Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Remaining Needs: What They Are & Options to Fix Them!

Episode Date: May 5, 2021

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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, this Wednesday edition of the Locked On Titans podcast is presented by the Peacock and Williamson podcast. NFL analyst Brian Peacock and former NFL scout Matt Williamson host Locked On the Peacock and Williamson Podcast. NFL analyst Brian Peacock and former NFL scout Matt Williamson host Locked On's Peacock and Williamson every Monday through Friday.

You get your Tennessee Titans perspective here. Make sure to get your national NFL perspective from the Peacock and Williamson Podcast. Subscribe wherever you get your podcast. But the Tennessee Titans have completed the 2021 NFL Draft. But looking over the roster, there are still some pretty big needs. So it is a perfect time for us to go back through the roster and look at what those positions that still need help are. So we're going to go through all of them that I see. I'm going to tell you who's on the Titans roster currently and ways that I do think

the Titans could realistically improve these positions of need. So excited to dive into this conversation about team needs on a Wednesday edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Let's get it. We are going to dive into the Tennessee Titans remaining roster needs on today's show, and we are going to start with the positions of greatest need for the Titans, and I bet you guys can imagine what position I am going to start off with. But before we dive into that conversation, I want to remind you guys, I'm going to be putting out Monday through Friday, daily Tennessee Titans content, not only during the season,

but all year long. There's not another Titans content creator that can say that. Make sure that you follow the podcast on whatever platform you do stream. Also want to let you know there have been some recent technical issues with Apple and with iTunes. You can always find the show on Spotify, on the Odyssey app, on Stitcher, on Google Podcasts. There are a multitude of different platforms that you can find the Locked on Titans podcast, so make sure that you're locked in so you never miss an episode.

Follow me on Twitter, at TicTacTitans as well. Going to be putting up a video breakdown of new Titans offensive tackle Dylan Radins here soon. Make sure you don't miss that. Also, follow the show on Facebook at Locked on Titans Pod. But let's dive into this roster need conversation with the number one need that the Titans still have, and it is clearly the wide receiver position. So I had a conversation earlier in the offseason with you guys

pretty frequently about the fact that I was more than willing to let Corey Davis and Jonu Smith walk. Now, that was on the condition that the Tennessee Titans brought in a cheap veteran, check, Josh Reynolds. Literally, an exact name that I had been pointing out throughout the pre-free agency process. I wanted Josh Reynolds on the Titans

as a cheap replacement for Corey Davis. I love that signing. But it was also dependent on the fact that the Titans would spend a decently high pick on a pass catcher that could really impact the 2021 Tennessee Titans and unfortunately as I've gone over and you guys have hammered me on for being too negative but I've said the Titans did not do that in the draft they added two wide receivers and neither of them do I view as contributors so in my mind the Titans didn't draft a wide receiver essentially so with that in mind I'm disappointed in the Titans wide

receiver group right now we have AJ Brown of course absolute stud freak possibly the best wide receiver in Titans history already then we have Josh Reynolds, who I mentioned. But after that, are any of these guys truly bona fide NFL players? If they're not on the Titans, are these players any more than practice squad players? You have Cam Batson, Nick Westbrook-Akina. You have the both guys who were newly drafted, Des Fitzpatrick, Racey McMath. you have Marcus Johnson, you have Chester Rogers, and then the Titans brought in another wide receiver today, Fred Brown, who was an undrafted free agent from 2019. He's bounced around the NFL multiple teams over the past two years.

He has two catches and 21 yards in his entire NFL career. He's a camp body. He's not even going to make the team. So to me, the Titans have two NFL players at wide receiver and the rest of the guys are practice squad players. It's just incredibly disappointing based on how great I thought the beginning of the offseason was going. Now, the Titans need to improve that position. No holes barred. Like I said at the beginning, John Robinson does say the roster building process is not complete after the draft.

So what can the Titans do to help the wide receiver position? I have a few good options here. Number one, if you look at free agency, which will obviously be the easiest route to go, you have a veteran like Golden Tate. I would love to add Golden Tate. No, Golden Tate at 33 years old isn't going to be some monster producer, but a veteran who knows how to play in the slot, who's been productive in the NFL, who's from Tennessee, that makes a lot of sense. You want to get a little bit more of a

talent upgrade there at free agency. A guy like D.D. Westbrook, who played for the Jaguars for a long time, good speed, player used to playing in the slot. Another guy who's kind of a low-end option for me. He's the lower tier of these names, but Damiri Bird from the Patriots. I thought he had some very productive games last year, and I think if you brought him into the Titans, he would instantly be top three, top four wide receiver on the team. Now, if you want to get a little more creative, and you want to look in the trade market,

