Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Star Harold Landry Tears ACL, Titans Options at Edge & Josh Gordon Signs

Episode Date: September 1, 2022

The Tennessee Titans suffered a major blow on Thursday when it was announced that Harold Landry tore his ACL on Wednesday and will be out for the season. Tyler takes a moment to grieve while discussing Landry's impact on the field. Next, what solutions could be available to replace Landry? Tyler goes over how the Titans used a Derrick Henry restructure to gain some cap room and what they can do with the space. Finally, Josh Gordon was signed to the Titans practice squad along with other roster moves.Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitansSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!DaveDownload the Dave app from the App store right now for an Extra Cash account and get up to 500 dollars instantly. For terms and conditions go to dave.com/legal. Instant transfer fees apply. Banking provided by Evolve. Member FDIC.LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFLBuilt 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.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!BriteCoThe guys at BriteCo Jewelry Insurance made buying insurance for your engagement ring, your watch, or whatever so easy you can get covered in 2 minutes on your cell phone. You won't find a better deal on coverage that's so affordable. Go to https://brite.co/lockedonPrizePicksFirst time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON EliasNFL season is right around the corner, so don’t wait! Find Elias Game Plan in the App Store or Play Store today!TuroDitch boring rental cars and find your drive at Turo.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland. Titans fans, Harold Landry tore his ACL and is out for the season. We're going to talk about his impact on the field, why this is such a devastating blow to the Titans. Derrick Henry did a contract restructure. We'll talk about the money that it saved the Titans and what options they have to replace Harold Landry at this point.

Also, Josh Gordon got signed, so we're going to talk about that as well. Talking Harold Landry's ACL tear 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. Titans fans, it is the Locked on Titans podcast. As you guys heard in the intro, obviously it's a somber day for all of us. Harold Landry tears his ACL in practice on Wednesday.

We find out on Thursday from a tweet from Adam Schefter that he will be out for the season. And now the Titans are left to try to move on. I'm going to talk about Harold Landry and just, we'll kind of go through the grieving process together here at the beginning of the show. Then we'll turn the conversation towards what's next. What can the Titans do to try to help deal with this burden?

Finally, at the end of the show, we'll talk Josh Gordon. I mean, what I was excited to lead the show with today, Josh Gordon getting signed, but unfortunately, the Titans' streak of unluckiness just happens to continue. Before we dive into this Harold Landry news, do want to let you know that today's episode is brought to you by BetOnline. BetOnline has you covered this season with more props, odds, and lines

than ever before. BetOnline, where the game starts. Also, got to thank you guys for making the Locked On Titans podcast your first listen every day. Even in tough moments like this for all of you guys to join around and us to gather together

and try to get through it. Definitely the only way I'd want to. So if this is your first time listening to the show, make sure you subscribe on whatever platform you do stream. I am going to be putting out Monday through Friday daily Tennessee Titans content all year round on all platforms, including the Locked on Titans YouTube channel. So subscribe, smash the notification bell,

throw a thumbs up if you're watching right now. But we get the news. And instantly what comes to my mind is obviously pure sadness. I guess what's the worst part about it is, guys, is my optimism, and I'm sure your optimism, and quite frankly, every single fan of every NFL team in this league, their optimism is at an all-time high right now. Everyone's 0-0.

Everyone's a Super Bowl option right now. So to have this news happen right now, a week before the season starts, it's like that one meme where everybody's at the party and there's the one guy in the corner and says, oh, they don't know that I'm whatever. I've used the meme before where I say, they don't know I'm a D- celebrity on Twitter. You know what I mean?

Where the guy sat at the party. It's a black and white drawing. If you know the meme, that's how I feel. It's like Titans fans are at the NFL preseason party right now. Everyone's hyped, getting ready for the ball to drop, the ball to kick off, you could say. And it's like everyone's having the best time ever and Titans fans are just over in the corner now like,

damn, damn. And especially what came to my mind next was, especially for a guy like Landry who's been so durable, rookie season, 15 games, 591 snaps, 60% of defensive snaps. Second season, the guy plays all 16 games, 952 snaps, 86% of the Titans' defensive snaps. Then in 2020, the guy plays all 16 possible games, 1,048 snaps, 94% defensive snaps.

