Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - TENNESSEE TITANS RUMOR MILL: Sam Darnold Top Option, Cam Ward or Trade Down & Draft Board Logic

Episode Date: March 2, 2025

We got some major rumors coming out of the NFL combine surrounding the Tennessee Titans quarterback opening. Sam Darnold seems to be the frontrunner for the Titans if they go the veteran route, but Justin Fields was also mentioned as a possibility. Matthew Stafford going back to the Rams seems to have set things in motion for the NFL. Also, we got news about a potential trade down situation for the Tennessee Titans, but after reports of Cam Ward killing the meetings at the combine, should the Titans just stick and pick? Finally, Tyler goes on a "Rowland's Rant" on the conversation surrounding the Titans current progress in their draft planning. Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitans TicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=asc 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 Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! ChewyChewy has everything you need to keep your pet happy and healthy. And right now you can save $20 on your first order and get free shipping by going to Chewy.com/LOCKEDONNFL. FanDuelRight now, new FanDuel customers can get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. 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 NFL combine is complete and we're hearing a ton of rumors about what the Tennessee Titans might do at quarterback. I'll break them all down with you on today's edition of 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 Roland Titans fans. Today's edition of the locked on Titans podcast is brought to you by Fandle. Right now, new Fandle customers can get $150 in bonus bets.

If your first $5 bet wins on today's show, we're going to take a look at all the rumors coming out of the combine. We're going to talk about free agency quarterbacks. We're going to talk about what the Titans might do in the draft. And I'll give you a little Roland's rant on the Titans process of setting their draft board. Before we dive into all of it, do want to thank you for making the Locked on Titans podcast

your first listen each and every day. Remember Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. You're not going to beat that anywhere else. Make sure that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. It's your team every day. 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 everyday or you need to be one again, there's breaking news, there's rumors, there's breaking news. There's rumors. There's all kinds of information floating around this time of year. Free agency starts a week from today. I'm going to have a full free agency preview for you guys.

The rest of the week, you will not be a more informed, more prepared Tennessee Titans fan than you would be if you listen to this podcast every single day. But with that being said, again, very, very busy week at the NFL combine. We heard a ton about what the Tennessee Titans might do. And of course, as always, you got to have the caveat of these are rumors. These are coming out of the combine. Who wants this rumor out?

Is it the Titans? Is it the agent? Is it the other teams? All of that different stuff. So you take everything with a grain of salt that you hear, is it the Titans? Is it the agent? Is it the other teams? All of that different stuff. So you take everything with a grain of salt that you hear, but it is interesting to see how things are kind of stacking up here. The number one thing that I want to talk about here is what the Tennessee Titans might do at quarterback.

And we will start with free agency. So the number one thing to consider here is that there aren't a lot of options on the market at this time. They Matthew Stafford went back to the Los Angeles Rams over the weekend. And quite frankly, I have been telling you guys over and over and over again that it never made any sense to me that Matthew Stafford would leave the Los Angeles Rams. And it also never made any sense to me that Matthew Stafford would leave the Los Angeles ramps. And it also never made any sense to me that Matthew Stafford would

come to the Tennessee Titans from Matthew Stafford's perspective or the Titans perspective. So that's not happening there, but we are hearing, we are hearing according to Jeremy Fowler from ESPN that the Giants, the Raiders and the Titans are the most logical options for Sam Darnold. Listen, I have said repeatedly, I don't want Sam Darnold. I don't want to pay Sam Darnold. Also worth noting that Tyron Davenport mentioned, I believe it was on Twitter is where it was mentioned that the Titans don't really like the price tag for Sam Donald $40 million a year. The Titans wouldn't want to pay that that is news or that is beautiful

noise to my ears. Look, I would be okay with Sam Donald if the price is low at the Titans are paying 25 $30 million a year for two years. Let's say they give Sam Donald a two-year deal for 60 million dollars with 45 to 50 million guaranteed. I would be fine with that because it wouldn't preclude them from taking a quarterback either this year next year the year after like I don't want to put the future of the franchise