obviously there's the Julio Jones aspect. We've talked about that at length. I think the Titans should immediately consider giving up a 2022 second round pick and a 2022 fourth round pick to get Julio Jones after June the 1st. They would have to pay him $15 million this year, but only $11.5 million the next two years. A lot of that would not be guaranteed if something went wrong. So I think that's the number one option for me. But also,

you look at a guy like Jamison Crowder for the New York Jets. They added Corey Davis. They have Denzel Mims. They just drafted Elijah Moore very high. That could mean Jamison Crowder and his $10 million salary could be cut. If so, the Titans should be number one in line

to pick him up. He is a great and realistic option for the Titans and would fit perfectly. Give me Jamison Crowder. Then you have a guy like Anthony Miller who's on the Chicago Bears right now, but they have throughout the all season been very open about the fact that they're looking to deal him. So I would give up a sixth round pick for Anthony Miller in the 2022 draft to bring him in. I think that needs that dire. You want to look at some other options that could make sense for the Titans. I looked at teams with immense depth at wide receiver. The Arizona Cardinals. They have Christian Kirk. He's only on one more year of his deal for $3 million. They have Andy Isabella. Two years for $2.6 million

over the next two years. So both of those options could make sense. Whichever one the Cardinals would be willing to deal. They just drafted Rondale Moore out of Purdue. They still have DeAndre Hopkins. They added A.J. Green. Larry Fitzgerald could be coming back for a final season in the NFL. So they could definitely be looking to add an extra draft pick and give away some of that depth.

Then the final option. So there was big NFL news today. So they could definitely be looking to add an extra draft pick and give away some of that depth. Then the final option. So there was big NFL news today. Denver Broncos offensive tackle Juwan James tore his Achilles. Now in a later episode, I'm going to talk about the ramifications that that has league wide as the NFL Players Association told all the players to not go into the facility for workouts. Well, if you get hurt while you're not at the facility, the team doesn't owe you the money.

So, Jawan James just missed out on $10 to $20 million because he listened to the NFL Players Association and didn't work out at the team facility. So, could there be a trade there? The Titans have a wealth of tackles at this time. Kendall Lamb, Ty Sambrillo, and now they just drafted Dylan Radins. They might be willing. The Titans and the Broncos could work out a deal here for either wide receiver Deshaun Hamilton or Tim Patrick.

Send the Broncos an offensive tackle and that could be the basis of some sort of deal to help the Titans. I think Deshaun Hamilton or Tim Patrick would immediately be the third best wide receiver on the Titans team. So that's what I think the Titans could do at wide receiver to fix this issue. But no matter what happens, no matter what, the Titans absolutely have to make some sort of addition to the wide receiver group, an actual NFL contributing player before the season kicks off. But we are going to move into the next set of Tennessee Titans needs after the draft.

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And I wish that I had a more optimistic conversation about a need. But unfortunately, the next need is number two on my list because of recent events. And that is the edge rusher position. The Titans went into the season with bud dupree harold landry derrick roberson and then rashad weaver that's not all that terrible i would still like some sort of addition to that group but now with weaver's situation on the fritz and who knows what will come of that if things turn out as bad as possible, the Titans will most likely cut him, and then he wouldn't be on the team at all.

If things turn out well, then, of course, Weaver could contribute, but, of course, Weaver still is a rookie. So either way, edge is a position. Depending on Weaver's situation, how big of a need is it? But right now, with things so uncertain, it's the number two need on the team for the Titans, in my opinion. And right now, I mentioned the names Bud Dupree, Harold Landry, Derek Roberson. That's the only players on the Titans roster right now that I can count on to make an impact in a real NFL game. So with that in mind, what should the Titans do? Well, for me,

it's very obvious they have to dip back into the free agency market. Now, at the beginning of the year, the beginning of the offseason, I should say, I said the Titans need to attack the edge rusher position with two free agents and then two rookies. Well, they got one free agent and they got one rookie. And the one rookie, well, that's up and down. Who knows where it'll go? So to me, I don't know if the Titans didn't think that the edge rusher position needed as much resources as it actually does, or if they were just okay with what they got in the draft. But by my count, there's no way that the Titans cannot go into free agency

and get someone who can actually contribute. Not another Fred Brown, who's not even going to make the team. They need to get somebody who can be a rotational edge at the NFL level and that would entail free agency. So who would be available to the Titans on the free agent market at the edge rusher position that can actually fill the responsibility and the role that I have lined out as a situational and rotational edge rusher? as a situational and rotational edge rusher, well, it's all going to be veteran guys. So, number one, Melvin Ingram.