Last year, 17 out of 17 games in the Titans' worst injury season ever, this guy plays every game, 981 snaps, 90% of the defensive snaps. Goes to his first Pro Bowl. Has 12 sacks. I mean, Landry just finally became the player that he's always meant to be. He gets the big-time contract like he deserves, man. He deserves it.

Landry's one of my favorite Titans because he truly deserves it. And Kevin Byard said it on Twitter. He's one of the hardest workers he's ever known. So for this to happen to Landry, you just have to feel awful for him. And then we talk about on the field. I mentioned all the snaps that Landry played. So surviving that and replacing that is nearly impossible. Surviving that and replacing that is nearly impossible. But it's not just the snaps. I talked about this while Harold Landry's contract situation was going on. He is what unlocks the front multiplicity

that Mike Vrabel has been talking about since his introductory press conference. Harold Landry can play stack linebacker. Harold Landry can drop into coverage. Harold Landry can play a little bit of man coverage on a running back. Harold Landry can put his hand in the dirt as a 4-3 linebacker and rush off the edge. Harold Landry can play as a 3-4 outside linebacker and set the edge against the run.

And Harold Landry is the best player that the Titans have by far and one of the best in the NFL at running stunts and games on the defensive line, which is what unlocked the best part of the Titans' defense last year. Harold Landry running that inside loop as Danico Autry and Jeffrey Simmons darted to the outside and pulled the offensive line that way. And then Landry's running through your A-gap and putting your quarterback on the ground and adding him to the honor roll. All of those schematic ways that Harold Landry is used cannot be replicated at

this point in the season. There isn't an addition out there that can replicate that. And that versatility that Harold Landry gives to the Titans front is what makes the front multiplicity work. The Titans can amalgamize between a 3-4, a 4-3 and they can do that because of Harold Landry. Because Harold Landry can do all those things. Which is why I pounded the table all season

against people saying that the Titans shouldn't pay him his money. The Titans should have paid him his money. Okay. And I'm not going to let people say this injury is some proof that they shouldn't have. What he meant to the defense, what he did again, schematically for the Titans defense to allow them to play. There was an article the other day that came out that said the number one thing the NFL coaches have been talking about this offseason is the Titans simulated pressures on defense. What the Titans did from a pass rush standpoint is what all the NFL coaches were talking about this offseason.

Harold Landry allowed them to do that. So this is quite the devastating loss, but man, what do we know about the Tennessee Titans? They're going to push through it. They're going to find a way. I don't think that this makes the Titans a trash team this year. I don't think that this means the Titans miss the playoffs or something like that.

Now, obviously, obviously, or something like that. Now, obviously, obviously, this hurts the Titans' ability to go anywhere in the playoffs. There's no way around it if we're healthy. But do I think that this is going to make the Titans, you know, a lottery team per se? No, absolutely not.

I still expect the Titans to make the playoffs, but if we all have an honest moment, it's definitely hard to picture the Titans making any noise in the playoffs without Harold Landry. Certainly, certainly, certainly, certainly hope that I am wrong, but I'm sure you guys are all feeling quite devastated like I am right now as well. But that's the problem, guys. I always tell you I won't bring a problem if I don't bring the solution. They may not be great solutions, but we got to talk about what the Titans can do to replace Harold Landry now. And Derrick Henry actually was a key part, in my opinion, in helping the Titans have some wiggle room to try to do something. I'll explain what the Titans did with Harold or what the Titans did with Derrick Henry's contract

and then some options that the Titans could have to deal with this loss. But before we get into that, I want to tell you a little more about our title sponsor, BetOnline. BetOnline is your number one source for all your pro and college football betting needs and sports info. This season, you can find all the latest football league developments, game matchups, and news, including this year's opening week's games at BetOnline. BetOnline is your continued source for all your sporting wagering information.

