Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Release Depth Chart -- Defense: Starters, Surprises & Position Battle Updates

Episode Date: August 9, 2022

The Tennessee Titans released their first depth chart of the year and it is time to go over the defensive side of the ball!! First, the most interesting battle to watch on defense is between Caleb Farley and rookie Roger McCreary, but what about the battles going on down the depth chart at corner! Also, with all the injuries at safety, the Titans add a new player! Next, the linebacker group is thin based on numbers and injuries. Do the Titans have enough at either spot? Finally, the defensive line competition is fierce, but some seem to be falling behind early including Larell Murchison.Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitansSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App store right now for an Extra Cash account and get up to 500 dollars instantly. For terms and conditions go to dave.com/legal. Instant transfer fees apply. Banking provided by Evolve. Member FDIC.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland. Titans fans, the Tennessee Titans signed a much-needed defensive back on Tuesday. I'll tell you who it is and why he was needed so badly. Then, we'll dive into the defensive side of the ball and examine the Titans' first depth chart of the season. A ton of position battles going on that we have to talk about. Specifically, the battle between Kayla Farley and Roger McCreary. All of that 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 Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Titans fans, we do got a lot to talk about on today's show. The Titans signed a defensive back. I'll tell you who it is, why they needed him. We got to talk about the defensive depth chart as well. On yesterday's show, we talked about the offensive depth chart. If you missed that, go back and check that out today.

We go defense. about the offensive depth chart. If you missed that, go back and check that out today. We go defense. For tomorrow, we have a game preview edition of the Locked on Titans podcast coming. So excited for that. So make sure that you stay tuned in to check out that game preview coming on Wednesday night for YouTube Thursday

for the podcast crowd. And then after the game on Thursday night against the Ravens, I will be going live on YouTube to break down everything that happened. We're going to have our first tighten up, tighten down of the year, going over all of my big takeaways from the game as all of these roster battles take center stage in real action. So make sure that you stay locked into the Locked On Titans podcast for my game preview, for my game recap,

and all the content that I'll be having from now until next summer and beyond for free here on the Locked on Titans podcast where it's your team every day. Subscribe on whatever platform you do stream to find the Locked on Titans podcast

free and available on all platforms. Make sure you follow me on Twitter at TicTacTitans for all my film breakdowns and make sure that you check out the show Facebook page at Locked on Titans pod. But with all the housekeeping out of the way for you guys, we do need to talk about the defensive depth chart and I'm going to dive into the secondary first and we got to look at those bottom four columns in the defensive side. Kayla Farley listed as the starter,

but you see that all-important slash there between him and Roger McCreary. That indicates that the battle for starting corner is still open. The other starting cornerback spot solidified by Christian Fulton. Behind Christian Fulton is Elijah Molden. No surprise there.

He's going to be the number one slot corner for the Titans on early downs, early on if he can get back to health. Obviously, Molden has missed about a week of practice at this point, so it's a bit concerning there. But you have McCreary, Farley, Fulton, and Molden as the top four. No surprise. That's the locks. But right behind Molden, you have Chris Jackson.

Right behind McCreary you have Greg Maben that's a battle that we're going to talk about Shakur Brown is right behind Chris Jackson he's made an impression early on in camp after being added late to the Titans roster he's been working in the slot guarding Kyle Phillips working on special teams behind

him you have Kenneth George Trey Avery Trey Swilling Shaheem Carter Ter Terrell Bonds, guys who I don't really think are going to have a chance to make this roster. But I guess really what I want to dive into here is that battle between Farley and McCreary and for a rookie to come in right away. And basically, most people thought by the way that Caleb Farley was being talked about that he would be given that number one corner spot.

I mean, you really need him to assume that position. But I think this speaks more about how great McCreary has been in camp. I mean, McCreary got a rest day in camp as a rookie earlier last week. That is just incredibly impressive. So to watch that battle play out in the preseason, I bet both those guys are going to get some significant reps if healthy. I think that's going to be important to watch. I hope that Farley is ready for some game action.

