Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Shedeur Sanders or Will Levis, Callahan Talks Coaching Staff & Senior Bowl Recap

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Tennessee Titans have made some positive comments about Will Levis, but don't be fooled, they'd still prefer a quarterback in the NFL draft. I'll explain why on today's edition of Locked on Titans. 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 Roland, Titans fans. Today's edition of the Locked On Titans podcast is brought to you by PrizePix.

Starting point is 00:00:38 Go to prizepix.com slash locked on NFL. Use the code locked on NFL, all lowercase to win $50 instantly when you play $5 on today's episode, we're going to go over some quotes from the senior bolt from Brian Callahan and Mike Borgonzi talking about Will Levis, which I am not fooled by those comments and you shouldn't be either. They clearly prefer one of the quarterbacks in the NFL draft, but we're also going to get the first comments from Callahan and Borganzi on the changes that they've made to the coaching staff and the additions to the front office. Then we'll talk about the senior bowl

Starting point is 00:01:14 because the senior bowl has begun. I'll give you a little day one recap and talk about what Mike Borganzi and Brian Callahan had to say about the senior bowl as well. Before we get into all of it, do want to thank you for making the Lock locked on Titans podcast 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 here on the locked on Titans podcast speaking of every day shout out to my every dayers out there tuning in Monday through Friday couldn't it without you guys. If you aren't an everyday or you need to be one because there's news for the Titans and good information every single day this time of year. And you don't want to miss any of it that I'm bringing to you for free all year round, but with that being said, Brian Callahan had a comment at the senior bowl and all of the quotes that we got here are courtesy of A to Z sports. So thank you for the quotes there from the senior bowl, but we got a quote

Starting point is 00:02:09 from Brian Callahan at the senior bowl and it had some people raising their eyebrows once again. And he said, quote, for Will Levis. I had some for him too. He's going to go work with Jordan Palmer out in California. Really think Jordan is one of the better guys out there right now in terms of working with pro quarterbacks. Hopefully that is an illuminating process for him the way he's doing things. He's going to do the whole thing. He'll be out there for like

Starting point is 00:02:36 two months with Jordan for that time. Some of the footwork, the base, some of the pocket movement things that have to improve, but I'm excited about that for him. I think it will be really beneficial. Beneficial. So you take that quote where Brian Callahan appeared optimistic about Will Levis and Jordan Palmer, Carson Palmer's brother is one of the most famous quarterback guys, um, out there in the circuit. So it makes sense to be excited.

Starting point is 00:03:00 All of that lines up. I honestly think we'll let us, I thought I recalled Will Levis had worked with Jordan Palmer before, but regardless of that, some people took these comments. And we're like, Oh, they really do still believe in Will Levis. You combine that with Mike Borgansy and Chad Brinker saying they'll give Will Levis an opportunity to compete. Look, my reaction to these comments is the same exact reaction every single time.

Starting point is 00:03:24 Duh, duh. The Titans are going to be optimistic about Will Levis, whether they believed in him or not, whether it's real or false, doesn't matter. You speak positively about it because if you wanted to trade Will Levis, it deep down, Brian Callahan and Mike Borghansie and Chad Brinker want to trade Will Levis. Well, you're not going to come out and say that and lose all the leverage that you might have.

Starting point is 00:03:47 So that's just not the way that you operate. This is the way that you do it. No matter what you spread positivity, that's the right move for the franchise going forward. I'm just telling you, don't be fooled into thinking that they still believe in Will Levis with some of these comments, because the reality is we got the comments from Brian Callahan and his interview with A to Z last week, where he basically said, Hey, I'm looking for poise, decision-making, timing, accuracy.

Starting point is 00:04:15 Those aren't Will Levis's strengths. I mean, they've already told us and Brian Callahan has already told us how he feels about Will Levis. So don't let these comments fool you. But other comments that were very, very interesting is Mike Borganzi and Brian Callahan talking about Chedur Sanders. And again, where we talk about the juxtaposition here of everything that Brian Callahan said Will Levis needs to work on and everything

Starting point is 00:04:43 that Brian Callahan said Will Levis, you know, maybe it wasn't his strengths. All the ways that he described Chedur Sanders. Remember he talked about Chedur Sanders toughness, talked about his poise, talked about his decision-making. Those are all things and they kept talking about it at the senior bowl. Mike Borganzi, Titans general manager said quote, really enjoyed talking to him Chedur Sanders. He manager said, quote, really enjoyed talking to him. Chidor Sanders. He's smart, engaging, confident kid.