They have live betting. They have eSports. All of that's the fastest and easiest way to check in on all your favorite sports and events. Head to the website today or use your mobile device to learn more about all the trends and all the action. BetOnline, where the game starts. Titans fans, we're going to continue on this somber day, breaking down the ACL injury to Harold Landry. We kind of just had a grieving moment in a way. Talked about Harold Landry's impact on the team over the last few years.

But at some point, at some point, we do have to move forward. The season isn't over. It's starting next week on Sunday. And we really got to look at what options the Titans have here and how they can kind of make a way. What the Titans did on Thursday, and it's kind of funny, after we got the news about Harold Landry, it was obvious that the Titans put out the good news first

and the bad news second. I don't know about you guys, but me personally, I would rather get the bad news first and then the good news afterwards to see if it can help out at all, but that's not the way that the news cycle went for Titans fans on Thursday. So we got Derrick Henry's contract restructure news on Thursday prior to the Harold Landry news. And at the time I scratched my head. Why? Why did the Titans give Derrick Henry just two million extra dollars and move around his contract a week

before the season is set to kick off on Thursday night football next week? Why did they do that? It didn't make sense to me, even when looking through the details. So here's what the details are. The Titans gave Derrick Henry two million extra dollars of money this year. They converted a chunk of his salary to signing bonus. They turned it into $9 million of signing bonus money. What that does is basically his salary is a certain amount. Just for example, his salary is $10 million. They convert $9 million of the salary into signing bonus

so that his salary comes down and then his cap hit can be lower, which gives the Titans more cap space. So what they did was they basically took $2 million from 2023 next year and they gave it to Derrick Henry right now. Also with that, they took a chunk of his salary this year and they converted it to signing bonus. Then they added two voided years at the end of his contract in 2024 and 2025,

which basically takes that signing bonus money. I told you they turned in to 9 million and it spreads out $5 million over 2024 and 2025. Again, all in an attempt to lower his cap hit this year. So what the Titans have done is, at the end of all of that contract talk, they've taken Derrick Henry's salary cap hit, what actually goes against the salary cap this year, they've taken it down from $15 million to like $9.8 million. They have saved themselves $5.2 million in salary while also giving Derrick Henry more money this year. You guys are thinking the salary cap went down. Derrick Henry gets more money.

Henry gets more money. What's the downside? Well, the downside is next year in 2023, the Titans would have been able to save $12 million if they cut Derrick Henry in the offseason. Now, the Titans would only be able to save $3 million if they cut Derrick Henry. So to paraphrase, Derrick Henry will be a Tennessee Titan in 2023. You are guaranteeing yourself right now that Derrick Henry's with the team this year, obvious,

and he's with the team next year. The Titans would not be cutting Derrick Henry or moving on from Derrick Henry until 2024 at minimum. That's what's happened with today. So Derrick Henry gets more money right now, which makes him happy. The Titans save $5.2 million in cap space right now, which in my opinion, they did that because they need to get some help because of the Harold Landry loss. It all makes sense. I was scratching my head. Why would the Titans do that? But now with the Harold Landry news, it makes sense. They're clearing out $5 million to try to make some kind of move to help with the Harold Landry news, it makes sense. They're clearing out $5 million

to try to make some kind of move to help with the Harold Landry loss. It's the only thing that makes sense. Now you could also say maybe they're clearing out that money to help with Jeffrey Simmons or David Long or Monty Hooker or Nate Davis, something like that. But I think it's more to help with the Harold Landry situation in the here and now than it is to create an extension and get an extension done before the season. The third thing, so the Titans save money. Derrick Henry gets more money. The third thing is Derrick Henry now gets security that he'll be with the team next year as well.

