Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Offensive Line NEEDS MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT, Build Talented Depth & Roster Longshots

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Tennessee Titans offensive line better be a lot better in 2025 and I'll explain why on today's edition of Locked On Titans. Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to the Locked On Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rollins, Titans fans. On today's show, we are gonna continue the 2025 Locked On Titans training camp preview series with the offensive line. We did episode one, quarterback, special teams. We did tight ends and running backs yesterday. Now O-line, we're gonna start next week with wide receiver and then head into defense with linebacker, edge rusher,

Starting point is 00:00:51 interior defensive line, and the secondary all leading up to Tennessee Titans training camp. In less than two weeks, the Titans will be out on the field for training camp. Now, I'm gonna go over why the starting offensive line should be a lot better. I'm going to talk about why I think the Titans depth on the offensive line can be a lot better. And I'm going to talk about some guys who I think it's time to move on from for the Titans. Now before we get into all of that, do want to thank you for making Locked On Titans your first listen each and every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round always for free. Make sure that you get subscribed, stay subscribed. It's your team every day.

Starting point is 00:01:28 Speaking of every day, shout out to my every dayers out there tuning in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. If you aren't an every dayer, it's the perfect time to be one because now you're gonna get to know every single player on the Titans roster heading into training camp. You'll know what the expectations for each player should be.

Starting point is 00:01:45 So, perfect time, it's your team every day, here on the Locked on Titans podcast. But, with that being said, throughout this process, I will continue with my pattern of the locks, the bubble, and the long shots. And with Offensive Line having so many players, we can spend the entire episode here talking about the trenches and the locks to make the roster. To me there are six of them and you may be wondering, six? There are five starting offensive linemen so who else would be a lock to make this roster? And I'll get there.

Starting point is 00:02:16 But first, the starting five is a lock. I don't think I need to, you know, act like I have some controversial take there. Dan Moore at left tackle, who the Titans signed for 22 million dollars a year this all season to be their franchise left tackle from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Peter Skowronski at left guard, former first round pick who does need, he took a step up last year from struggling rookie up and down season to okay this is a good starting guard in the NFL. Now we need that next step up to, okay,

Starting point is 00:02:50 this is a pro ball, all pro level guard. When you draft a guard number 11, even in a weak draft class, where I'm okay with drafting a guard number 11, but the Titans could have had a guy like Zay Flowers or something like that. You know, there were other options for the Titans in that draft than a guard. Now, they needed offensive line play, but at the end of the day, again,

Starting point is 00:03:10 regardless of the reasons, the excuses, the context, and I was a Peter Skowronski guy, okay, I wanted Pete. That was my guy that year who I wanted the Titans to get and they got him. So I'm gonna be honest and I'm gonna be watching. He needs to take a step forward. Boyd Cushionberry at center coming back off the Achilles tear. I am very concerned about that and how that's gonna go, which is gonna lead into my sixth lock. But right now Cushionberry is doing some movement. You know what I mean? He's on schedule to be participating in training camp, which means he should be on schedule

Starting point is 00:03:50 to participate week one. And Cushionberry got a major deal, just like Dan Moore. And then you have Kevin Zeitler, who got a okay deal. It's one year, $9 million. But Zeitler's 35 years old. He's been one of the best guards in the NFL for a decade now, Just a very solid player. And then now you move J.C. Latham to right tackle where not only should he be better,

Starting point is 00:04:12 he should explode. Like this should be an incredible, J.C. Latham should be a top 10 right tackle in the offensive L this year or in the NFL this year. And if he's not, it's a disappointment. You took an offensive tackle number seven overall. Talisa Fawaga had a good year. Olufaxonu had a really good end of the season for the Jets. Joe Alt is an all-pro level player already essentially and will be this year. I wanted Joe Alt all along. Remember I was the Joe Alt guy and all these different people, beat reporters for the Titans, these haters that I have online, tried to tell you, oh Joe Alt and J.C. Latham, it's not that big of a, well, I don't know. But after this season, with Latham moving back to right tackle, now it's even. He needs to take that jump forward. So think about the five that I just said.

