Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans TOP FREE AGENT Trey Smith is FREE, Shaky Foundation & Bad Giants Trade Offer

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Tennessee Titans top free agent target will be available and I'll tell you why the Tennessee Titans must sign Trey Smith on the O line on today's edition of locked on tight 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 on today's show. We're going to look at Gray Smith and his availability in free agency for the Tennessee Titans and why he's a must sign target.

Starting point is 00:00:42 Also, we'll talk about some interesting comments recently about the Tennessee Titans foundation and whether or not it's set or not. But finally, we'll look at two mock trade offers that have been going around the internet. One terrible one from the Giants, but one fantastic one from the New York Jets. Before we 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 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,

Starting point is 00:01:08 always for free. You're not going to beat that anywhere else. Make sure that you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. It's your team every day. Speaking of every day shout out to my every dayers out there tuning in Monday through Friday, couldn't do it without you guys. If you aren't an every dayer, you need to be one because there's breaking news all the time this time of year. Free agencies

Starting point is 00:01:28 right around the corner with our free agency preview. Then draft is right around the corner. I go over 200 draft prospects every year. You could not possibly be a more informed Tennessee Titans fan than you would be listening to Locked on Titans during the offseason. So again, make sure you get subscribed, stay subscribed. It's your team every day. But with that being said, we got reports over the last 24 hours or so about Trey Smith from the Kansas city chiefs who I've continued to say is my top

Starting point is 00:01:59 target in free agency for the Tennessee Titans. Now it's franchise tag window time. Teams could place the franchise tag or the transition tag on players right now and on yesterday's show. I talked about how it was possible that Trey Smith would never even be an option for the Titans if the Chiefs decided to put a tag on it. Well, according to recent reports, like I said, over the last 24 hours, turns out the Kansas city chiefs will not be placing the franchise tag, Entree Smith or the transition tag, Entree Smith.

Starting point is 00:02:33 And that should be music to the Tennessee Titans ears. So Dylan Radens is a free agent this all season. The Titans we know have a massive need at right tackle. So that's two spots on the right side of the offensive line that are just wide open right now with no logical option to replace them on the roster. Okay. So the Titans need to make two additions there and there are two different ways that they can go about this. They could go with a cheap guard option like re-sign Dylan Radens for example and then they could go with an expensive tackle option.

Starting point is 00:03:07 That's a long-term solution. Like Ronnie Stanley, for example, would be a guy you'd be given a big long-term contract to. And then they could go into the NFL draft and, you know, add a guard that can compete to start on day two or at the beginning of day three. And then say that they've done what they needed to do cheap at right guard, expensive at offensive tackle, get some depth in the draft, or there's a route that they can go where they go expensive at guard in free agency, they go cheap

Starting point is 00:03:40 at offensive tackle, and then they drafted offensive tackle super high in the draft. That is the route that I want the Tennessee Titans to go. I would rather them pay out at guard with Trey Smith available. Cause players like Trey Smith often do not get two free agency. So you go out and you get Trey Smith, the chiefs are just in a tough spot because of their cap situation and all the players they got to bring back. It makes it tough on the chiefs. That's why he's not getting attacked. He could even go back to Kansas City, but it's not going to be on the tap. But the point here is I would rather the Tennessee Titans pay up to get a really,

Starting point is 00:04:18 really good guard, a top five guard who's still only 27 years old. Like that's the route I would want the Titans to go over going out and getting a 30 year old Ronnie Stanley at tackle. And then you got to move JC Latham right tackle and Ronnie Stanley to left tackle. You know what I mean? Like it just, there's so many moving parts in that you're getting a player who, you know, again, he's 30 years old. He's a great player, but he's 30 years old. Instead, you look at Trace Smith, still a young, actually only 25 years old. He's a great player, but he's 30 years old. Instead, you look at Trace Smith, still a young, actually only 25 years old, not even 27. I can barely read my own writing in my notes. 25 years old, one of the top 10 guards in the NFL at minimum. You could argue that he might be top five. He's from Tennessee. You have a Kansas City connection with Mike Borganzi who knows the kind of player he is. He went to Tennessee.

Starting point is 00:05:08 Like it just, it makes too much sense. It lines up so well. And if you get Trey Smith in free agency, now you have one of the best guards in the NFL in Trey Smith. You have Peter Skoronsky who was breaking out at the end of the year last year. Could be one of the best guards in the NFL this season. You have J.C. Latham in year two after having a solid year one. You go out and you get a cheap veteran in free agency.

Starting point is 00:05:35 Jedrick Wills is a guy that I continue to point out with the Bill Callahan connection. Or if you want to go older and just going to stop that gap. I've seen a lot of Titans fans talking about Morgan Moses, who only gave up 16 pressures last year. One of the top 10 numbers in the NFL. He's 34 years old, but he would be on a one year deal as a stop gap. And then you draft an offensive tackle high in the draft. Now you have great depth on the offensive line. You have talent on the offensive line. You have a long termterm and a short-term plan.