So there's that. So you lock up Derrick Henry for two more years, you give him more money, and you save yourself some cap space to help deal with Harold Landry. How do you replace Harold Landry? Well, number one, guys, you're not going to replace him. And the schematic things that I talked about in the first segment are why. But if you're looking at just purely what the Titans are going to do

from a snap standpoint, obviously Rashad Weaver is going to be a starter now. He's going to have to be incredible. He's going to have to do his job. Not only that, Ola Dainey is going to have to be more involved in the rotation. Not only that, but thank God the Titans were able to get David and Nanny to the practice squad. He clearly will be joining the roster now. I put out a meme or a GIF on Twitter.

If you guys are Matrix fans, you've seen the Matrix. At the blonde-haired lady, I forget her name, but she's not like this. Not like this. When the dude's killing everybody and he goes back into the Matrix. I wanted David and Nene back on the team, but not like this. Not like this. he goes back into the Matrix. I wanted David and Nene back on the team,

but not like this. Not like this. So, Weaver, Ola, Nene, I would imagine the Titans would probably go try to get somebody in, like, maybe a low-end signing, if that's what they want to do. If they just want to promote the guys on the roster, get a low-end signing and add somebody to the practice squad,

just numbers-wise, I could see that, get a low-end signing, and add somebody to the practice squad just numbers-wise. I could see that. Ultimately, my point, though, is those guys are going to have to do it by committee, but you know who's really going to have to step up? Bud Dupree. The Titans are missing 12 sacks. You know who's most likely to come close to 12 sacks this year on the edge? It's not Weaver or Ola or Ninny.

It's Bud Dupree. So Bud Dupree better be worth the money. Bud Dupree better show up this year, shut me up, prove me wrong, and go out there and have double-digit sacks. The Titans basically got nothing out of Bud Dupree last year for 10 weeks of the season when he was hurt.

Coming off the ACL, whatever it is. Well, he needs to make up for a season and a half of production this year. If Bud Dupree, if Bud Dupree comes out and has a double-digit sack season, remember, Bud Dupree had, what, three sacks last year? And the rest of the year, the Titans were doing it outside linebacker by committee. Well, flip it then. Then the Titans can get three to five sacks out of outside linebacker by committee and 12 sacks out of Bud Dupree.

How about that? So, Bud, where is the Bud? Which the Titans the titans did a project with three six mafia let's go baby three six love that and um i'm gonna say with that in mind where is the bud where is the bud i'm gonna get a copyright strike if i keep going or just get people to tune out with my tone-deaf singing. But that's it. The real spotlight to me is not on Weaver Ola or Nini. The spotlight is now on Bud Dupree.

You're getting paid $20 million. We need 10 sacks. We need 10 sacks. So, and do have to say this is some good news. Danico Autry returned to practice on Wednesday so that's good but we need a big

Bud Dupree year to help deal with this that's the real answer that's the real answer so I'm running long here guys what I want to do is when we come back I am going to explain to you guys some options I think that the Titans will have outside of the roster whether it be via trade or via free agency.

And we'll talk about, hey, Josh Gordon signed. I was right. Let's go. Okay. I was right. But anyways, that's really not important at a time like this. But we'll talk about the roster moves that the Titans made, including bringing Josh Gordon onto the practice squad in just a moment.

Titans fans, we are going to cap off today's podcast. It's been a tough one. No way around it. Harold Landry tears his ACL. We talked about his impact on the defense in the first segment. Then we dove into how the Titans created more cap space. Now they have about $7 million in cap space. Got 5 million extra ones.

5 million extra dollars in cap space because of the Derrick Henry restructure. We talked about the people on the Titans who need to step up. Bud Dupree has to be a superstar this year. We got to talk about guys who are going to be available for the Titans who aren't on the roster in the organization right now. Before we get into that, I do want to thank all you guys for tuning in right now. I know it's tough to take in Titans content

all the time when you get bad news, but definitely do appreciate it. Thanks for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. Make sure you subscribe on whatever platform for Monday through Friday. Free daily Tennessee Titans content all year round. Guys, let me know in the chat any audio issues.

