Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans SIGN Andre Dillard in Free Agency, Lose Two Players and What Next??

Episode Date: March 14, 2023

The Tennessee Titans made their first free agent signing of the offseason, bringing in offensive lineman Andre Dillard. Tyler reacts to the Dillard signing and breaks down why it is just fine, even though it isn't great, Also, the Titans lost two players to free agency in David Long and Nate Davis. There is a silver lining though. Finally, what now for the Titans in free agency?Follow 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!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.Ultimate Football GMTo download the game just visit Ultimate-GM.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Tennessee Titans make their first move in free agency, signing offensive lineman Andre Dillard to a three-year deal. We're breaking it all down on today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. Let's get it. You are Locked on Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland.

Titans fans, we have a free agent signing. The Tennessee Titans bring in offensive lineman Andre Dillard on a three-year deal. I'm going to break down what this deal means, what it doesn't mean, and Dillard as a player so you guys can get familiar with who the Titans just brought in. Also, the Titans lost two free agents in Nate Davis and David Long. I'm going to break down why that is good and bad for the Titans. There's definitely a silver lining in there. And then also, what next for the Titans?

We're going to talk about that at the end of the show. But first, I want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year long on all platforms and always for free. Make sure that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast. I'm going to be bringing you guys year-round content.

I am your host, Tyler Rowland. Nearly 25 years as a Tennessee Titans fanatic, a certified film junkie, and a staff writer over at alltitans.com for Sports Illustrated. Let's dive right in here, Tennessee Titans fans. Andre Dillard, signed by the Tennessee Titans. Dillard is going into his fifth year in the NFL. He was drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft. He's had an up and down career with Philadelphia to put it lightly. 2020, he was out the entire season with a bicep injury and then he came back and lost his starting job to Jordan Mailata. Now, we know that they have a lot of really good talent on the offensive line in Philadelphia.

You got Lane Johnson at right tackle, obviously Jason Kelsey at center. They had Isaac Samolo at left guard. They had Jordan Mailata at left tackle. So the Eagles had a stacked offensive line, and that's why Dillard was playing the sixth-man role for the Eagles over the last two seasons. But you have to state the obvious here. He was playing in a sixth-man role for the Eagles over the last two seasons. But you have to state the obvious here. He was playing in a sixth-man role for the Eagles

because he was not good enough to start on their team. And that's why, for me, I call this signing of Andre Dillard a Band-Aid signing for the Titans. To me, this is the equivalent of signing Baker Mayfield at quarterback. Is Baker Mayfield good enough to start? Yeah. Is Baker Mayfield going to be able to win you some games? Yeah.

Is Baker Mayfield your long-term answer at quarterback? No. And that's how I feel about Andre Dillard. Can Andre Dillard come in and play left tackle? Yes. Does he make the Titans better than having Dennis Daly at left tackle? Yes. But is this your long-term answer where you're locking in Andre Dillard as the left tackle for the Tennessee Titans for the next four to five years? Absolutely not. And Dillard wasn't paid like that. Look at the contract if you want to know how the Titans think of Andre Dillard. Dillard got a three-year deal worth $29 million. Andre Dillard got less money than Nate Davis.

comments or people who are talking to me on Twitter saying, oh, you don't know. This guy's a stud left tackle. He didn't get paid like a stud left tackle. He didn't get paid like a starting left tackle in the NFL. He simply did not. Andre Dillard got mid-range guard money from the Titans. Ben Powers, a guard from the Baltimore Ravens, signed with the Denver Broncos for $13 million a year. Andre Dillard got $10 million a year, a little less than $10 million a year. So, and that's an expensive band-aid. No, it's not. You guys got to readjust your thoughts. Yeah, $10 million a year sounds like a lot to your average person,

but $10 million a year for an offensive lineman in the NFL? That is not an expensive contract at all. That is on the borderline of a low-level starter or mid-level starter and a backup. Andre Dillard got backup to low-level starter money. That's not expensive at all. So to me, at the end of the day, this isn't a slam dunk signing by the Titans. It isn't a home run signing by the Titans, but it's not a bad signing either. And here's why the versatility. So Andre Dillard can play left tackle. That's what he was drafted to be. And the majority of his snaps in his career have come at left tackle. So he can play left tackle, but Andre Dillard has also dabbled a little bit

