Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Sheduer Sanders, Cam Ward Fine Options, Young Players I Want to See & Latham to RT

Episode Date: December 31, 2024

The Tennessee Titans are likely to have a top pick in the NFL Draft and seem destined to take a quarterback with their first pick. While neither of the top two passers are a sure thing, the Titans are in no position to deny taking a QB, but if they do go another route, that is fine as well. In Week 18, the Titans will be prioritizing young players over winning and that leads to some obvious names that should see the field. Finally, there has been some conversation about JC Latham moving to the right tackle spot if the Titans can acquire a solid left tackle and all options should be on the table.Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitansTicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=ascFollow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!PrizePicksDownload the app and use code lockedonnfl to win $50 instantly when you play $5. You don't even need to win to receive your $50 bonus, it's guaranteed! Prizepicks. Run Your Game.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFLGametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms Apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelYou can start the season with a big return on FanDuel. New customers can place a FIVE DOLLAR bet and you’ll get started with TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS - if you win your first FIVE DOLLAR BET ! Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started.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)

If the Tennessee Titans take a quarterback in the NFL draft, I'm fine with that, but I'm also fine if they don't. 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 Rowland, Titans fans. Today's edition of the Locked On Titans Podcast is brought to you by FanDuel.

New customers can place a $5 bet and get started with $250 in bonus bets. If you win your first $5 bet, visit Fandle.com to get started. On today's episode, I'm going to tell you why I'm fine if the Titans take a quarterback and I'm fine if they don't take a quarterback. Also, I want to talk about some young players I want to see play in this Week 18 matchup

against the Houston Texans. Also, we got to talk about J.C. Latham and whether he should switch to the right side of the offensive line. Before I get 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. It's going to be a crazy off season here on the Locked on Titans podcast. So make sure that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed.

It's your team every day. And shout out to my everydayers out there. Tune in Monday through Friday if you aren't an everydayer. You need to be one because again crazy offseason and ahead and I'm going to be breaking it down every single weekday. But with that being said

I do want to get into my thoughts on drafting a quarterback or how the Titans should approach the draft this year because people are already starting to claim their side. I want a quarterback. I don't want a quarterback, this and that. While I know that you come to me and have learned that I will give you a strong opinion one side or the other. One thing that I think this season has really done for me as a content creator is I realized that, you know, the way that things should go or the way that you hope things will go or the way you expect things to go just doesn't really work out, right?

You know, we did not think that the Tennessee Titans would have as bad of a season as they did. And the reality is some things that didn't seem like it could go as bad as it could go did actually go that bad. So I guess I move forward in my content creation for the Tennessee Titans with more of an open mind to the process and less confidence, I guess, and what the right moves actually are. And that's why I have basically settled on my thoughts, my feelings,

my philosophy on what the Titans should do in the draft this year. And that's, I'm open-minded. If the Titans get a top two pick, the first pick, the second pick, and they want to take a quarterback, they want to take Shadur Sanders, they want to take Cam Ward, go ahead. Fine. Now, here's the thing.

Will that quarterback that they take, whether it's Sanders or Ward, will that quarterback ultimately fail like all the other drafted quarterbacks the Titans have had since Steve McNair left? Maybe. Maybe so. Maybe that quarterback comes in and the offensive tackle issue is still a problem

and the edge rush isn't better and the Titans don't have good enough weapons on offense and the coaching isn't very good. Maybe all of those problems persist and the Titans take another young quarterback high in the draft and that quarterback flames out and fails as well. Maybe that is the case. But also it is possible that we see what's happened in Cincinnati, what's happened in Houston. What's happened this year in Washington. What's happened this year in Denver. Maybe

the Titans draft a young quarterback and they come in right away and they change the way things work. And they change the way the franchise operates. And the Titans go from being a bottom dwelling crap team with a top two pick to a contending team.

We just saw Washington do it. Before the season, Washington had a terrible offensive line. Washington had a terrible defense. Washington's defense was like 32nd in every category last year. But because they got Jaden Daniels and Daniels comes in, now they're a playoff team. Now they're a double-digit win team. Now, is Shadur Sanders or is Cam Ward as good as Jaden Daniels comes in, now they're a playoff team. Now they're a double-digit win team. Now, is Shadur Sanders or is Cam Ward as good as Jaden Daniels?

We don't know. We don't know. Were they as good in college? No, they weren't. But does that mean that they can't be that good and that transformative in the NFL? No, we don't necessarily know that. So my point really is at the end of the day, if the Titans want to take one of these

quarterbacks, which is what I think they will do, I'm fine with it. I'm fine to get on that ride. Let's see. All right. I've been wrong about college prospects. I've been right about college prospects. I cover 200 and some, you know, talk about 180 to 200 college prospects every single year. I don't get all of them right, as a lot of you guys know. I don't get all of them wrong either, but at the end of the day, we just simply don't know. And the opportunity to get out of this doldrum, and the opportunity to have a franchise quarterback, and the opportunity to have a star that people care about to make the Titans exciting again.