Somebody mentioned an audio issue, but I haven't seen anybody else mention it. So it may just be a user error on that person's part. Let's dive into these options the Titans might have outside the organization. So number one, if you're looking at free agents, a guy who's been a starter in the NFL, made some impact plays. And listen, before I even get into this, like the Josh Gordon conversation, none of these guys are Harold Landry. None of them are perfect. They all have their warts. They're available a week before the season starts. So I don't want to hear all these nitpicks, okay? What can you do? What can you do? So, Dee Ford, been a starter in the league, played in big games, made impact plays.

No, he's not going to be the versatile linebacker that the Titans are looking for, but he can rush the passer. Jason Pierre Paul, another guy who's much more of a defensive end than a versatile outside linebacker, but he can rush the passer. So maybe the Titans go there. I'm not really interested in this guy

because of the personality type, but Tachrist McKinley, former first round pick of Atlanta, obviously has some skill. Not my cup of tea personally, but hey, maybe. Jeremiah Tachou is a guy who I was interested in back in free agency because he's a guy who has versatile skills. He's a little bit of a smaller outside linebacker

in terms of size. He's about 6'2", I think. Not the biggest guy ever, but he's got some speed, got some athleticism. Maybe he can kind of simulate some of the things that Harold Landry was able to do as a stacked linebacker and a versatile piece. Outside of him,

maybe they can get Jamie Collins to come out of retirement. Jamie Collins, Dee Ford, Jason Pierre-Paul, Tack McKinley, Jeremiah Tachou. Those are the only guys, maybe if you like a Devon Kennard, I don't know. Those are the only guys that are like free agents. Ryan Kerrigan, yeah, I wanted Ryan Kerrigan, but he retired too. So I don't know if that's going to happen. If you start looking at trades, man, it sucks that Malik Reid was traded from Denver to Pittsburgh earlier this week.

If he hadn't been traded yet, I bet the Titans would go in there and make that play. Outside of Malik Reed already being gone, you got guys like Trey Flowers. You know, Miami has a couple of edge rushers ahead of Trey Flowers on the depth chart. There's a New England connection there. Maybe Trey Flowers could make some sense. I think a guy who, he was just signed as a free agent,

so maybe it's not going to work. who he was just signed as a free agent. So maybe it's not going to work. But a guy that has showed versatility in his career to be a stacked linebacker who can play in coverage while also being a guy who can rush the passer who is with the Dallas Cowboys is Anthony Barr. And Anthony Barr was signed late in the offseason. I think it was just in the beginning of August.

Anthony Barr was signed. And maybe, maybe the Cowboys, because obviously they didn't sign him until late in the process, maybe the Cowboys are willing to take a draft pick for Anthony Barr. A guy that a lot of you guys are saying in the comments that can make sense is Derek Barnett from the Eagles. I know that's a former Tennessee Vols, so I know you guys probably,

some of you guys probably have an emotional connection there. I got to tell you guys, I'm okay with really anything at this point. I have my preferences. I'd rather trade for Anthony Barr or Derek Barnett. I'd rather sign Dee Ford or Jeremiah Tachou or Jamie Collins than other options. But at the end of the day, I think the real answers for the Titans,

the realistic answers, are the guys we talked about who are on the team. Rashad Weaver, Ola Dainey, David Anini. James Miller says Robert Quinn. I think that that would cost the Titans a little bit more money than they have right now, so maybe there'd have to be some salary finagling in there.

But yeah, like I'm not going to say no to that. I don't think that's a bad idea if that's what they want to do. I mean, the real issue here is that one of the big ingredients in the how many first-round picks would we have to give up to get one of the Boses, they wouldn't do that. The Chargers or the 49ers wouldn't do that. See, nothing like that is going to happen. There is no situation here where a team a week before the season,

after they just set their 53, is going to trade away a starting caliber edge rusher. It's just not going to happen. So you got to make the, you know, you got to make chicken salad out of chicken bleep. That's all you can do right now. And I think Weaver, Ola, Anini combined with a Trey Flowers, Anthony Barr, D4, JPP,

Jeremiah Tachou, Jamie Collins, you know, I like a guy, Denarius Robinson, who was an undrafted free agent that signed with the Vikings last year from 2021's draft. He was a guy out of Florida State. I loved him coming out of the draft as a late round option. He went undrafted. I really wanted the Titans to pick him up.