in playing left guard for the Eagles. So if the Titans go into the draft and they get Paris Johnson Jr. to play left tackle, well, now you could slide Dillard in and play left guard and you have yourself a decent starting guard. If for some reason the Titans get really lucky, they get a couple of starting offensive linemen in the draft, well now Dillard can be your utility man

and be the sixth man on your offensive line. And if injuries do pop up, which hey, you're a fan of the Tennessee Titans, folks. Injuries are going to pop up. If injuries do pop up, well now you have a guy who's had starting experience that can fill in. So whether Andre Dillard becomes the starting left tackle for the Titans, whether Andre Dillard becomes the starting left guard for the Titans, whether Andre Dillard becomes

the sixth man for the Titans offensive line, either way, he's paid properly and he's had experience doing just that. So to me, does this solve the Titans left tackle position? No, not even a little bit. The Titans should still take a left tackle in the NFL draft in the first round if Paris Johnson Jr. is available or if they like Broderick Jones. To me, this does not change anything about how the Titans should approach the NFL draft. Dillard is a solid player who, let's just talk about this. So Dillard is a better pass blocker than he is a run blocker right now. He's a guy who can hold up in pass protection better than he can drive people off the ball in the run game. And that's an interesting philosophical switch for the Titans who have been

looking at run blocking first offensive linemen for quite some time. So that is a welcome change for sure. But at the same time, Dillard has had 444 pass-blocking reps in his entire career. Nicholas Petit-Ferrer had 505 last year for the Titans. In the 444 snaps that Dillard has pass blocked in his career, he's given up five sacks and 45 pressures. In 50 more pass blocking reps for Nicholas Petit-Ferrer, he's given up five sacks and 35 pressures. So if you compare the statistics here,

Dillard isn't even a lot better than Nicholas Petit Ferrer. Now, he's a former first-round pick who's got a lot of potential. Maybe the Titans get a certified left tackle for cheaper than what other people are paying. But at the end of the day to me, this is a Band-Aid signing. This doesn't change the Titans' long-term need of left tackle. Dillard can, he just gives the Titans short-term flexibility where if they get a left tackle in the draft, Dillard can play left guard.

If they get a guard in the draft and can't get a left tackle, Dillard can play left tackle. If they magically get both in the draft, Dillard can be their sixth man and their utility player. And at $10 million a year, which it was a three-year deal, $29 million, the reality of the situation is it's probably going to be a two-year deal for Dillard that the Titans aren't too locked in too long-term that isn't going to kill them on their salary cap space.

This is just a Band-Aid fix for the Titans who needed an offensive lineman. It's a low-risk, high-reward signing for the Titans in an area that they needed. Is it as good as a Mike McGlinchey or an Orlando Brown? No. Dillard's not that good of a player, but it's not that big of a financial commitment as well. So, at the end of the day, this isn't a great signing. It isn't a bad signing. It's just a, meh,

band-aid signing for the Titans that gives them flexibility going forward in the NFL draft. So, that's how I feel about it. It's not a long-term solve. It's a short-term band-aid. And honestly, with where the Titans are at as a team, I'm

not that upset about that. I'm really not. But the Titans lost two players from their team last year in free agency. We're going to talk about that. And at the end of the show, we're going to talk about what comes next for the Tennessee Titans. But again, Andre Dillard, three years, $29 million, signed to the Titans, a Band-Aid signing, not a long-term answer, but still a good signing for the Titans, nonetheless, to give them flexibility moving forward. Before we get into the rest of today's show, I do want to let you know that it is sponsored by FanDuel.

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Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast, breaking down day one of free agency. We just talked about the signing that the Titans made. Andre Dillard on a three-year deal worth $30 million. I think it's a pretty good signing for the Titans, a band-aid on the offensive line. Now I want to get into some players that the Titans lost. Before we do, I want to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, free Tennessee Titans content

on all platforms, including your favorite podcast platform and YouTube, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, where it's your team every day. I see some comments in the chat here. Max says, why not keep Davis for the same money? Had to be an injury situation. The Titans just wanted to move on, get a new guy in there. But I'm with you, Max. I think that for the same amount of money, Nate Davis got $10 million a year from the Chicago Bears. Nate Davis is a better player than Andre Dillard. So to me, that was a little

confusing as well that the Titans were willing to let Nate Davis leave and then give Andre Dillard the same amount of money. But at the end of the day, Andre Dillard does have more versatility. And with the Titans offensive line completely in flux right now, like the Titans had one starting offensive lineman