Isn't that all we really want? I just want to have hope for this team again. Right now, I have zero hope for this franchise. Zero. And in the NFL, you sell wins or you sell hope for wins. Right now, the Titans can't sell wins and they can't sell hope for wins either. So at minimum, even if it doesn't work, you know what?

I've seen people, oh, if they take Shadur Sanders, it'll be a disaster. They're in a disaster right now. Right now is a disaster. The Titans are going to be 3-14. They have no franchise quarterback. They have a coach that we don't believe in. They have no star players other than Jeffrey Simmons on either side of the ball. Right now is a disaster. So you can't tell me if they draft Shadur Sanders, it'll get worse. They're 3-14 with no hope.

What can be worse? So if they want to take a quarterback, I'm perfectly fine with that. Am I as sold on these quarterbacks as previous quarterbacks in other classes? No, I'm not. I'm insanely skeptical of Shadur Sanders and Cam Ward as franchise quarterbacks that can be a game changer for you. I am incredibly skeptical of those guys, but I'm still down for the ride because what else are we doing here? What else are we doing? We have no hope. We have no wins. We have no quarterback. Why would I be mad about taking a quarterback? Let's try it. And you know what? If that quarterback isn't good enough, two years from now, before we go into the new stadium,

quarterback isn't good enough, two years from now before we go into the new stadium, draft a new quarterback and keep trying. Now, I will also say, if the Titans decide that they want to use that top pick to trade back and collect

first round picks in future drafts while also getting a pretty good player like an Abdul Carter or a Teteroa McMillan or maybe even Kelvin Banks at this point at offensive tackle. If the Titans want to do that, well, I'm fine with it too. Like, there is no path that they could blaze forward this year where I'm actually going to be angry with them about it. Like, whatever they want to do, let's give it a shot. Because what I don't want is, I don't want the Titans to draft Shadur Sanders or Cam

Ward in the top three if they don't actually believe in them in the building. So if they don't believe in these quarterbacks, then by all means, trade back. There's going to be an opportunity to do that. I'm fine with that route. But if they do believe in one of these going to be an opportunity to do that. I'm fine with that route. But if they do believe in one of these quarterbacks, they have to do everything they can to make sure they can draft them to give this franchise some hope at minimum. Whether it works out or not, at least you can sell some hope.

And that's what we all need right now. So take a quarterback. Don't take a quarterback. I'm in for it. Let's see what happens because I've seen the Titans do it this way. I've seen them do it the other way and no way has worked. So why not try a different route again? That's how I feel about it. Let me know how you guys feel about drafting a quarterback down below. But now I want to talk about some young players I want to see play in week 18. Before I get into it though, do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel.

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Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. I laid out my philosophy on the quarterbacks and the draft and all of that. But now I want to turn my attention to the game. The Titans do play a football game on Sunday. One more game that they play in this one. And Brian Callahan has said that he wants to get some young players on the field. He said, quote, some young guys will play in the finale, will get opportunities, but the lineup won't be a drastic change from previous weeks. So we're looking at what young players should play in the game,

who should see more opportunities. I have a list of names that I want to get into. Before I dive in, though, I do want to say, like I mentioned on yesterday's show, this is what tanking looks like. This is what tanking looks like. People say NFL teams don't tank. Players don't want to lose.

Coaches don't want to lose. Well, you're 100% right about that. But organizations as a whole, when they make their decisions, they make them in certain ways with certain things in mind. And when you come out and you tell the media and you have a press conference and you mentioned that, hey, we're going to get some young guys more opportunities this week. Well, the young players are not better players than what you have, but they're guys who can help you in the future. And if we're talking about the future and guys that can help

you down the road and seeing players who maybe aren't as good as the players that are ahead of them on the depth chart, that is tanking. You are officially prioritizing the future over the right now. The Titans are more concerned about seeing players who can help them next year than they are about playing players who can help them win in Week 18.

And that is exactly what they should be doing. We talked about this when we talked about Will Levis for Space and Rudolph yesterday with Brian Callahan saying that he's going to play both guys in the game, which is just a truly insane thing to do if you're trying to win a football game is to play both players, both quarterbacks in the game and rotate them like they have been at right tackle all year. But that is the perfect thing to do if you're trying to lose the game.