Starting point is 00:05:09 Two, high first round picks, 11 and 7. Two, big time contracts, Dan Moore and Lloyd Cushmanberry. And then Kevin Zeitler, who's 35 years old, who was brought in on a one year deal because they expect him to be so consistent. The expectations for this offensive line should be very high. Now we can hope for the best and expect the worst. That's fair. But is it? I don't think it's fair. With everything that the Titans have put into the offensive line, we cannot give the Tennessee

Starting point is 00:05:42 Titans the excuse of, oh, you know, they have too many holes. It's too difficult to fix all the spots. No, they with what they've done should have a serious answer at every single spot on the offensive line. We should expect good offensive line play this year. I'm not gonna say great. Can't expect great offensive line play. I don't think that's fair. But this should be a top half of the NFL offensive line. And if it's not with Bill Callahan as the coach, then we have to ask some serious questions. That's just the truth. They have invested enough in the offensive line at this point that we should expect some return on all that investment. And let me just say this, if you watch Cam Warden College and watch him do all the Superman heroics that he does out there, incredible movie by the way. Go take your family. It's great family fun, but

Starting point is 00:06:49 to expect that we have to give Ken Ward protection. You have to give him comfortability back in the pocket so that he can learn his timing and he can learn what he can get away with and he can have that protection to break things out of structure and make those big plays down the field. Change games! Those are the plays that change games for the Titans. For Ken Ward to be able to do that as a rookie and feel comfortable doing that as a rookie and confident doing that as a rookie, you have to give him good protection. So, good protection. Not, just not bad. No, the Titans should have a good offensive line this year. And honestly, that brings me to my sixth lock on the offensive line. It's Corey Levin.

Starting point is 00:07:34 So, recently, Brian Callahan showed a ton of praise to Corey Levin for being the Titans starting center while Lloyd Cushinberry has been out for this offseason program. And I would imagine Corey Levin will be the starting center for as long as Lloyd Cushinberry is not actively involved in practice. So there is no way that Brian Callahan was throwing praise on Corey Levin, the professional he's been, how great he stood in there, and but it said all that. And the uncertainty of Lloyd Cushion-Berry coming back right from an Achilles injury. Very rare that people come back and play good football right away. Especially being a 300-pound offensive lineman. So with the uncertainty of Lloyd Cushinberry's recovery, the praise that Brian

Starting point is 00:08:30 Callahan publicly gave to Corey Levin and the fact that Corey Levin is just a solid backup in the NFL, man, like he's just a solid player. I think Corey Levin is a lock to make this team. No matter what, they're gonna make sure that they have him just in case, because center is such an important position with the communication, communication not only with the other offensive line member,

Starting point is 00:08:53 but with the quarterback, you have to know that you have a solid answer there, the line will fall apart, and Corey Levin is that. But that's six spots taken on the offensive line. Doesn't leave a lot left, and we have a bubble and a long shot group to talk about and when we talk about the bubble I feel pretty confident that one of these bubble guys is

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Starting point is 00:10:50 then Corey Levin, who I think is a lock to make this team as the backup center. But now we got to get into the guys who are on the bubble. And once again, with six spots already taken on the offensive line, realistically speaking, how many spots on the roster are the Titans going to reserve for offensive line? I think in my initial 53-man roster prediction, I had nine offensive linemen. I've seen some people out there do a prediction with 10 offensive linemen being on the roster. I think that is a little excessive in my opinion, but if the Titans, I just talked about how vitally important it is that the Titans have a good offensive line this year for Cam Ward's sake.