set to come back at the beginning of the day. They had Nicholas Petit Ferrer. Outside of Petit Ferrer, the Titans didn't have a single starting offensive lineman. And you don't know what you're going to get in the draft. Are you going to get a guard like Peter Skowronski, who a lot of people think he's a guard? Are you going to get an offensive tackle like Paris Johnson Jr.? What if neither Skowronski or Paris Johnson Jr. were available for you? Then what do you do? So what happens with this Andre Dillard signing is he could play guard,

he could play tackle, and it gives the Titans flexibility for what they're going to get in the NFL draft, which they don't necessarily have control over, okay? I think Adam Cruz makes a great point in the comments as well that Dillard also has less tread on him. Yeah, for a guy who was a first round pick

four years ago, he's got a lot less tread on him than you would typically see. But, the downside of that is it's because he got beat out by a seventh rounder in Philadelphia, Jordan Mailata.

So, and I think it's funny that, I think it's funny that everybody is coloring this as, oh, Andre Dillard didn't get benched. He got hurt and then Jordan Mailata just played better. Well, what happens when someone at your position plays better than you and takes your job? You got benched. So people, some of these people out here are just so Homer.

They're just such homers that the Titans do something. The Titans bring in a backup from Philadelphia, a high level backup for sure. But a high level backup that got beat out by a seventh rounder. And Pip, tell me why it's a bad take. Tell me why that's a, that is what happened. Sure, but a high-level backup that got beat out by a seventh rounder. And Pip, tell me why it's a bad take. Tell me why that is what happened. Mailata is a top-level left tackle. Yeah, Andre Dillard got benched for a better player.

The Titans need a Jordan Mailata, not an Andre Dillard. They need a guy who beats out Andre Dillard. What are you guys even saying to yourselves? The mental gymnastics that people are going through to defend Andre Dillard right now is really out of control. He got benched because a seventh round rookie was better than him. Okay?

Like, if that happened, he lost his spot. You guys are ridiculous. He didn't get benched. He lost his spot. What is the difference? That's like when I got fired from a job one time and I told my mom I got fired.

And she said, you didn't get fired. You got let go. Only a mother could try to color it that way. Oh my God. Give me a break. Um, anyways, moving forward, the, the Andre Dillard signing is fine, but it does, it doesn't change what the Titans are. Yeah. My Lada is a beast. You know what the Titans need? A beast. The Titans need a beast, not the guy who backs up the beast. Come on, man. Give me a break. This is ridiculous.

You guys are shameful. This is embarrassing. The things that you guys are doing, man. It's so ridiculous. Anyways, moving right along. Nate Davis got signed by the Chicago Bears. Three years, $30 million. Again, if I'm the Titans,

that's not a bad price. But if they want to sign Dillard because of the positional versatility, then I understand that. I really do understand that. But Nate Davis goes to Chicago and the good part about that is Nate Davis is going to net the Titans

a fourth round compensatory draft pick if his signing isn't canceled out throughout free agency. So Nate Davis on the board with a $10 million contract does give the Titans the ability to get a compensatory pick next year. So that's solid. That's nice. Another guy that the Titans lost is David Long. David Long goes to the Dolphins. And this one, this one is even more perplexing,

quite honestly. It's even more perplexing because, and it's funny too, because some of the projections, people had David Long making $13 million a year. And then on SpotTrack, it had David Long making $4.5 million a year. Well, SpotTrack wins over Pro Football Focus in this one

because David Long got a two-year contract for $11 million from the Dolphins. Two-year contract from the Dolphins. $11 million. $5.5 million a year. Look, I know that David Long has been hurt. I understand that. But look at the Titans linebacker group now.

Monte Rice, Chance Campbell, Jack Gibbons. I mean, you got to be the Homer-ish of the Homers to be okay with that group. Now that David Long is gone for such a cheap deal, David Long can potentially net the Titans a sixth round draft pick as a compensatory pick because of the contract. That's cool. But now the Titans linebacker group is in shambles, quite honestly. Like I just said, Monty Rice, Chance Campbell, and Jack Gibbons.