Starting point is 00:05:08 We had a great conversation with him. Wasn't that long. It was really the first opportunity we had to sit down and talk with him. This is a process. So we look forward to talking to him again. And Brian Callahan continued, I really enjoyed meeting with Chidor.

Starting point is 00:05:22 The person is a really fun guy to talk to. He's really sharp. You can see all the things. I enjoyed meeting with Shador. The person is a really fun guy to talk to. He's really sharp. You could see all the things. The maturity part of it is pretty impressive. I have not had the chance to meet cam yet cam war as far as the tape and all that stuff, they both really do, or they both do really good things on tape. They are in the discussion for a reason.

Starting point is 00:05:42 They are the best quarterbacks coming out in the class. You can maybe put one or two other guys in the mix, but to me, those guys are the best too. I mean, Brian Callahan is telling you that these are the two guys that they're deciding between like Brian Callahan came out and said it, that these are the two guys that are the best, which leads me to believe that the Titans aren't looking for a mid-round quarterback. They're taking Chideur Sanders. They're taking Cam Warder.

Starting point is 00:06:12 They're not taking a quarterback like it's kind of crazy to me sometimes how Brian Callahan says some things candidly. I'm surprised but Mike Borganzi also talked about the quarterbacks as well. He said you can see some of the poise on film, critical situations, third downs, red zone plays. There are things that you're looking for when the game is on the line. What do they do in critical moments of the game?

Starting point is 00:06:33 A lot of it is researching with the scouts and talking to people inside the building. How do they deal with adverse situations throughout the week, throughout the game? So that is an important part of the process, making plays in critical times in the game, especially for that position. Some guys have it.

Starting point is 00:06:49 They're just cool, calm under pressure. That's how Pat was in Kansas City. So I've had a good view of that for a while. And so has Brian with Joe, Burrow and Cincinnati. But those are the things you look for, handling those critical moments, especially at that position. And who handled critical moments worse than Will Levis this season.

Starting point is 00:07:11 So think about it again. I know that they're being positive with Will Levis, but let's be honest. It is clear and obvious here that the organization would prefer Chedur Sanders or Cam Ward. Now here is what I will tell you. We did get another quote from Brian Callahan on the day, basically saying that when he was in Cincinnati, they knew immediately, they knew right out of the gate that they were going to draft Joe Burrow. They knew right away. That's what Brian Callahan said and he said that that may not quite be the case this year. Yeah, literally what Brian Callahan said is that they knew right away that they were going to take Joe Burrow, but that's maybe not the case so far this season. I found that very, very interesting as an admission and again, Brian Callahan just willing to willing

Starting point is 00:08:10 to say some things. You know what I mean? The exact quote here is in Cincinnati. We knew we were going to take Joe Burrow pretty early. That's a bit of a different story. That's not what this draft is right now for us. So while I am here to tell you that they definitely would rather have Chedur, Sanders or Cam Ward over Will Levis, that doesn't mean that they're taking a quarterback. It surely doesn't. But with that being said, let's talk about some of the additions that have been made

Starting point is 00:08:40 on the coaching staff in the front office. Cause we finally got the first comments from Brian Callahan and from Mike Borganzi on those additions. Do you want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by prize picks. The big game is almost here and there's no better way to make it even more exciting than with prize picks the best place for daily fantasy sports with over 10 million members and billions and winnings awarded prize picks makes it fun and simple to get in on the action.