Starting point is 00:11:30 So maybe if they truly feel that way, they say, yeah, we're going to keep a whole unit and a whole backup unit. I don't think that's going to happen though. I think we're going to get nine guys on the offensive line. I think it would be eight before it would be 10, but that leaves three spots. If I'm right with my nine, only three more spots. So who is on the bubble in my opinion? And some of the names that are not on here I think may surprise you, but on the bubble we got to start with Jackson Slater. So Titans sixth round pick. I think Slater is a guy who could play all three interior positions for the Titans if he gets reps and opportunity. He's going to be a guard first. A guy who they try at guard. They're going to be working him at guard primarily. I think Jackson Slater could become the primary guard backup for the team by the end of the

Starting point is 00:12:22 year. But Jackson Slater is certainly on the bubble. Again, you could say he's a lock to make it, and you know, alright, alright, I wouldn't fight you on it. I don't think it's a hot take to say that Jackson Slater is a lock to make the roster. But now you're up to seven offensive linemen, so you're not leaving yourself a lot of wiggle room there with all the other names that we have to go through but okay all right Jackson Slater could be there but like I said with Callum Mullings on yesterday's show when we talked about running backs these sixth and seventh round picks I remember a couple of years ago what was it it was a John Robinson class where

Starting point is 00:12:59 the Titans took Cole McDonald the quarterback out of of Hawaii, and Brady Breeze, a safety. I remember other sixth round picks the Titans have had, where they didn't make the team. They didn't make it. So it's like, we can act like sixth round picks are guaranteed to make it, because we like all the draft guys and we want to see them. But if the Titans feel very, very strongly that they need to protect Cam Ward and other players are clearly better,

Starting point is 00:13:36 maybe they'll try to get Jackson Slater back on the practice squad. I don't think that's going to happen. I'm going to have Jackson Slater making the roster. But I'm just saying when you have a, and it's a late round rookie, you just can't say, oh, he was drafted, he's gonna make the team. It's the same point I made with Calo Mulligs, even if I do believe both those guys make the team, but looking to the next player, and I think this guy,

Starting point is 00:14:01 and how he's used, which I don't know the answer to right now, is the puzzle piece that we need to know to figure out the offensive line group. So on the bubble, I have Blake Hans. Blake Hans is a veteran player, six foot five, 310 pounds. He's had experience in the NFL at tackle. He's had experience in the NFL at guard. He's played both of those spots. Alright. He started a ton at right tackle, his rookie season with the Browns. And then since then has mixed in, played in Jacksonville the last two seasons. Blake Hance, I think, is going to be the sixth man of the offensive line. Now, Corey Levin, I explained why he was different to me.

Starting point is 00:14:54 I think Blake Hance is a better, more important offensive lineman to the Tennessee Titans. But I have him on the bubble and Corey Levin as a lock because of the circumstances. Like I said, his history with the team, the public praise that he got, the Lloyd Cushionberry injury. Blake Hance doesn't have the history with the team, hasn't been publicly praised like that and isn't in a place where he's obviously

Starting point is 00:15:21 backing up someone who is coming off a major injury. So those are the circumstantial factors that have Blake Hans on the bubble and Corey Levin as a lock even though I think Blake Hans could be a higher ranking player for the Titans this year but a lot of it is because of the versatility. If you have a guy like Blake Hans who can come in and play tackle for you because he's 6'5", he has the length and the size to do it. But also can play at guard. If he's your best backup tackle and he's your best backup guard, how can you leave him off the roster? You can't. You can't. So I think Blake Hans is going to make

Starting point is 00:15:59 the team, but he's certainly on the bubble. You can't call Blake Hans a lot, because we simply don't know how they're going to use him. If the Titans see him as only a backup guard, maybe it comes down to him and Jackson Slater. Because think if they have Corey Levin as the backup center, they say, hey, we're going to keep Jackson Slater as our backup guard, because he's a sixth round rookie and we want to keep developing him. And we need a pure offensive tackle as our swing tackle. And they don't view Blake Hans as a pure tackle.

