catch a little dump off pass, juke a couple people out and get upfield, and then watch Henry lumbering, catch it, not be able to turn upfield with any... He is predictable. When he is on the field,

the Tennessee Titans offense is easier to stop. There's no question about it. So, the price, the lack of versatility, and I'm just ready to move on. I'm ready to modernize this offense. If they have Derrick Henry

in the backfield, the coaches are going to feel pressured to use him. Everyone's going to be, you didn't give the ball to Henry enough. I'm sick of it. I'm just sick of it. It is time to move on. It is time to move forward. There are better options for lower costs.

Makes a ton of sense to move on. Also, though, it's not just Derrick Henry. Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard, Austin Eckler. No! I did an episode a couple weeks ago, my everydayers will remember. No high-priced running backs. Wake up! I talked about it at the beginning of the show.

Look at the teams that win the Super Bowl each year. They don't have high-priced running backs. They simply don't. And look, the San Francisco 49ers have Christian McCaffrey, but he's a running back and a wide receiver. And they're paying Brock Purdy pennies, and they have one of the best offensive coordinators and best offensive play callers in NFL history.

You do not pay high-priced running backs. Go look at the running back contracts. I retweeted it a couple of weeks ago or last week. Go look in the last seven years, last seven off seasons. Look at running backs who got paid $10 million or more. It does not work. It doesn't work. Saquon Barkley has injury issues. Josh Jacobs has a ton of tread on his tires. Austin Eckler and Tony Pollard are winding down already. The Titans have

Tajay Spears at a cheap value, cost-controlled backup running back. Draft one in the draft if that's what you want to do. But whatever you do, do not spend money on a high-priced running back. And also worth noting, no franchise tag for Saquon. No franchise tag for Josh Jacobs. No franchise tag for Tony Pollard. The Chargers are like, yeah, get out of here, Austin Eckler.

NFL teams are waking up. We're seeing it happen. And if you haven't noticed it already, then wake up, pay attention. You can get good running back play for much cheaper than you're getting from these top names. Do not pay a high priced running back. No matter who it is out of any of those names, it would be a hate for me. Now, I do have one other hate option for a cheap running back that I'm just not interested in. J.K. Dobbins. The guy can't get right. Look,

former Buckeye, I loved J.K. Dobbins in college. Make no mistake about that. But the realities are the realities. He can't stay healthy. He can't. He's a good player when he's healthy, but he's never healthy. So whether it be $1 million, $2 million, $100 million, I don't care.

I do not want J.K. Dobbins. It is not worth the risk. It doesn't make any sense. Let somebody else take that reclamation project. Don't let it be the risk. It doesn't make any sense. Let somebody else take that reclamation project. Don't let it be the Titans. So, those are my hype, happy, and hate tiers. Again, let me know

down below. Who are your guys' hype, happy, and hate options? That's going to do it for this Locked on Titans free agency preview episode covering the running back position. Tomorrow, we may talk combine headlines, depending on what pops up.

We may dive into some other free agency options as well. Make sure that you stick with me here on the number one Tennessee Titans podcast in the world. But that is going to, as another reminder, oh, hold on. Happy birthday to my mom. Shout out Mama Roland.

I love you, Mom. My mom is a leap year baby, February 29th Happy birthday to my mom. Shout out Mama Roland. I love you, Mom. My mom is a leap year baby, February 29th. She's turning 16. It's all funny, but it is kind of goofy and weird, and we enjoy it. So happy birthday, Mom. I love you. But anyway, that is going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Roland, and this was Locked on Titan.