on Sam Donald, but also we have to acknowledge here the Tennessee Titans want to put the future of the franchise on Sam Darnall. But also we have to acknowledge here the Tennessee Titans want to win right away. And Aaron Rodgers doesn't sound like the Titans are interested in Aaron Rodgers. Derek Carr probably not going to come available. Kirk Cousins probably not going to come available. And if he does, we don't know that right now. There's no finality and the Falcons are playing hardball saying that they're going to keep him. If Kurt Cousins was available, Titans want to give them a veteran minimum contract, like what the Steelers did with Russell Wilson last year. That would be fine.

You know what I mean? But there just aren't a lot of options out there for the Titans to play quarterback. Like, let's assume for a second, the Titans don't want to take a quarterback. Number one in the draft, the Titans don't want to take a quarterback number one in the draft. The Titans don't want quarterback. Just assume that for the sake of discussion. Well, no Stafford, not interested in Rogers. Kirk Husson's not available.

Derek Carr not available. What other veteran quarterback realistically can you look at and say, this guy's going to be an improvement on the quarterback play we had last year? Winston, Fields, Daniel Jones, Mack Jones, like none of these guys are a significant improvement over Will Levis. They're just simply not. It's not a significant improvement, even if you think there is one. So to me out of the realistic options that the Titans could bring in that would be their starting quarterback. The only one left is Sam Donald, the only one and now we're hearing that the Tennessee Titans are a logical fit for Donald.

I've heard any true rumored connection other than again, to Ron Davenport follow him on Twitter, um, mentioning, you know, that the Titans don't like the $40 million price tag. So right now though, what I will tell you is it's probably down to the Raiders or Titans. Sam Donald's probably going to end up with the Raiders or the Titans. And all we can do is all we can do is hope that it's not the Tennessee Titans

at the price that we're here in Sam Donald will likely get. That's all I can say. Now on the other side of it, we did get some rumors about another, uh, veteran quarterback who the Titans may have interest in and it's Justin Fields. So again, these are internet rumors. You can't be certain you take everything with a grain of salt, but a very reliable internet reporter, Ricky, you guys may have heard of him before, said that the Steelers and Jets are basically fighting over Justin Fields, which I actually heard at the combine on my day when I was there that the jets really want Justin Fields. So that lines up with what I've heard. Uh, but it said the Titans are a third team to watch in the Justin Fields sweepstakes.

So Justin Fields to the Titans potentially, let me say this, and I will continue to say this, look, I'm an Ohio state guy. I'm a Buckeye born and raised in Ohio. I want Justin Fields to do well. I don't hate Justin Fields or have a bias against him in any way. Most people would claim the opposite, but I didn't like Justin Fields coming out of college as an NFL quarterback, and I don't want Justin Fields now. He is a turnover issue with the fumbles because he holds onto the ball

and tries to play hero ball. He's a guy who does not process the field very quickly. It's basically the same issues that you get with Will Levis, but he's a better runner. You know, not as good of an arm, still a good arm. Justin Fields still has a good arm. Will Levis just has a really, really strong arm, really great arm. But Justin Fields, the slow processing time, the mental mistakes, the not seeing the field, not being over the throw, the not being able to throw over the middle of the field, holding the ball too long, taking sacks, fumbles. Like it's just the same problems that you had

with Will Levis. So while I have been a guy who, hey, Ricky puts out good scoops, I trust what he says. At the end of the day, this does not make any sense to me because Justin Fields doesn't fit. Now, what I will say is, if the Titans want Cam Ward number one overall, then Justin Fields would be a really good backup. And I have said that if the Titans draft a quarterback number one overall, then they need to get rid of Will Levis immediately. You don't want to have

warring factions in the locker room. Jeffrey Simmons was at a hockey game with Will Levis this weekend. Like there are going to be loyalties in the locker room and politics in the locker room. If you leave Will Levis in there and draft cam ward. So if you draft cam ward and want to bring in Justin Fields and free agency to be the backup, that makes sense. But it sounds like fields is going to have an opportunity to start. So I don't know why he would do that, but let's talk about cam ward

because things are heating up. Do you want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. When the game tips off, the NBA action is just getting started and there's no better place to get in on it than FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook. With FanDuel, you can place live bets throughout the game. So even if you miss opening tip- off or you want to bet on a fourth quarter comeback, you can stay in the action. And if you're looking for a bigger payout, you can even combine