Starting point is 00:16:31 There may not be room. So that's why he's on the bubble. Although, like I said, I think nine, I think it'll be Levin. I think it'll be Slater. I think it'll be Hans because Hans has the ability to play offensive tackle and interior offensive lineman and then the ninth offensive lineman that the Titans keep is going to be a tight end. Okay? It's gonna be a tight end. It's gonna be a pure offensive tackle. A pure offensive tackle. So that's why for me, the last two guys on the bubble,

Starting point is 00:17:03 we have Jackson Slater and Blake Hans for the interior, the two guys on the bubble, we have Jackson Slater and Blake Hance for the interior. The two guys on the bubble for tackle is Ali Udo. And if you remember, the Titans brought in Ali Udo when they brought in Sam Mustapher, and they brought in Brandon Jamie's, all these veteran guys to stack the offensive line depth, and we'll get into some of those guys. But Oli Udo is a pure offensive tackle. Six foot six, 320 pounds. He started 19 games in his career, 16 started games with the Minnesota Vikings in 2021. Now I will say this, he played some guard too. Ali Udda played guard for Minnesota the first two years he was with them and then switched and played some tackle. The last year he was with them in 2003 but first two seasons with Minnesota he played tackle,

Starting point is 00:17:59 then he played guard, then he went back to tackle. Six foot six, 320 pounds. This is a guy who will play tackle for the Tennessee Titans. Starting experience. I think that's the route you wanna go. If your two backup tackles are Blake Hance and Olly Udo, I think you did okay. I think you did okay. Guys with real experience and veteran guys

Starting point is 00:18:24 who are ready to play and help Cam Ward if they have to. Now the other tackle that I am putting on the bubble, and I don't agree with it, I don't like it, but I think it's true. It's Jalen Duncan. Remember Jalen Duncan was the sixth round pick out of Maryland in 2023. Guy with a ton of talent, great athleticism, but there were questions about his love for football, his work ethic, his finish through the whistle. I did not like the pick of Jaylen Duncan. I didn't think it was going to work out. I haven't liked anything I've seen from Jaylen Duncan.

Starting point is 00:19:03 Duncan. I didn't think it was going to work out. I haven't liked anything I've seen from Jaylen Duncan. Um, I'm not a fan, but here's the reality. Bill Callahan has talked about they like his potential. Brian Callahan has talked about how they like Jaylen Duncan's potential. They went out of their way to give Jaylen Duncan opportunities to play last year. He ended up getting hurt when they gave him a good opportunity. Again, I don't think that he's a guy mentally cut out to play professional football. But clearly the Titans organization likes what they see from Jalen Duncan and want to continue to give him chances. Now in my opinion, I think it's dumb to keep doing that. He's been here for two years, he's 25, it hasn't worked out.

Starting point is 00:19:46 It's time to move on. Let's give somebody else an opportunity and I'll get to the names that I want to, the name I want to give that opportunity to here in a second. When we go to the long shots. But at the end of the day, whether I agree with it or not, I think Jalen Duncan is on the bubble. I think if he were to impress instead of an Oli Udo, it would be Jalen Duncan who gets that extra pure tackle spot on the roster. I think Jalen Duncan would be the second in line for that right now if I think Oli Udo is the favorite. But either way, I think the Titans ultimately go with the more experienced guys because they can't afford to play around with Cam Ward's protection. And I think Oli Udo and Blake Hans are the ones who make it and Jalen Duncan does not, but the team certainly likes him. So he's on the bubble. Now let's talk about some guys

Starting point is 00:20:32 who are long shots who are honestly there's one guy in here who I hope he's the guy who makes the roster. I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin. I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin. I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin. I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin. I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin. I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin. I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin. I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin. I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin.

Starting point is 00:20:58 I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin. I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin. I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin. I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin. I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Corey Levin. today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We talked about the offensive line expectations for the starting group. We talked about why I think Corey Levin is a lock. We talked about the bubble conversation, two interior, two on the offensive tackle spots that I think are really fighting for the depth rolls.

Starting point is 00:21:17 Now I want to get into the long shots, because I have two different points to make during the long shot section. One, I have, hey, let's move on from these guys after this training camp and get new blood in here next year. And then there's one guy who I would like to see stay with the team, whether it's practice squad, which I think is ultimately most likely or not. I want to see him stay with the team. But before we dive in, do want to thank you again for making Locked on Titans your first listen. For your second listen, check out Locked on NFL Scouting.