Now, Melvin Ingram dealt with injuries last year. He only played seven games. He had zero sacks. That's obviously a concern. But a guy like Melvin Ingram has 49 sacks in his career. And although he's gone down in the last few years, the last two seasons that he actually was able to play, he had seven sacks apiece. So although he's older, he's coming off an injury,

if the Titans could get five sacks out of Melvin Ingram as a rotational veteran edge, I mean, that would just be a steal for them. That would be perfect for the role that I am carving out. Now, if they don't look for Melvin Ingram because of the injury issues, they have to look to Justin Houston, who just finished up playing two seasons with the Colts. Not only would getting Justin Houston in the building be a boon for the Titans' pass rush unit, but it also would take Justin Houston away from the Colts. And right now, all indications are

that he would like to sign back with the Colts again because of the familiarity there. So if the Titans were able to pluck him away, it would be two-pronged. They'd be helping themselves and hurting their enemy. So I really like that as an option. And different from Melvin Gordon, who had zero sacks last year and was injured and only played seven games. Justin Houston has played in 16 games in back-to-back years. He had 11 sacks in 2019 and eight sacks last year. So he's still incredibly productive, not to mention the 97.5 sacks he's had in his career, one of the best edge rushers in NFL history. So to me, that would be a great fit for the Titans as well.

And then finally, a name that's very, very popular on Titans Twitter, at least was early on in the year, is Ryan Kerrigan. Now, Ryan Kerrigan spent his entire career with the Washington football team, but obviously they've added a guy like Montez Sweat, they've added a guy like Chase Young, and an older veteran who's 32 years old going to be 33 this season just hard for him to get on the field when you have that sort of depth so I don't see Ryan Kerrigan as a guy who's just completely slipped off the face of the earth in terms of his talent

he's just a guy who's getting a little older and has some really young talented guys who played on his team with him the last few years but if you you look at the last two seasons, he played in 12 games in 2019, 16 games last year, so he was healthy, and he played 16 games every single year of his career prior to 2019, where he played 12. So it's a guy who stays on the field. He's durable. He's reliable. He had five and a half sacks the last two seasons, so still very productive. If you put him in a rotation, I would love to see Ryan Kerrigan on the Titans to bring not only his five and a half sacks from the last two years, but also the 95 and a half sacks from his career and all that experience. He can definitely help any of the young Titans edge rushers that they could add

in the undrafted free agent market or as they add camp bodies and who knows who he could teach and help the Titans develop but that is Melvin Gordon, Justin Houston, Ryan Kerrigan those are the names that I would be interested in at edge rusher for the Tennessee Titans but we have three more positions to talk about and they aren't as big of a need as edge rusher and as wide receiver clearly are but they still are roster spots that the titans need to at least take a look at so we're going to dive into those positions when we come back but before we do want to remind you guys about betonline.ag the fastest and easiest way to bet on all your sports action. Baseball, NBA, MLB, all in full swing now. There's all kinds of UFC and MMA events going on over the summer.

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you guys about the Locked On Today podcast. You're getting all your Tennessee Titans information here. Make sure that you get all of your national major sport news in under 20 minutes every morning with the Locked On Today podcast. You can find it on whatever platform you get your shows. But let's dive into these last three positions of need for the Titans. And number one is tight end. I expected the Titans to add a tight end in

the draft they did not do that instead they added a couple tight ends as undrafted free agents to go along with some of the practice squad level tight ends that they already have they of course of course have Anthony Ferkser and Jeff Swaim but after that you're talking about Parker Hesse Tommy Hudson Jared Pinckney and then the two undrafted free agents, Briley Moore of note, who I'm actually pretty high on and would love to see what he can do later in the year. But either way, I think the Titans could use a veteran, talented tight end. And in my opinion, there's a lot of them that could be available via trade. I don't really see any out on the free agent market.

So who could be available for a trade for the Titans? see any out on the free agent market. So who could be available for a trade for the Titans? I don't think this is a great fit, but it's obviously a guy who's had a good career in the NFL and would add to the talent. And that's Zach Ertz from the Philadelphia Eagles. He's been openly on the trading block throughout the off season. He's set to make $8.5 million this year, but after that, he's an unrestricted free agent another guy out of Cleveland they already have a Harrison Bryant they already have an Austin Hooper so a guy like David Njoku who actually asked for a trade last offseason wasn't granted it of course because he's not the type of level of player who can ask for a trade and get what he wants but either way Njoku's on the final year of his deal six million dollars will be an unrestricted free agent he's a guy who can block

he can also pass good athleticism get him in the titan system i think he could pay dividends he would immediately be tight end one now this would be a little bit of a concern because he is coming off of a serious injury but oj howard again another guy same draft class as in joku six million dollars last year of his deal would be worth the risk for the Titans if he's healthy. And then another guy who I don't think will get traded, but if some reason he becomes available, like O.J. Howard and Njoku, it's just some people ahead of him. In Tampa Bay, you got Gronk, you got Cameron Brate, so that might make the Buccaneers willing to trade O.J. Howard.