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Starting point is 00:09:49 Use the code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. That's code LOCKEDONNFL for $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. It's PrizePix. Run your game. Titans fans. Let's continue today's edition of the locked on Titans podcast. It's a, a little bit of a senior bowl recap. Really? It was what I'd call the general theme for today's edition of the locked on Titans podcast, it's a, a little bit of a, a senior

Starting point is 00:10:25 bowl recap. Really? It was what I'd call the general theme for today's episode. We're recapping some of the comments that have come from Brian Callahan, Mike Borganzi. Also going to talk about some of the standouts and day one of senior bowl practice. One of the biggest moments of the pre-drought process is the college all-star circuit. The senior bowl being the biggest one of those. We're going to hear what Mike Borganzi is looking for at the senior bull.

Starting point is 00:10:48 But before we get into that, want to talk about the comments from Brian Callahan and Mike Borganzi about some of the additions that they've made on the coaching staff. And we start with Brian Callahan. And, you know, one thing is Brian Callahan may not work out. And I think we saw in his first season that there is a chance that this is not a good hire for the Tennessee Titans. And Brian Callahan is fired within the next calendar year. But I have a hard time giving up faith on Brian Callahan because of how honest and how open that he is Callahan said, you know, he feels totally different.

Starting point is 00:11:23 Now heading into year two quote, I'm he feels totally different now heading into year two, quote, I'm really excited where we're heading into year two. I feel like a whole different person with so much more clarity to what's to come and how we're going to do it and where we can improve. I'm not hiring a staff, so everything is moving forward and allows us to actually get down here to the senior bowl and get exposure to the players. Remember last year, Brian Callahan and Randcarthong couldn't here to the senior bowl and get exposure to the players. Remember last year, Brian Callahan and Rancor Thon couldn't go to the senior bowl because they were busy filling out Brian Callahan's coaching staff. So now that Brian Callahan doesn't have to worry about that.

Starting point is 00:11:54 And again, it's his second year on a job. If you're honest with yourself, yes, you listening to this, watching this right now, if you're honest with yourself, then you would know that when you first take a brand new job, there are always things that you didn't expect. There are trials and tribulations and obstacles that pop up that you never envisioned and have an experience of doing the job. Just set yourself up to be so much more composed and calm and ready for, you know, as the job increases. So for Brian Callahan getting into year two,

Starting point is 00:12:26 I totally think that he's telling the truth here, that he's in a totally different situation. And the fact that he's able to kind of get a head start on the scouting process by being down at the senior bowl as well, especially in a critical moment for the Titans where they might need to take a quarterback. Huge for Brian Callahan going forward into 2025. But again, one of the things that Brian Callahan is doing with that experience is making those changes on his coaching staff. Now he knows what he's looking for and credit to Brian Callahan. I've been giving him credit all along for making these changes right away.

Starting point is 00:13:00 We saw Mike Vrabel hold onto certain coaches for way too long. Like Craig Ackerman. How did he keep his job the entire tenure? Like we will just, we would just never understand and never know. So for Brian Callahan to make these changes right away, you love that. He talked about the changes he made to his staff. He said, quote, yeah, I feel great. Tony Odin, the new quarterback coach is a really outstanding secondary coach. I was with him in Detroit. His work speaks for itself at the jets, how well they play defense, particularly in the secondary.

Starting point is 00:13:31 It's a unique opportunity for Luke Stoker, who will now be the tight ends coach. I love Luke. I think he's really talented. I'm excited about him at the tight end rule years of experience playing and a young coach that hasn't got a lot of promise as a coach. And then he talked about the best hire of them all. John Fossil bones is one of the best of all time. His energy is infectious.

Starting point is 00:13:52 What he brings to the totality of the team. His meetings are legendary around the league. One of the all time, great guys, guys like him don't come open very often. They're not usually available the way it worked out in Dallas. He ended up having some availability. We went after him pretty hard to try and improve our special teams. As much as you can try to make improvements in coaching and playing, we try to do as much of that as we can.

Starting point is 00:14:20 And I feel really good about the guys that we've added. I love that quote right there of we went after him pretty hard to try and improve our special teams. Again, Brian Callahan is open. He feels incredibly self-aware. He is evaluating himself and making sure that he is doing the best that he possibly can. And I feel like he's a guy who's willing to look in the mirror and take the blame and make the changes. Even the tough changes.