Starting point is 00:21:44 As training camp gets closer, moves are being made. Host Kyle Krabs and Joe Marino will make you the most informed NFL fan this off season. Find Locked on NFL Scouting on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts, but the long shots. Number one for me is John Ajuku. He's had enough time. Jalen Duncan seemed, that's why I put Jalen Duncan in the bubble section and I put John Ajuku in the

Starting point is 00:22:12 long shot section even though I would say they're very similar in their place on the team. At the end of the day the team has just been more excited about Jalen Duncan. They are more interested in his potential than they are John Ajuku. I think that's the smart thing. I think Ajuku has gotten more run as like a fifth or like a sixth offensive lineman like a heavy tight end. And I get that because he's just a more powerful guy than Duncan who's more athletic. But I think the athleticism of a Duncan and him being a draft pick rather than an undrafted guy just gives Jalen Duncan an edge and Jaylen Duncan's younger. So that's why I would put John Ajuku in the long shot and Jaylen Duncan in the bubble, even though I think those guys are close to each other.

Starting point is 00:22:59 John Ajuku is one of those guys who, like I've been saying, it's just time to move on. He's been around for, what's it been, three seasons now with the Tennessee Titans organization. It's just time to get a younger player in there. It's not going to happen. Well, I guess, you know, it's only been two years for Jalen Duncan, whatever.

Starting point is 00:23:20 But I guess it's just, he's been here for two years, bouncing around the roster in the practice squad. Has it overtaken a guy like Jalen Duncan who's barely going to make the team? Let's get a guy like Brandon Crenshaw-Dixon from Florida. The undrafted free agent tackle. Let's give him an opportunity. Like any opportunity, he's got to earn it, he's got to win it in practice. I get it. But any opportunity that you're going to give to John Ajuku or Jalen Duncan, give it to Brendan Crenshaw-Dixon and let's see if he can actually ascend. We know at this point Jalen Duncan, John Ajuku, not going to be starting level offensive tackles. We know that. So let's go with a younger guy who has maybe some more upside. Now I would tell you on the interior, those are tackles of course, on the interior

Starting point is 00:24:10 Brendan Jamie's who has starting experience, Sam Mustapher another guy they were brought in at the same time. I think with Blake Hanson and Jackson Slater though they're in a tough spot they're long shots. Andrew Rupsich another guy who a lot of people know. He's been with the organization for a couple of years. This is another situation where let's get new blood in here. Like there's no way that you can keep an Andrew Rupsich over Jackson Slater.

Starting point is 00:24:38 Like you can't do that. That would be crazy. And Chandler Brewer, massive long shot. He's not even a young guy. He's a veteran. So in a weird turn of events I like what the Titans have up top with the offensive line I'm excited about the depth that they could have because of the bubble group but looking at the long shots it's a lot of guys, after they don't make the roster this time,

Starting point is 00:25:09 let's just move on and get new blood in here throughout the season or let's, when guys get waved, let's churn some of these guys in the long shots. Want to see Brandon Cranshaw-Dixon make it with the team and be on the practice squad this season? But all these other guys, Ajuku, I would put freaking Jaylen Duncan in this group even if I don't like it. Brendan Jamie's, or if I don't think the team feels the same, Brendan Jamie's, Andrew Rups, it's Chandler Brewer, again John Ajuku, like Sam Mustifer. Let's just churn these guys. Let's churn these guys because I think you're going to have to be pretty good to beat out Corey Levin, Jackson Slater, Blake Hance, at least for those first three backup roles

Starting point is 00:25:49 and I want a pure tackle for that last one. So things are kind of shaping up in my opinion for the offensive line and you should be excited, I should be excited and expectations should be higher than they've been before but that's going to do it for me today folks. Again, I'll be back with you guys next week to dive into the wide receiver group as always I am your host Tyler Roland and this Was locked on Titans

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Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Offensive Line NEEDS MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT, Build Talented Depth & Roster Longshots

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