And that is what the Titans are doing. And I put the dots together. I connected the dots for you guys. Put the pieces of the puzzle together on yesterday's show that we get the report Brian Callahan is safe. And then Brian Callahan comes out and says, we're prioritizing the young guys. We're going to rotate quarterbacks.

But like Brian Callahan isn't going out in his press conference and saying those things if he doesn't have the backing of the organization to do that. So everybody from Rand Carthon to Amy Adam Strunk to Chad Brinker to Brian Callahan, everybody is on the same page right now as to what this Tennessee Titans team needs to do. And I think personally, that's why I said I think the Titans will take a quarterback in the draft. I think the Titans are doing this because they know they need a quarterback in the draft and they want one of the quarterbacks in the draft.

I think they want Shadur Sanders. That's going to be my take until we hear something different. I think Sanders is the guy that the Titans are really interested in and I think he's a better fit for the Titans system as well. But regardless of that, again, the point I am making here is the Titans are tanking. They have showed us that. They have told us that. And I think everybody in the organization is on board.

So what young guys do I want to see take the field on Sunday to help the Titans with their tanking efforts? Well, number one is more Will Levis. While Will Levis is more volatile, he has a higher ceiling and a higher floor than Mason Rudolph. He can create massive turnovers and mistakes, but he can also create some explosive plays as well. And that's something that Mason Rudolph didn't really do over the last couple of games. And again, Brian Callahan said, if we won the last two games,

Mason would probably play the whole game. But we haven't. So why not go back to Will Levis? And I totally agree. And that's the thing. Will Levis, while giving you some explosive plays, also creates a ton of negative plays. And if you were hoping to lose a football game,

you would play Will Levis over Mason Rudolph. So I think Brian Callahan needs to go with a lot more Will Levis than Mason Rudolph. But if Will Levis starts to play well, throw Mason Rudolph in there. If Mason Rudolph is playing well, throw Will Levis back in there. I would not go with the hot hand. I would go with the cold hand at quarterback and say, you want to see how they respond to adversity. And, you know, they didn't play great the last drive.

Let's see if they can bounce back from that. You can play that media game and church it up as much as you want while knowing that you really want your team to lose the game. So I want to see more Will Levis because he gives the opportunity for more negative plays, more sacks, more turnovers, all of that, even if it does mean more explosive plays. I want to see more Will Levis. But along with that, John O it does mean more explosive plays. I want to see more Will Levis. But along with that,

John Ajuku at offensive tackle. Jalen Duncan, hurt, probably not going to play in this game. You have the option between Nicholas Petit-Ferrer and John Ajuku. And look, John Ajuku had a good game, according to Pro Football Focus, in Week 17, and there are going to be people like, oh, they could have played John Ajuku all year.

John Ajuku is not better than Nicholas Petit Ferrer. I hate to tell you that, but it's the truth. He's not. So, with that being said, play John Ajuku. Like, that's who we need to see out there. It needs to be Sac City. And I'm sorry, but Will Anderson and Daniil Hunter are going to eat John Ajuku for lunch.

And that is exactly what I want to happen. That's exactly what I want to see. So play John Ajuku. Also, we need more Bryce Oliver. And honestly, I would be fine with more Jaquan Jackson too. Why would you play NWI? Why would you play Tyler Boyd? Look, I want to get Calvin Ridley is thousand yards. That's what I think he's like 80 yards away or something like that. Let's get Calvin Ridley is thousand yards.

But the moment he has a thousand yards, he's out of the game too. I want to see Bryce Oliver. I want to see Jaquan Jackson. I want to see these young players who are probably not going to play great, who are probably going to cause the Titans to lose, but let's get them some experience, see what happens in the final week of the year, and then move forward into next year, knowing what you got in some of these young guys. We know what we got in NWI. We know what Tyler Boyd is. We know about these guys. Let's get these young wide receivers a little bit of run. Also, the linebackers.

I do not want to see Luke Gifford out there. Honestly, Otis Reese is a young linebacker, but I don't really want to see Otis Reese either. I want to see Cedric Gray and James Williams. That's what I want to see. Let those dudes play the entire game.

They're going to do terrible. They're going to give up runs, just like we saw against the Indianapolis Colts. But these young guys need to play. It's going to help you lose. And it's also going to get them more experience to help springboard them into next year and understand what they need to improve on.

Also, Jalen Harrell. I don't need to see any more of Arden Key. I don't. I don't need to get Harold Landry hurt in the final week of the season. Let's play Jalen Harrell a ton. He's had an up and down year as a seventh round rookie. Been a good depth piece for the Titans no matter what, though.