Starting point is 00:14:44 He talked about having to fire Cole Anderson and how much he loves Cole Anderson and how that's one of his close, you know, friends. And it was tough. He said it was a tough thing to do, but he had to do it. I respect stuff like that more than just keeping your yes, men around you all the time. So really loved hearing that from Brian Callahan, but moving away from the coaching staff, we look at the additions to the front office, Mike Borganzi, Titans GM

Starting point is 00:15:09 talked about adding Dave Ziegler and Reggie McKenzie to the front office. And he said, quote, I've known Dave and Reggie for a long time. Tremendous people, very respected in the business, tremendous evaluators. There'll be a great sounding board for all of us. Both have been in the chair before the GM chair, the top chair, um, ton of respect for them. If you talk to people in the league, you'll hear the same thing. They'll be a part of the whole process.

Starting point is 00:15:35 College, the pro getting things aligned and organized. I think one thing that we have to remember here is the Titans are probably going to totally redo the scouting structure and the scouting staff. I think that's a big thing that's coming here. I think that's something that Chad breaker has wanted to do for quite some time. And I think Mike Borganzi, one of the reasons that he was hired is because he not only we think about like, Oh, you have to pick players. Oh, you have to trade players.

Starting point is 00:16:00 You have to manage the roster, but you have to manage people too. You have to manage your scouting staff. Like that is a big part of this. And I think that having guys like Dave Ziegler and Reggie McKenzie, more than just, Hey, pick the players, help us pick the players. They can help actually set up. They can be your managers of your scouting department. And you know, Mike Borganzi talked about how Dave Ziegler probably will be

Starting point is 00:16:24 more involved in some of the organizational aspects of the general manager position. That's going to be something that he has a focus on. So I think it's bigger than just picking players, of course. So good to hear from Mike Borganzi and Brian Callahan about some of the changes that we've seen. Again, I like the, I'm a little skeptical of the GM hires. You know, they, they haven't had the best records of course, but again, I like the job a little skeptical of the GM hires. You know, they, they haven't had the best records, of course.

Starting point is 00:16:46 But again, if they're more involved in organizational things and being a sounding board at the end of the day, Mike Borgansi is the guy picking the players, so it's all going to fall on him, but we'll see how things work out. You could tell Ali wanted some experience general managers in the past to be with him in this journey. And of course, back to the coaching hires love, love the bones fossil hire and love the comment there from Brian Callahan. But with that being said, let's do a little bit of a recap of day one of

Starting point is 00:17:13 practices at the senior bowl. And we got some comments from Brian Callahan and Mike Borghansie on what they're actually looking for at the senior bowl. Do you want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by Intuit TurboTax. Taxes was waiting and wondering and worrying if you were going to get any money back and then waiting and wondering and worrying some more. Now, taxes is matching with a TurboTax expert who can do your taxes as soon as today. An expert who gives your taxes their undivided attention as they work on your return while you get real time updates on their progress so you can focus on your

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Starting point is 00:18:29 See guaranteed details at TurboTax full live service. Real-time updates only in the iOS mobile app. See guaranteed details at TurboTax.com slash guarantees. 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. We talked about the Will Levis comments and the Shadr Sanders comments from Titans head coach, Brian Callahan and general manager Mike Borganzi. I am not fooled by the Levis comments. They definitely, definitely would prefer one of the quarterbacks in the draft. Talked about, uh, the comments that we got on the hires that have taken place on the coaching staff in the front office.

Starting point is 00:19:11 Now I want to dive into the senior bowl because day one practices of the senior bowl took place on Tuesday. Brian Callahan, Mike Borganzi obviously spoke there. We've been going over their comments all episode long, but now I want to focus in on the comments that are specifically About the senior bowl, um and what they're looking for here bryan callahan said quote The all-star practices To me are always more productive watching the one-on-ones

Starting point is 00:19:38 And the individuals the team stuff is wonky because it's a bunch of guys who have never played together A lot of value in the one-on-ones, offensive line, defensive line, receivers, and DBs. Just to see these guys move, it's more productive. Mike Borganzi said, a big part of it is the interview process that we started last night. It would be Monday night. Sometimes it's the first time you've seen these guys live in person. Get to sit down with them, ask them questions that we might have learned more about them, personal character, football character.