He didn't, so I'll throw him in there. Jeremiah Moon, if we're talking about guys who were just cut, who were available. Yeah, Trey Flowers did sign with the Dolphins. Zach, I'm talking about trade options. The Dolphins have two starting edge rushers ahead of Trey Flowers, so maybe they'd be willing to come off

of him for a pick. So, I talked about guys that the Titans could trade for and guys who they could potentially sign. But again, guys, I don't see like a an option

that's going to like help how we feel, right? It's not there. So, let's move on from that, though. No, you're cool, Zach. I just wanted to make sure that I was clear about that because I'm sure there are other people who will listen who may be confused about what I'm saying there, too.

And I want to make sure that I'm, you know, as accurate as possible for you guys. Josh Gordon was signed. Josh Gordon signing was going to lead my show until like 2 o'clock or whenever the Landry news dropped. I was ready to take some victory laps on that. So here's what happened. Cody Hollister did go to the 53-man roster,

which I don't have time for that rant. Last year, things were at the lowest of their low for the Titans at wide receiver once Cody Hollister was getting snaps. That's when we all knew, man, this sucks. So the fact that Cody Hollister is already wide receiver five going into the year, that is devastating. Okay, so hopefully this is one of those scenarios

where the Titans bring a veteran on the practice squad. It takes a week or two, and then they elevate them, and then Cody Hollister can go veteran on the practice squad. It takes a week or two, and then they elevate him, and then Cody Hollister can go back to the practice squad. To be honest, I wouldn't even be mad if Cody Hollister wasn't on the practice squad. I mean, but I'd rather have him over Des Fitzpatrick. So Josh Gordon signed to the practice squad. Not only that, the Titans signed to tight end and Kevin Radar to the practice squad, and then they let go of David Wells, my guy David Wells. They got Kevin Radar to the practice squad. And then they let go of David Wells, my guy David Wells.

They got Kevin Radar to replace David Wells. And then they released Reggie Roberson. Not Des Fitzpatrick, not Mason Kinsey, but Reggie? That's sad. Cody Hollister, wide receiver five. Cutton Reggie Roberson. Harold Landry tearing his ACL. Man, this is why I said to some of you guys when you're talking about how much better the Titans are going to be this year because the injuries. Nobody turned injuries off, guys. And while the Titans had a lot of injuries last year,

and Derrick Henry was a major injury, outside of that, all the Titans injuries were just like, you know, getting banged up. You know, AJ out for three weeks, Julio out for three weeks. It wasn't season ending, out, never coming back. That was only Henry and Caleb Farley, of course. But I'm talking about guys who really moved the needle. So, man, outside of Derrick Henry,

I would say this injury is more devastating than any injury that happened last year and more punitive as well. So, at the end of the day, Rashad Weaver, Bud Dupree. If we just call it what it is. Weaver's got to be a starting level player.

Bud Dupree has to have double digit sacks. It's the only way. It's the only way. So, man, man, I just sat in the dark in my basement right here in this spot for like 20 minutes going, man, after I got the news. after I got the news. Well, the show must go on. The season will start.

Like I said, let's hope that Bud Dupree and Rashad Weaver are up to the task. Devastating blow from the Titans. No way to sugar cut it though. And we're going to have to take some time to reflect on this. I'll be back with you guys on Monday morning. The holiday weekend, I'm going to take some time to reflect on this. I'll be back with you guys on Monday morning.

The holiday weekend, I'm going to take some time trying to evaluate this boy. Two fantasy drafts this weekend for the Locked on Titans Fantasy Football Leagues. If you guys are in those, I'm excited to have those fantasy drafts with you guys.

I think I'm going to do a giveaway on Saturday. Might be next Thursday, though. Tough to clear out time this weekend. Very busy weekend. Hope you guys all stay safe. Head up. Tighten up. We'll get through this. That's going to do it for me today, though.

As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this is Locked on Titans.