Evan Ingram for the Giants. They just brought in Kyle Rudolph. Ingram is going to be a free agent after the year. He's only owed $6 million. The Giants are reportedly not very high on him and keeping him around. I know that, you know, that should be a concern to the Titans as well. But the reality is the Titans are desperate for help at tight end. And Ingram would certainly be the

most talented tight end that the Titans have had since Delaney Walker in terms of overall athleticism next obviously you have Delaney Walker but guys I just wanted to take this moment to say Delaney Walker's done Delaney Walker will never play NFL football again guys he's not coming to Tennessee I know I get asked about it. It's just not going to happen. Now, Michael Pruitt, while he doesn't elevate the talent of the Titans tight end group, I would at least feel more comfortable if he was in the fold. So, those are some options at tight end for the Titans. Again, I'm going to hit on this position again this year. Back up quarterback. The Titans have Ryan Tannehill. The Titans have Deshaun Kizer.

And then the Titans have Logan Woodside. Deshaun Kizer and Logan Woodside, the Titans are going to lose by a million if either of those dudes have to play. Now you could make the argument if Ryan Tannehill gets hurt whatsoever, the Titans are screwed. But what if Tannehill is just knocked out for two games? The Titans are losing both those games with those guys at quarterback. Period. No questions asked. So if the Titans want to be serious about making a Super Bowl run and cover all their bases, they need to consider a guy like

Jeff Driscoll. Nine career starts. Yeah, he's one and eight in those career starts, but he's thrown for over 2,000 yards, 13 touchdowns interceptions real starting NFL experience the next guy would be even higher on getting and that's Nick Mullins who had time in a very similar offensive situation in San Francisco he started eight games in 2020 he's 5 and11 in his career and starts five wins as a starter in his career. I mean, come on. You cannot tell me that you wouldn't feel more comfortable playing Nick Mullins, a backup quarterback, than if Logan Woodside or Deshaun Kaiser had to come in. Mullins has thrown for over 4,700 yards in his career, 25 touchdowns, 22 interceptions.

Absolutely a better option than what the Titans have and could win them a couple of games if Tannehill is out for a couple weeks stretch. Then you have Blake Bortles. 73 starts, 24 and 49. But my God, the guy's won 24 games. He's going to an AFC championship game in the NFL. You cannot tell me that a guy who's thrown for over 17,000,

we've talked about 2,000, 4,700, 17,000 passing yards in his career, 103 touchdowns, 75 interceptions. Why does this guy not have a job? He would immediately be an instant upgrade over what the Titans have. And it's not like he would be expensive. He'd take a vet minimum. So I don't really understand why the Titans are relying on Logan Woodside for another year.

If he was called to action, it would be an abomination for the Titans. And then the final position, we haven't talked enough about this, quite frankly, and that's on me. But the kicker position, Steven Gostkowski has not resigned. And I know that some people are up and down on Gostkowski, but the reality is he made multiple game winning kicks for the Titans last year. He was 18 for 26 on field goals, but he was eight of nine on field goals after Bo Brinkley was replaced. Bo Brinkley played terribly last year. It clearly affected Gostkowski. It affected Brett Kern.

So after they replaced Bo Brinkley, Gostkowski went 8-9 on his field goals. He was 46 of 48 on his extra points, so no worry there. Now the Titans have an all-pro long snapper, Morgan Cox, coming in. I'm not worried about Gostkowski at all. The Titans need to get on the horn

and re-sign him. But if for some reason they don't, then what they need to look at is Dan Bailey played 16 games for Minnesota last year, 15 for 22 on field goals, 37 for 43 on extra points. Zane Gonzalez

played 12 games for Arizona last year, 16 for 22 on field goals, 38 for 39 on extra points. And when you look at touchback rates, Gostkowski had a touchback on his kickoffs 59% of the time. Dan Bailey was 63% of the time. Zane Gonzalez was 55% of the time. So all of those dudes are good enough. And at the end of the day, I don't know why the Titans are waiting so long,

but they got to get a viable kicker in the building. Right now, Tucker McCann is still on the roster, but when the chips were down last year, they didn't want Tucker McCann to come out and punt or kick. And then the Titans just brought in, I believe the name is Josh Heibel from Ohio State as an undrafted free agent kicker. I mean, come on.

We're not going into a Super Bowl or bust year for the Titans in the midst of their Super Bowl window, best Super Bowl window they've had in 20 years. We're not going to go into that with an undrafted free agent rookie kicker out of Ohio State. I'm sorry, that's just not the move. So the Titans need to address wide receiver.

They need to address edge. They need to address tight end, backup quarterback and kicker, in my opinion. But those are the biggest remaining needs for the Tennessee Titans. 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. you