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Titans fans. Let's continue today's edition of the locked on Titans podcast. We talked about the veteran quarterback market. Some of the rumors were here and we've heard the Titans connected to Sam Donald connected to Justin Fields, but I gotta tell you. Look out for Kirk Cousins. If Kirk Cousins becomes available in free agency, I think Kirk Cousins ends up with the Titans or the Giants. So that's my little prediction for you right there, but we'll wait to see if Kirk Cousins actually ends up in free agency. But with that being said, hearing some other rumors out of the combine, And if you're asking yourself, man, the Titans are only did barely to Sam Donald. It wasn't even a, the Titans are in on Sam Donald. It was a logical spot. You know what I mean? And then you take the Justin Fields thing. So they're only interested in Justin Fields or Sam Donald. That's pretty light for a team that is going to pass on quarterback early

in the draft. Well quarterback fans guys who want the Titans to take the quarterback guys and gals I'll say who want the Titans to take a quarterback. I got good news for you. This could be smoke and I know that the comment section is if you don't want a quarterback, you're going to say, oh, this is just the Titans smoke screen, trying to get people to trade up. I will continue to say. You do not. Trade down.

If you really love one of these quarterbacks. You don't do that. You can't do that. If you love one of these quarterbacks, you take them at number one overall. Now, I have been skeptical of how much the Titans do like the quarterbacks. I've been skeptical of whether those quarterbacks are worth the first overall pick in the draft. But it's pretty clear coming out of the combine. Cam ward is worth it.

Tony Pauline said at the same time, I'm told by league sources that the Tennessee Titans in fact, like cam ward a lot. Hence if Tennessee can't swing a deal to move out of the top spot, ward could very likely end up with the franchise. Now again, what I would say is if you like him ward that much, why are you willing to move out of the top spot? Now the answer to that would obviously be. Now the answer to that would obviously be, well, if someone offers, you know,

three or four first round picks, you can get a trade back in this year's draft. Get a first in 2026, a first in 2027, a couple of mid rounders thrown in. If you can get five picks back for one, including three first rounders, you make it no matter who is available. And I'm sorry, but I disagree. Would you trade Jayden Daniels for three first round picks? Would you trade Pat Mahomes or Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow? Would you trade those quarterbacks for three first round picks? I wouldn't even Justin Herbert.

Would you trade Justin Herbert for three first round picks? No, I would not. If you have a quarterback that can be that good of a quarterback, and I think that Cam Ward at his absolute best can be like the seventh, eighth, ninth, best quarterback in the NFL and an actual difference maker. He may not be elite like Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson and Joe burrow, but he could be in that next tier of quarterbacks and we just saw a

quarterback in that tier. Jaylen hurts when the Superbowl. So I guess I continue to say, and I come back to it is if the Titans really like cam ward that much, why are they so willing to move out? You know, that doesn't line up to me. But the reality here is that everybody coming out of the combine, I said Cam Ward is so far and away the number one quarterback. If you're a Shader Sanders person and you want the Titans to take Sanders, it ain't happening to number one overall.

You could forget about that. Chaudhier Sanders is not going number one overall. He, he's not that level of prospect. Maybe in the bottom five of the top 10, because quarterbacks get pushed up. But I think we might see Chaudhier Sanders go in the mid teens or the early teens as a matter of fact, like Shiner Sanders is just not on Cam Ward's level. He's just not.