Starting point is 00:06:06 I would be scared if the Tennessee Titans went into free agent or went into the draft and drafted an offensive tackle that they expected to start from day one. That would be pretty scary unless it's, you know, a first round offensive tackle and are the Titans going offensive tackle in the first round. I think it's possible, but it's not the most likely outcome. So to me, the best way, and here's my thing. Improving the Tennessee Titans offensive line should be the number one priority this off season because no matter who you get at quarterback, you need to fix this offensive line.

Starting point is 00:06:40 It's been years of a terrible offensive line that has wrecked your offense. At some point, you just have to, no matter what it takes, fix this offensive line, no matter what it takes. And let's see what happens. If the team is bad and the offensive line is good and the team is bad because they put too many resources in the offensive line, so be it. I'm willing for that to be a risk that they take. So you sign Trey Smith, not only because he's a good guard and it makes a ton of sense, but also because you have the money, the Tennessee Titans don't want to burn cap space in the future, but the reality is who do the Titans have to pay in the

Starting point is 00:07:18 next couple of years? They're not going to pay Will Levis. They're not going to pay anybody from the draft classes. They're not paying Tr pay Will Levis. They're not going to pay anybody from the draft classes. They're not paying Traylen Burks. They'll probably bring Roger McCreary back Peter Skowronski in two years. But I mean, outside of that, there was simply nobody on the roster that the Titans have to pay in the next couple of years that would prevent them from paying Trace Smith. They have the financial flexibility to pay.

Starting point is 00:07:50 I don't want the Titans to go out and make a ton of massive free agent moves. That's not what I expect, but I expect one decent free agent move. And I think it needs to be Trace Smith at right guard. And you look at the other options, Brandon Scherff, Zach Martin, Kevin Zeitler, 33, 34, 35 years old, respectively. I don't want to pay them the money that they'll command at that age. Mackay Bekden, Tevin Jenkins. Do you really trust Mackay Bekden?

Starting point is 00:08:19 Yeah, he was good in Philadelphia, but that's Philadelphia. Are the Titans in a position to support Mackay Bekden from a locker room standpoint? The way the Eagles just did. I don't know about that. The Titans are a young team, not a veteran competitive team. Mackay Bekden would quit on them in a second if they had a three and 14 record. Maybe Will Fries from Indianapolis, uh, Patrick McCorry from the Ravens. Like, I just think you could go with some of these middling options for cheaper,

Starting point is 00:08:52 but get the best player available. Solve the problem for years to come. You have the money to do it. You have the connections to do it. Get Trey Smith. Trey Smith. Today's episode is brought to you by Intuit Turbo Tax. Look guys, taxes used to be waiting, wondering, 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 Turbo Tax expert who can do your taxes

Starting point is 00:09:25 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 day. An expert who will find you every deduction possible and file every form, every investment, every everything with 100% accuracy, all so you can get the most money back guaranteed. No waiting, no wondering, no worries. Now, this is taxes. Get an expert now at TurboTax.com. Only available with TurboTax Live full service. Real-time updates only in the iOS mobile app. See guaranteed details at TurboTax.com slash guarantees. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We talked about how Trey Smith will officially be free on the market

Starting point is 00:10:28 and the Tennessee Titans need to go out and get him. Now I want to turn my attention to some Titans conversation that made its way to the national media. We have a comment here from a draft analyst that I think is very, very interesting. I want to look at it and then kind of look at the Titans roster and, and see how I think this lines up. All right. Remember at the end of the show, we're going to look at some mock trades that I've seen from other teams, media people that I'm interested to take a look at.

Starting point is 00:10:58 But recently, uh, great. I talked about Emory hunt on yesterday's show. I think when we were discussing the quarterbacks, Emery Hunt is an excellent, excellent draft analyst. He works for CBS Sports, appearances on the Ross Tucker football podcast network, stuff like that. But Emery had an interesting comment. I'll say that. I find it very interesting as someone who covers the Tennessee Titans on a daily basis, but Emory Hunt basically said, this is the quote, the template has been put in place. The foundation is set. Any quarterback you add cam ward or should or Sanders makes this a playoff team talking about the Tennessee Titans.

Starting point is 00:11:46 Okay, listen, I'm a Titans guy, you know, I've been a Titans fan for over 25 years, cover the team for six years now. The, you know, 80% of my worrying and wondering and whatever about stuff is with the Titans and how it pertains to work and all that like I am a Titans lifer at this point. I love the optimism But I just simply can't agree. You know what I mean? I can't the foundation is set. I Think the foundation has cracks in it and needs replaced. You know, like I I also want to tie this into

Starting point is 00:12:28 So with that is kind of a jumping-off point. I want to tie this into something I forget whether it was Brian Callahan or Mike Borghansy But one of the Titans big decision-makers said I do believe it was Brian Callahan But I said I believe he said that you need six to seven difference makers on a good football team. Six to seven difference makers. Now, if we assume that one of those players is your quarterback every time, like the Eagles, if you have six or seven different, Jaylen Hertz is a difference maker, led the team in rushing in the Super Bowl, made big plays, made big throws. He's not an elite quarterback, but he's a difference maker. Jalen Hurts makes a difference at quarterback. So let's assume the Tennessee Titans get one of