You could be as high on those guys as you want, but those aren't starters in the NFL. Those are depth pieces right now. Even Monte Rice. So, to me, linebacker at this point becomes an insane need for the Titans. I mean, it's a glaring, screaming need for the Titans. Now, the good news is, For the Titans. I mean, it's a glaring, screaming need for the Titans. Now, the good news is,

Rancarthon in San Francisco was a part of a lot of good linebacker drafts in the mid-rounds. Think about Pete Werner. Think about Dre Greenlaw. I mean, these are good linebackers that were found in the mid-rounds. Now, will linebackers that Rancarthon finds in the mid rounds this year be instant starters? Probably not. Probably not.

But, but you can count on Rancarthon getting you one inside linebacker who can play some football. So I think right now the Titans need one linebacker in free agency who's a veteran who they can count on. They don't got to get a guy who is worth a bunch of money. They can find a value starter and they are out there. But they're going to need at least one value starter in free agency at this point to help out at the linebacker spot.

But what comes next for the Titans? We talked about the signing of Andre Dillard. We talked about losing Nate Davis and David Long. I've been wanting to combine their names, Nate, David, Long, all show long, literally an internal struggle. But anyway, we talked about those. Now, what positions do the Titans still need to address in free agency?

We are going to discuss that in just a moment. Before we do, I want to tell you guys about the best tasting protein bars in the galaxy from our friends over at Built Bar you get the best of both worlds with Built Bar you get all the taste benefits from a candy bar they're covered in 100% real chocolate have a ton of delicious flavors

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of the Locked on Titans podcast. We have talked about the Dillard signing. We have talked about Nate Davis, David Long being gone, going to different teams. Now I just want to kind of round everything together from the first day of free agency. Talk about what the Titans need to do

next. Well, as I said at the beginning, it's something that I wrote about as well. This should not affect the Titans' long-term plans on the offensive line. I think the Titans still need to add an interior, a pure interior offensive lineman. I wouldn't mind adding another swing tackle like a George Fant or a Yash Nyman as well. The Titans still need a long-term left tackle. I don't see Andre Dillard as that. The Titans didn't pay Andre Dillard as that, which is fine. He is a band-aid signing on the offensive line, a guy that gives you flexibility. A guy that gives you versatility. He can play left tackle if the Titans don't get a left tackle in the first round of the

draft. If the Titans do get a left tackle in the draft early, they can slide Dillard into left guard. So, to me, it just covers you in the draft depending on how the board falls to you. It's a band-aid signing. And at the end of the day, the Titans didn't pay a lot. The Titans didn't pay a lot. Andre Dillard, three years, $29 million is what's reported right now. It's probably going to be a two-year deal. When you look at the guaranteed money, when you look at how the contract is actually broken down,

it's not that big a deal, okay? This is a Band-Aid signing. Again, smart deal for the Titans. Doesn't solve any problems long-term. But let me say this. The Titans don't really need to focus on solving problems long-term this offseason. It can upset you guys if you want. It can be frustrating to hear it.

But this is a transition year for the Titans as they transition from the Derrick Henry, Ryan Tannehill Titans to the new version of the Tennessee Titans. And what I don't want to do is I don't want to lock down a mid-range offensive lineman for a bunch of long-term money. So that's fine. The Titans didn't give Andre Dillard a deal that is going to prevent them from making certain moves in the future

and that is going to hurt them financially going forward. So this is just a fine deal. Again, not a slam dunk. Doesn't solve any long-term problems, but it's just perfectly fine. It's just a fine deal. So I like the versatility that Dillard brings. Gives the Titans some flexibility going into the draft.

As for what the Titans need to do going forward, again, I think another interior offensive lineman would be important. I think even if Dillard plays left guard, you're going to need another interior offensive lineman, whether it be at center. Because right now, the way I see it the Titans have center open they have right guard open

and they have left tackle open or you could look at it as left guard right guard and center with Petit, Ferrer, and Dillard on the tackle spots either way the Titans need another veteran because you're not going to be able to get enough guys in the draft to fill all those spots you're simply not

so sign another interior offensive lineman in the draft to fill all those spots. You're simply not. So sign another interior offensive lineman in the draft and sign a veteran wide receiver. Look, all of the wide receivers haven't gone off the board yet. Ask yourself why. Because the NFL is smart. The NFL knows all of these wide receivers are not worth the money that they are expecting to get. This is

a poor wide receiver class for free agency. It's a poor wide receiver class for the draft as well. NFL teams are being smart. They're not overpaying for wide receivers that are mid on other year free agency classes. The Titans aren't going to do that either. But that's good news for the Titans because it's going to push down all of the salaries for wide receivers. So you might get two, three million dollars off what you would have paid for a wide receiver otherwise because NFL teams aren't taking the bait. And look, Bloodworks says just draft a wide receiver.