Starting point is 00:20:11 Then when you come out to practice, it's best on the best. You go through these competitive drills, one-on-ones out there. You're looking for guys to compete. So again, I reiterate this every year when we go over the senior bowl and we talk about the senior bowl, what's most important with the senior bowl is the practices, not the game, not, not the game. We talk about practice, but seriously, the practices are what's more important. You are basically in a week long job interview at the senior bowl.

Starting point is 00:20:44 You're being judged every rep at practice, not only how well you do, but how well do you take the coaching? If you did this wrong on your last rep and you got coached on it, how well do you improve on that and do it right the next time? All of these things, it's like truly having the players as your player on your football team for a week. You get to meet with them, get to know them, all that stuff. And especially when you're talking about quarterback, that stuff is so, so

Starting point is 00:21:07 important, the personality type stuff of it. So critical for the Titans to get hands-on experience with these players. But again, it's the individual drills. It's the one-on-one opportunities. It's the meetings. It's the interviews. Those are the things that really, really matter with the senior bowl. Not necessarily the game that's going to take place on Saturday.

Starting point is 00:21:26 And speaking of that day one at the senior bowl, some prospects that I think the Tennessee Titans, uh, are probably going to have their eye on here, especially after you hear what, you know, Brian Callahan said about the receivers, the trenches, things like that. So some of the standouts on the offensive line, critical for the Titans, Gray Zabel offensive tackle for North Dakota state is going to be transferred in to the interior played right guard, played left guard, played center in practice and was awesome.

Starting point is 00:22:05 I've seen numerous, numerous, numerous reports that Gray's Abel was the standout player. And I mean, Dane Bruegler, who's one of my favorite draft analysts, he does the beast, works for the athletic. He said, uh, Gray's Abel has been dominant during one V ones and he's doing it at left guard, right guard and center grip strength, stay square, finish on repeat. The Titans are going to need an interior offensive lineman here. I talked about it yesterday. Dylan Radens is a free agent and is Lloyd Cushinberry going to be ready for the beginning of the season? He thinks that he will be but how can we know for certain? I think theans definitely need to hit interior offensive line in the draft and Grace ebba would be a good fit for him. Josh connerly the offensive tackle from oregon had a very good day uh

Starting point is 00:22:53 Ariante, ursery from minnesota had a very good day Anthony belton the offensive tackle from north carolina state So all of those guys are on the offensive line. All of those guys had pretty solid performances, um, on the defense, Mike green, the edge rusher out of Marshall had a good day, Josiah Stewart, the edge rusher out of Michigan. I think both those guys could be in play for the Tennessee Titans. A lot of people are reporting that test Johnson from Oregon had a pretty good day out there, but test Johnson measured in and we're going to do a full senior bowl overview

Starting point is 00:23:30 next week after the game is over. And after the week has been completed, but test Johnson weighed in at 156 pounds. Like, I'm sorry guys, but I'm just never somebody somebody I'm never somebody who is high on guys that small I know that there are good players that I'm going to miss out on because of that like a guy like Tank Dell Josh Downs from the Colts, but look at those guys. They're always hurt too. They're good players. They're great playmakers, but they're always hurt because they're so, so small. Think about some of my problems that I had with Kyle Phillips for a long time. They're just so, so small that I just have a hard time believing these guys can

Starting point is 00:24:17 be like starting level players. You know, they could be contributors, but they can't be starting level players and they can't be relied on because they can be explosive playmakers, but they're always going to get hurt. So 150, I mean, Josh Downs and, uh, take Dell were like, at least in the one sixties, one seventies, I recall 156 pounds, man, like that, that is insane to me. So, uh, that's just some names that popped up We're gonna do again a full comprehensive Breakdown of the senior bowl and who was the risers and fallers and all of that next week after the festivities are

Starting point is 00:24:59 Complete but that is gonna do it for me today folks. Make sure that that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. As always, I am your host, Tyler Roland, and this was Locked on Titans. ["Locked on Titans"]

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Shedeur Sanders or Will Levis, Callahan Talks Coaching Staff & Senior Bowl Recap

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