And we're also hearing, and I retweet all this stuff on my Twitter at Tic Tac Titans. If you want to go back through and read like all the individual snippets that I'm pulling from here. But we also saw that Ken Ward dominated his interviews, dominated his interviews. Let me, let me make sure that I read to you everything that I've read here about Ken Ward and about the interview stuff. Josh Norris from Underdog Fantasy said said spoke to one team in Indianapolis who interviewed both ward and chider as part of their 45 same sentiment is Cam ward was outstanding Vic to four who does great work. I believe for the athletic

He covers the Raiders most mostly but he's a senior writer at the, at the athletic in his combine notes. He put the gap has widened between cam ward and Chaudhry Sanders. And the sense among other teams is that Sanders will be available when the Raiders are on the clock at pick number six. Again, Chaudhry Sanders, not a top five pick. I've said throughout the process, I think Shider Sanders is a fine prospect. He's a first round quarterback, but he's nowhere near consideration for the number one overall pick. So to me, if the Titans truly do like Cam Ward, you take Cam Ward. And I'm getting closer to feeling like either they take Cam Ward at number one or they don't pick at number one at all.

There is no Abdul Carter at number one. There is no Travis Hunter at number one overall. That's where I'm starting to lean as the Titans are going to take Cam Ward or they're going to trade out. Cause Cam Ward is that good to where someone will take him number one overall, if it's not going to be you. Now, again, is this smoke screen? It makes sense for the Titans and Cam Ward. To the Titans love Cam Ward. They'd take him. There are a bunch of people who love Cam Ward.

They'd take him number one overall. There's real interest for the number one pick and trading up because teams love Cam Ward. The Giants didn't get Matthew Stafford, so they need to trade up to number one overall. The Jets have been throwing out packages to trade up to number one overall. All of that noise is good for the Tennessee Titans. It creates more buzz in the number one spot, more interest in Cam Ward. So, and the quarterback is what's going to get you the biggest return. So if you want to be skeptical and you want to be negative, you could say, all of this is nonsense.

And this is the Tennessee Titans and Cam Ward's agent trying to drum drum up as much interest in him as possible. And the Titans drum up as much interest as possible in the number One overall pick you could say that but at some point I also think some of this might just be true The Titans are interested in trading down with the number one overall pick and if they get a good enough deal, they'll do it But they're also very high on cam ward and we're very impressed by him this week If you're somebody who wants cam ward, this was a good

weekend for you and I gotta tell you guys I tweeted it. I'm starting to get that feeling. I'm starting to get that. Oh man, can they really pass on cam ward? Oh, I don't know if they can do that. You guys know I'm team trade down, Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter, but you know, I made the joke. Cam Ward is looking at me right now like the green goblin mask in No Way Home, Spider-Man with the green goblin mask is on the dumpster and it's telling Norman Osborn, you're a coward, be the green goblin.

That is what Cam Ward is doing to me right now. He's looking me in the face and saying you want to take me you want to take me and you know it i'm having a hard time fighting the feeling i'm having a hard time fighting the feeling but with that being said i got a little bit of a rant for you guys on where the titans are at within their process and what i think they do still need to figure out. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans fans. Let's cap off today's edition of the locked on Titans podcast. So we went over all the rumors that I've heard over the weekend.

Sam Donald Titans connection, Justin Fields, Titans connection, cam ward, Titans connection, heavy trade down conversation, giants, Raiders, jets. It all makes a ton of sense for the Titans, but I got to tell you as somebody who throughout most of the process has said Abdul Carter at number one, if you can't trade down Travis Hunter at number one, if you can't trade down, I don't think that that's going to happen. I don't think that's where the Titans are at, but speaking of where the Titans are at, do have a little rant for you guys on their, their draft board, their progress before I dive in.

Thanks again 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 to your team every day. But one thing that I've continued to say, there have been some people who are like the Titans have no clue what they're going to do yet.

The Titans haven't made up their mind on anything. The Titans, you know, uh, still have so much left to do that they don't. And some of that is true. So I think that the Titans still do have a ton left in the process. They're going to have more meetings. Their final draft board is not set. They don't have every running back rank from one to the bottom. They don't have every wide receiver ranked.