McCreary, don't know if he's banged up or not by riding the bike at the last practice, but we will see who plays and who doesn't. But that battle needs to be decided. And I think getting some preseason reps, I don't know if it'll be preseason game one, but some preseason reps will go a long way to deciding who wins that one. But I want to go down the depth chart a little bit more and talk about Greg Maben versus Chris Jackson.

Now, the Titans may very well keep six corners with Greg Maben and Chris Jackson with the four locks that we already talked about. But if the Titans only go with five, you wonder, do they want somebody who's a better cornerback than Greg Maben? And it gives them another outside corner, which McCreary and Molden all have the ability, and Jackson have the ability to play in the slot.

So do the Titans want to go with that fifth cornerback being an outside guy, being an inside guy primarily? And Chris Jackson is a better special teams player than Greg Maben. And we know that that's probably going to swing the battle one way or the other. I would say that Chris Jackson makes the team, but I think it would be smart for the Titans to keep six cornerbacks and keep Greg Maben around. So you have three guys who their skill set fits in the slot better, even if they can do more. And then you have three guys whose skill sets fit more outside

in Farley and Fulton and Greg Maven. So I think that makes the most sense. Shakur Brown is the only guy I'm giving as a dark horse candidate to maybe jump in here and make the roster. Shakur Brown has done a good job in practice taking on Kyle Phillips in the slot and doing all that. So I think it gives him a very good opportunity to sneak on there and at least, at least solidify his spot on the practice squad.

As for safety, and we got to spend some time here. Of course, we have Kevin Byard and Imani Hooker. After Kevin Byard and Imani Hooker, I'll throw the depth chart back up for the YouTube crowd. We got Kevin Byard and Imani Hooker, I'll throw the depth chart back up for the YouTube crowd. We got Kevin Byard and Imani Hooker, obviously, there. A.J. Moore behind them. I thought all along A.J. Moore would be that third safety as a guy who is not third safety defensively, but third safety in terms of that special team-centric safety that the Titans always seem to have on the roster.

I think that would be him. Theo Jackson behind Imani Hooker, the rookie out of Tennessee. I expected Theo Jackson would be on the roster. Not only is that third safety, but actually the third safety role of maybe playing some dime linebacker and matching up against tight ends. And if Elijah Molden is banged up, that would give Theo Jackson an even better opportunity to do that. Behind them, you have Joshua Kalou, who I think has a real chance to make the roster as well. The undrafted free agent,

Michael Griffin. But here's what we need to talk about. Imani Hooker has been riding the bike the last few days. Michael Griffin did not participate in practice. Joshua Kalou did not participate in practice. That's three of the six safeties that the Titans have. Who is going to play in the preseason game? Well, the Titans made a signing on Tuesday. They signed Adrian Colbert. I don't know if it's Colbert or Colbert. You know how these things go, guys. But I think it's Colbert. Adrian Colbert, if my memory serves correctly. But Colbert's played in the NFL since 2017, so five seasons. He's played with five different teams. He is more of a free safety, single high safety coverage guy than he is a physical in the box guy. He'll be asked to play

some special teams, but at the end of the day, the Titans just need a body in there. And I got to be honest with Colbert. I think there's a chance that, you know, if the Titans want to keep five safeties, if that's what they decide to do, I think Colbert has a chance to be that fifth safety because if he can prove himself on special teams with this opportunity with the Titans, we know that he's more of a coverage-centric guy. When you have a guy like D.O. Jackson, you have a guy like A.J. Moore,

who are more run-stuffing, play-forward, to-the-line-of-scrimmage-type safeties, to have a guy who's more of a coverage-based guy who could be in the back end if you need help back there especially with a Monty Hooker banged up a little bit, I think that would be very important and a varied skill set for the safety group. So watch for Colbert there, but that is the defensive backfield on the depth chart and the signing from the Titans. We're going to continue breaking down the first depth chart of the year by talking about the linebackers, the edge rushers, and the defensive line.

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We talked about the offense yesterday. Make sure you check that out if you missed it. Remember, game preview is tomorrow, and then a game recap will be coming at the end of the week. Cannot wait for a real Tennessee Titans game. I know. It's preseason. But the Titans are going to be out there in their uniforms.