They need more than that. Yeah, they should draft just draft a wide receiver. They need more than that. Yeah, they should draft a wide receiver too, but they need more than that. Okay? They need more than that. So I think wide receiver still needs to be addressed. It doesn't have to be any long-term deal or any kind of crazy commitment financially.

That doesn't have to be the case. The Titans could go find a wide receiver like they found Andre Diller. Just a mid-range band-aid signing and see what you get from a guy. Moving forward though, again, like I said, linebacker becomes a huge need and I think the Titans really need

to sign a linebacker in free agency. And yeah, I like what we saw here. This comment, I don't even know what, Infinity8John, we can't draft everything. The Titans have six draft picks right now. They're not going to be able to draft everything that they need. It's just not how it works, guys. It's just not how it works, guys. It's just not how it works.

You can't do that. They're going to need to add some veterans in free agency and linebacker and wide receiver and one more on the interior offensive line. Seem like they absolutely have to happen. Absolutely have to happen. Outside of that, I think the Titans need to add a cheap tight end. Yes, again, I would love for the Titans to pick up a tight end in the draft.

I think that they will pick up a tight end in the draft. But, but, you don't know what you're going to be able to get in the draft. You aren't the only person picking players. So you got to cover yourself like the Titans did with Dillard and you got to sign a veteran tight end for a cheap deal, real low deal that can be your third tight end on the depth chart and fill in with some secondary tight end duties as well. That's what you need.

You need a better version of Jeff Swain. All right. That's what the Titans need in free agency at tight end. Other than that, maybe they add a veteran at edge and at cornerback, but right now, I don't think that's a priority for them. It's a really good edge group in free agency. And I think the Titans need one more edge rusher, where right now the Titans need two tight ends.

So you do one in free agency for a cheap deal. You get one in the draft at edge. You have Weaver. You have Landry. So now you can just get one in the draft that you can add into the rotation. So interior O-line, wide receiver, linebacker, top three needs in free agency remaining. After that, edge, cornerback, tight end, they make a lot of sense as well. But, I mean, a lot of people, I'm just going to put a bow on everything here like this. A lot of people are upset about what the Titans did today or what they didn't do today.

And I get it. I understand that. But, guys, you got to realize the Titans are, you don't want to call it rebuilding. They're transitioning and they need to transition from the Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill Titans to the next version of the Titans. And they could try to have their cake and eat it too by thinking that they can sign

an Andre Dillard and maybe sign a couple of other guys at that level and compete next year with Tannehill and Henry. But, but what the Titans are doing right now is they're trying to thread the needle between being competitive next

year and getting ready for the future. Because Dillard is a guy who could work out, maybe doesn't work out, but he's no future commitment for you or future penalty for you. But at the same time, maybe he plays really well given the opportunity and he can be your starting left tackle going forward. I don't think that's the case.

But I think a signing like we saw with Dillard is threading the needle of a guy who can come in and help you compete with Tannehill and Henry, but a guy who's not going to penalize you in the future salary-wise if the Titans decide to totally revamp after the season. But you do run the risk when you play that game and you try to thread that needle of, if the Titans do, and this is kind of my issue,

you don't go get Orlando Brown. You don't go get Caleb McGarry, somebody who can be entrenched in a starting position for years to come. But at the same time, you go out and sign an Andre Dillard, and it's like, are you going to tank?

Are you going to not be competitive? Are you going to try to be competitive? Because if you're really, really trying to be competitive, a guy like Andre Dillard probably make you go, eh. But if you're trying to get a draft pick, and you're trying to get ready for the future, then a guy like Dillard maybe doesn't make a lot of sense because you're doing a half step with Andre Dillard there.

You're not paying the money that you need to really solve the issue, but you're not neglecting the issue either. So to me, it's really just a half step. I get it, but that's why I say at the end of the day, it's not a bad signing. It's not a home run signing. It's just meh. Just a meh signing from me.

But that's going to do it for me today, folks. I'm going to be back with you guys tomorrow breaking down all of the madness from free agency day two. Make sure you hit the thumbs up button. Make sure you subscribe for Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free and on all platforms. Again, 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