Whether it's up, down, whatever, he's a seventh round rookie. So, I want to see more Jalen Harrell. I want to see more David Martin Robinson at tight end, less Nick Van Et. I'm done with Nick Van Et. We don't need to see any more Nick Van Et. He is who he is. I would like the Titans to bring him back next year. But let's see Thomas Odukoye.

Let's see David Martin Robinson more and see what those guys got, especially David Martin Robinson. I'm excited those guys got, especially David Martin Robinson. I'm excited to see him play a little bit more. Got his first catch recently for the Titans. And also, I know this sounds crazy, but Jaquan Jackson back at punt returner. Mason Kinsey is not the punt returner of the future. Let's put Jaquan Jackson back out there, see if he can rebound, see if he can catch some punts, see if he can make some plays,

and maybe, maybe, just maybe, he drops another punt to help the Titans lose. You know what I mean? You can couch all of this in, hey, we want to see young players, which the skids are already greased. So those are the young players I want to see. Let me know the young players that you want to see. It's time to talk about J.C. Latham moving to right tackle, though.

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game. Download the PrizePix app today. Use the code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. Again, PrizePix. Run your game. Titans fans, let's cap off today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Talked about my view of drafting a quarterback this year. Talked about the young guys I want to see play, but now we need to talk about another young guy

and his future on the team. So there's been some conversation this week about J.C. Latham potentially moving to right tackle. I'll tell you why, like with the other things we've talked about, I'm open-minded to it. Before I do, I 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. Make sure you get subscribed, stay subscribed. Again, it's your team every day. But Brian Callahan was asked about J.C. Latham staying at left tackle or whether he would consider moving J.C. Latham to right tackle. And he said it's hard for him to make a definitive comment because he doesn't know how much of what's available in the draft or free agency at this point says it's pretty safe to say Latham is a left tackle unless we change our mind all right the reality is is JC Latham

has had an up and down season as a rookie left tackle he's given up seven sacks on the year, given up 20 pressures. He's in the top 10 for offensive tackles for both categories. It has been, again, up and down. He's had some incredible weeks where he's locked down. He's very good, like against the Indianapolis Colts. He was absolutely fantastic, but he's had some really bad weeks as well, especially dealing with some of the better edge rushers in the NFL, whether it be the Texans guys, the Jaguars guys. He's had some struggles at times for sure. Now, I am perfectly fine with keeping JC Latham at left tackle if they bring in a suitable right tackle option, but I think the reality is that you look at the offensive tackle options that the Titans will have this offseason. You look at the best offensive tackles in the college draft,

they're left tackles, whether it be Calvin Banks, Will Campbell. I mean, honestly, if you look at the top six or seven offensive tackles in the draft, it's most likely going to be a left tackle. And then you look at free agency, you have a guy like Cam Robinson who could be available, it's most likely going to be a left tackle. And then you look at free agency. You have a guy like Cam Robinson who could be available, a guy like Jedrick Wills who could be available,

a guy like Ronnie Stanley from the Baltimore Ravens who could be available in free agency. And they're all left tackles as well. So it does remind me of last year when we were looking at some of the summer free agent offensive tackles that the Titans all neglected and decided to go with what they had, which was a massive miscalculation by Rank Carthon and the coaching staff. But it's just like that, where all of the options that are out there have primarily been left tackles their entire life.

that are out there have primarily been left tackles their entire life. Now, J.C. Latham had been a left tackle for most of his life until he went to college and got moved to right tackle. But I think there are a couple of things at play here. Number one, like I said, most of the options to add a good offensive tackle this year are going to be adding a left tackle. And then also we have to consider maybe J.C. Latham is a right tackle moving forward. He has struggled with athleticism on the edge. It was something in his pre-draft evaluation

where you're like, how is he going to handle more athletic guys at the NFL level? And the answer is he has not handled it very well. He's a little bit of a slower athlete. He's not incredibly explosive. He is powerful. He is not, you know, a statue by any means, but a flip to the right side may ultimately make the best offensive line for the Tennessee Titans. And I think at this stage, what you have to focus on is what is the best possible offensive line we can create. And I

think that if you're honest and you look at the offensive tackle options that'll be available this offseason, most of the best possible lineups that you could create involve a new left tackle and JC Latham at right tackle. So am I against moving him to right tackle? No. Am I absolutely pounding the table to move him to right tackle? No.

But the Titans need to do whatever it takes to create the best offensive line. And I think that if you look at the options available, the logical argument to be made is that moving Latham to right tackle is probably for the best going forward. But those are all things that we are going to see play out and have discussions about in the offseason.

Tomorrow's crossover Thursday. I'll have a game plan episode on Friday. I'll be live on Sunday after the game, and then we are into the offseason, folks. But with that being said, that's going to do it for me today. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans. you