And Bridges update from Jim Wyatt. They're going to be wearing white on top and light blue on bottom. So a nice combination that I like to see as they take on the Ravens, who have won 20 preseason games in a row. I know it's preseason, but the Titans, as a rival to the Ravens, have to end that streak on Thursday night. And hopefully having a better quarterback at the end of the depth chart, Malik Willis, will allow the Titans to do so.

But I want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. If this is your first ever listen, make sure you subscribe on whatever platform you do stream. It's your team every day here on the Locked On Titans podcast. We just talked about the defensive backfield. I'm going to throw the depth chart back

up there for you guys so we can dive in to linebacker and edge rusher. Now, they don't have edge rusher listed, but outside linebacker, Bud Dupree's an outside linebacker. I remember thatree's an outside linebacker. I remember that comment. Jesus, Lord, give me a break.

Semantics. But, anyways. Of course, you have Bud Dupree, Harold Landry, Zach Cunningham, and David Long as your starters. Rashad Weaver and Ola Dainey behind the outside linebackers with Justin Lawler and David Anini behind them. Filling out the last six of the outside linebackers. The backups at inside linebacker are Dylan Cole and Chance Campbell, the rookie. And then behind Chance Campbell, they have Monty Rice right now in parentheses because Monty Rice is on the PUP.

And then Jack Gibbons and Joe Jones behind them descending. So really what I find most interesting out of that is Chance Campbell being listed as the second team inside linebacker. Now you think if Monte Rice is healthy, he'll be that guy. But let me just say this. Monte Rice wasn't some early pick. Monte Rice is a mid-round pick. And David Long was a late-round pick. So if Chance Campbell is getting all these opportunities in camp, why is it insane to think that maybe even when Monte Rice comes back, Chance Campbell's ahead of him?

I don't think it's insane. Why not? Monte Rice was just a rookie last year, got hurt, and is coming off a pretty bad injury. It's not out of the realm of possibility that Chance Campbell just takes that third linebacker spot. Dylan Cole as another backup linebacker, second string linebacker,

he provides excellent value on special teams. Now, Cole was banged up recently and he's missed some practice. So hopefully he can come back and regain that form. I got to tell you, Joe Jones being listed behind both the rookies, Campbell and Gibbons, as I've said, I just never really expected him to make the team. Now, I would rather take Gibbons or Campbell over Joe Jones. Let him make the practice squad.

He's a guy who's been in the organization. He can help out if you need to call him up. If you experience injuries, I don't want him make the practice squad. He's a guy who's been in the organization. He can help out if you need to call him up. If you experience injuries, I don't want him out of the organization. I want him on the practice squad. But he's definitely not roster material. So that's what I find interesting there is to see Joe Jones

behind him. And right now, Joe Jones, though, is getting critical reps with Dylan Cole being gone and being injured. So maybe Joe Jones finds a way to slither into that veteran inside linebacker who's primarily a special team or role. But I don't want him playing any defense.

And it's just hard for me to get excited about having guys on the roster who just can't play a certain side of the ball. Now, in fairness, last time I said that about a guy, it was Rayce McMath, and boy, do I look like I might be wrong on that, but we'll still see. Everybody gets hype in training camp. We still got to see it in the season, but I've seen Joe Jones enough now in his play,

and he's been with the organization long enough that you got to think he's just primarily a practice squad player, and good for Gibbons, good for Chance Campbell to already be ahead of him on the depth chart. But obviously all eyes are on if Monty Rice can come back and how quickly he needs to come back to not lose his role and his spot at edge.

What I just noticed here is the Titans are incredibly thin, man. They're just so thin at the edge. All you have is Bud Dupree, Harold Landry, Rashad Weaver, and Ola Dainey. Those are the only guys I think are going to make the edge. All you have is Bud Dupree, Harold Landry, Rashad Weaver, and Ola Dainey. Those are the only guys I think are going to make the team. David Anini is a pass rush project. Justin Lawler is a special teamer. So maybe Lawler sneaks on just for depth purposes.