They don't have every player in the draft. Right from one to, you know, 600 with all the UDF a's and all that. They, by no means, by no means am I saying I think the Tennessee Titans are done with their draft process. That's not what I'm saying. What I am telling you though is there is no way in the world that the Titans have no idea what they're going to do at the top. Yeah.

They may not be done with their film study and their scouting of, you know, player 200 to player 400. Sure. They haven't gotten to, you know, the FCS division two prospects that they still got to look at. They haven't gotten to some of the backend Mac school guys who are going to go in round seven. Sure.

They have work to do. They haven't scouted every player. They haven't finalized their report on every player But do you really think that the Titans don't know who they like better? You think the Titans don't know who they like better between Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter You think the Titans don't know who they like better between Cam Ward and Cheneur Sanders You think the Titans don't know who they like better between? You know Josh Connerly and our mom's Membo. Like, give me a break.

The Titan scouts have been scouting these players for years. Mike Borganzi was scouting all of these players and watching their film during the college football season. Mike Borganzi lays his head down at night right now and knows which player he prefers number one overall knows whether he thinks Cam Ward is a franchise quarterback knows whether he would trade down in a heartbeat knows what he would have to be offered to take a trade down like let's not be naive let's not be foolish to think that the Titans don't have any clue about anything they already told you they set their initial

board they want to be a tape-driven team and the meetings and the medicals will make minor changes until they set the final board. They have told you they have a board set. They have watched the film. It was just no daylight February to act like they have to watch more film on Carter, Hunter, the quarterbacks at the top. It is silly. There is no additional film that the Titans need to watch on Cheneur Sanders or Cam Ward to know which of those quarterbacks they like better. The meetings and medicals could have a marginal change. But again, I think it's just, it's incredibly naive to think that the Titans haven't made up their mind on anything.

They know, they know, especially at the top of the draft. Again, you want to get lower? I mean, the Titans have only done one-third of their film study. Yeah, they probably need to watch FCS guys, and they probably need to watch undrafted free agents, and they probably need to go through these lower end of the board guys. But if we think that the Titans haven't watched every piece of film they possibly could on Cam Warden, Shandor Sanders already, then you're an idiot. It's that simple. Do you really think that the general manager of an NFL football team has two quarterbacks who we could decide between at the top and we are already into March and he hasn't watched the tape on those guys

What are we talking about so like Again, I just think it's crazy the conversations that are had and the things that people try to sell to keep their content interesting Because to me, you would just have to be a straight up fool to think that the Titans need to watch more film on Cam Ward or Shadr Sanders or Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter. Like when they say they have more film to watch, they weren't talking about the top five players that they could choose from.

Those discussions have been had. Now it's making marginal changes with the meetings and the medical. Marginal. Because they're going to be a Tate-driven team. So it just blows my mind what some people are willing to accept and what some people are willing to believe. Like, if you really think Mike Borganzi needs to watch more film on Cam Ward and Shider Sanders, if that's true, the Titans are screwed because

he's an idiot. Like, so I have two choices. Either the Titans organization and their new general manager are 100% fools and haven't done the adequate film work before the combine in the meetings and the pro days. Or I believe the obvious that they clearly have the top prospects in a pretty good spot right now with a ton of work to do on the lower end prospects later in the draft. It just, it's so crazy to me.

It's so crazy to me, the conversations and the things people sell and believe, but with that being said, that is going to do it for my Roland's rant. We talked about the quarterback rumors. We talked about the draft rumors, talked about the draft board. With that being said, that is going to do it for me today. Folks again, free agency preview the next four days, Monday, the legal tampering period, which tampering implies it's illegal. It should be called the legal negotiation period or just say free agency is open, whatever. I don't really care, but either way I'll get you guys ready for

that because it kicks off on Monday. Can't wait to dive into quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, O line, D line, linebacker, secondary, everything you could think of. We're going to hit free agency. I don't think the Titans are going to be super active in free agency personally, but we'll go over some options that do make sense. But that's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Roland, and this was Locked on Titans. Thanks for watching guys!