I sure hope Anini makes it to the practice squad. And if the Titans only keep four, which I talked about keeping potentially five safeties, keeping potentially six cornerbacks, I would do that and only keep four outside linebackers. Because Danico Autry can help you out at outside linebacker as well. So that's the route that I would go so I can have more defensive backs. I think now looking at the roster, that's what I would do. go so I can have more defensive backs I think now looking at the roster

that's what I would do with the talent they have at edge I just don't think Lawler or Nene are worth keeping on the roster I think it would be more valuable to have Greg Maben or Joshua Kalou maybe even Adrian Colbert I think that's the way the Titans should go there but it would be nice if they had a fifth outside linebacker worth keeping around.

That would be nice. Something I wanted. I wanted to ride Kerrigan all along, and then he retired. Snap. Never going to see it. Never going to have it happen. But anyway, just thin.

And with how thin the Titans are at outside linebacker, it is a must that Rashad Weaver play well in a special teams role. The Titans assistant coaches talked about that earlier in the offseason, that what Weaver has done a good job of is solidifying his role on special teams, which, again, with how thin they are at edge, Ola and Weaver are going to have to be critical special teams players. They're just going to have to. Man, they're thin at edge.

Something to watch. Something to watch when the rosters start getting churned. Here after we start having cut down dates, if the Titans try to add some more at edge rusher, I would bet that they do. But we have to talk about the defensive line. And man, the DeMarcus Walker hype train continues to roll on. I thought he had a great chance to make the roster before camp started,

and what I'm seeing now makes me believe that even more. Do want to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. Ask for your second listen. Check out the Locked on NFL podcast. Get your Titans news here with me in under 30 minutes every day. Get your national NFL news in under 30 minutes every day as well, Monday through Friday and free on all platforms.

Check out the Locked on NFL podcast. Titans fans, we're going to cap off today's show breaking down the defensive depth chart. We got to talk about the defensive line. We talked about the defensive backfield. We talked about the linebackers. Now let's get into the D-line. And we're going to talk a little special teams at the end as well. But throwing up the depth chart one more time for the folks on YouTube, checking that out.

We have Danico Autry as the starting defensive end, Thierry Tart as the starting nose tackle, and Jeffrey Simmons as the starting defensive tackle. So that's how the Titans align those positions. As I mentioned, Demarcus Walker is going to be a great option to back up Danico Autry. And with Danico Autry having missed some practices lately and being in his 30s and being on the last year of his contract, it's important for the Titans to start to look

to find someone to back up that role. So Demarcus Walker, second behind Danico Autry, like that. Deshaun Hand, third, behind Danico Autry, and then fourth behind Danico Autry, Larell Murchison. Guys, I don't think Murch is going to make the roster. I've been saying that he's one of these guys who, and some people are like, eh, you know, it's not a surprise. Maybe it's not a surprise, but if you had to give me an,

you know, a cut candidate that may catch people, it'd be Larell Murchison. And with Deshaun Hand and Demarcus Walker, two guys who are newer to the team than Larell Murchison, bad news for Murch. Not great for him. But anyway, I like Demarcus Walker and Deshaun Hand. I hope both of those guys make the team.

I know that Demarcus Walker and Deshaun Hand. I hope both of those guys make the team. I know that Demarcus Walker will at this point. Nose tackle, Tierra Tart, Naquan Jones. Tierra Tart's more of the run stopper. Naquan Jones is more of the pass rushing interior penetrator. Those guys can rotate in and out all season long at the nose tackle spot. Love that four down line situations if the Titans want to go a little heavier.

They can have Simmons and Naquan Jones in there as their sub package front four. That's an option just to give Danico Autry a rest, or you got Autry on the edge, you give Bud Dupree or Harold Landry a rest. It just helps the Titans create that rotation. Behind him, you at nose tackle, you have the two undrafted free agents in Jaden Peavy and Haskell Garrett. Uphill climb for either of them to make the team,

but Peavy being ahead of Garrett, I thought Peavy had a better chance just because he's a bigger guy. Garrett is more of a Naquan Jones-sized guy, style guy. And then at defensive tackle, you have Jeffrey Simmons. You have Kevin Strong, who continues to hold strong to a decent roster spot. I think Strong versus Deshaun Hand is quite the battle to watch. But maybe the Titans with only four outside linebackers,

maybe only four inside linebackers, the Titans can keep seven on the defensive line and then 11 in the defensive backfield. That'd be 26. Only keep 24 in offense. Maybe that's the way the Titans want to do it. We'll see how it all works out. I'll make my final roster prediction

after the last preseason game. But continuing here, Kevin Strong has a great chance. Sam Okweanunu, I just think it's going to be such an uphill climb for him to have even a shot. So the battles that I'm seeing here, Larell Murchison, Deshaun Hand,

that's a battle. Kevin Strong, Larell Murchison, Deshaun Hand, that's a battle. I think that Danico Autry, Demarcus Walker, Jeffrey Simmons, Tierra Dart, Naquan Jones, those are five locks. So one or two more spots available. I like Kevin Strong and Deshaun Hand. We'll see if Larell Murchison can find a way to get back on the roster this year.

But outside of the defensive line, let's talk some special teams. So at the bottom, Randy Bullock, the starter. Caleb Schuttach behind him, but he's on PUP. Kickoff, Randy Bullock, Caleb Schuttach, punter, Brett Curran, Ryan Stonehouse, Brett Curran, Ryan Stonehouse for holder, Kyle Phillips, the starter at punt returner, Dontrell Hilliard at starter at kickoff returner, and then of course, Morgan Cox at long snapper. So I want to get into the thing that really sticks out to me. Mason Kinsey is behind Kyle Phillips, a punt returner. Mason Kinsey is the third string kickoff returner, I do believe.

Yes, third string kickoff returner. If he doesn't win one of those spots, it's going to be hard for him to make the roster. But if the Titans decide to keep six wide receivers, the four locks we know, the two rookies, NWI and Robert Woods, Rayce McMath, who looks like he has a chokehold on the fifth spot,

if they keep six, I think there's a real chance that it's Mason Kinsey over Des Fitzpatrick because then Mason Kinsey can be a backup for punt return and kickoff return if needed. Who this depth chart's really bad for is Trent Cannon. I thought that Trent Cannon's only real way to make this roster is if he is the starting kickoff returner.

That's his best attribute that he's had his entire NFL career. Now, the coaching staff talked up his ability as a gunner on coverage teams. That's great. But if he's not returning kicks for the Titans, his value plummets. And that really takes away a chance at a roster spot. And if you were somebody like me who said the Titans probably keep five backs with Henry Hilliard Haskins,

Cannon, and Torrey Carter, and that would only allow them to keep five wide receivers. Well, now, if you get rid of Cannon at running back and you only keep four backs with Carter, Hilliard, Haskins, and Henry, well, now that opens you up to keep that sixth wide receiver and you can keep a guy like Mason Kinsey who gives you a direct backup for your Kyle Phillips style guy and a direct backup for the punt

returner. So if Phillips goes down, you already have the guy on the roster who can fill his role on the offense and fill his role as a punt returner. That's dual versatility and it'll make it Kinsey more effective for the Titans. I don't think that Kinsey makes a roster spot but now the big takeaway for me is more effective for the Titans. I don't think that Kinsey makes a roster spot. But, now, the big takeaway for me is Trenton Cannon

not being the main kickoff returner makes him way less valuable. And then, Hilliard's starting kickoff returner, Kinsey can be a backup for punt return, a backup for kickoff return too. So, Trenton Cannon not being the starting kickoff returner

gives Mason Kinsey a better chance to make the roster, in my opinion, and it really takes down Cannon's chance of making the roster as well. So that was something that I found very, very interesting on special teams. But that is my review of the defensive and special teams depth charts for the Titans. Again, tomorrow will be a game preview edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. And boy, I cannot wait. But that's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland.

And this was Locked on Titans. Thank you.