Starting point is 00:13:17 these quarterbacks and they're a difference maker. Let's say Cam Ward, just for the sake of discussion. Titans get Cam Ward. Well, there's one of your difference makers out of your seven. So now you need three or you need six more. Let's say three on either side of the ball, right? Three on offense, three on defense. Maybe it's four and two, whatever, but there needs to be some balance for you to be a great team. You have seven difference makers on defense and none on offense. You're not winning much football games. But anyways, who are the difference makers on the Tennessee Titans? In my opinion right now, there is only one player that you could say with certainty is a difference maker. It's Jeffrey Simmons. And I know a lot of people

Starting point is 00:14:00 going, difference maker, we went three and four. Look, Jeffrey Simmons is a good enough player to be a difference maker. Okay. He can't do it alone. Again, Callahan saying you gotta have six or seven. Having just one isn't going to be enough. And just because he's the only one doesn't mean that he isn't one. You know what I mean? So Jeffrey Simmons is the only player that I can logically say is a, you

Starting point is 00:14:23 know, top of the top difference maker in the NFL, a top five, top 10 player at their position in the NFL. But outside of that, Ligeria Snead, but is he going to be healthy? I can't say that with certainty that Ligeria Snead is going to be a difference maker. Who knows if he's ever going to be the same. That sounded like a serious quad injury. And they said it was really weird. And were they just saying that to keep them on ice because the season didn't matter, was it for real?

Starting point is 00:14:55 Like now we got to question that. So I can't say the luxurious needs a difference maker. If he's fully healthy, then yes, he is. And that would give the Titans too. But outside of that, I can't, I mean, the only other player I could even make a reasonable argument for is Calvin Ridley. And I don't know that Calvin Ridley is a true difference maker anymore. You know, like Calvin Ridley is a very good wide receiver.

Starting point is 00:15:22 I think he's a low end, Number one, high end number two. And I think we're getting closer to after this season ahead. High end. Number two is probably where it stops. Some could argue that that's where it is now. Calvin Ridley is a high end. Number two right now. You can't even call him the low end. Number one. All right, fine. But either way the point of that is Calvin Ridley isn't Like the difference maker wide receiver that you would need, you know, and then maybe JC Latham becomes a difference making player on the offensive line in year two. So Ridley, Simmons, need Latham. Like even if you add a quarterback to that, I'm sorry

Starting point is 00:16:07 But the idea that the foundation is set and that the Titans are a playoff team If they use their first round pick on quarterback, then they can't address offensive tackle or edge or wide receiver with that pick And if they don't trade down because they take a quarterback number one overall, then they don't have additional picks in the top 100. They only have two. They have one more left at 35. And if you trade down from 35, sure, but is that going to get you what you need? And are you going to be able to get two more players in the top 100 that are difference makers right away as rookies? Like, I guess using the criteria of Brian Callahan and then looking at the comment from Emory, I just have a hard time putting those two things together when I actually look at the Titans roster.

Starting point is 00:16:56 I just have a hard time looking at it and saying, yup, the foundation set for the Titans, you know, they're a quarterback away from being a playoff team. I'm sorry, but I just can't agree with that. I don't see that. I look at the roster. I don't see it. So that's where I'm at on it. I know that some Titans fans feel different that they are

Starting point is 00:17:17 a quarterback away from being a playoff team. But again, using the criteria of six or seven difference makers to be a good football team. I mean, even if the quarterback is one of those, the Titans are three or four short, maybe five. You know what I mean? It's just tough. It's tough to sell that in my opinion.

Starting point is 00:17:35 But with that being said, one of the ways that the Titans could fill as many holes as possible is trading back with the number one overall pick and a Gi sky and a jet sky put out a mock trade from their perspective. And I want to go over those from the sake of discussion. Do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by fan dual sports book. When the game tips off, the NBA action is just getting started and there's no better place to get in on it than Fandel America's number one sportsbook with Fandel you can place live bets throughout the game

Starting point is 00:18:10 So even if you miss opening tip-off you want to bet on a fourth quarter comeback You could stay in the action and if you're looking for a bigger payout You could even combine live bets into a same game parlay. I love a same game parlay I also love using Fandle's live betting feature because it keeps every moment of the game exciting. Whether I'm back in my team for a late game rally, picking a player to hit a clutch three, I've never felt like I missed my chance. Plus, the app is super easy to use and when you win, you get paid instantly. Right now, new Fandle customers can get $150 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins, again, just visit Fandle.com to join today.

Starting point is 00:18:50 That's Fandle.com for your shot at $150 in bonus bets. Make every moment more with Fandle, official Sportsbook partner of the NBA. Titans fans. Let's cap off today's edition of the locked on Titans podcast. We talked about Trey Smith, not getting the tag, making him free to go to the Titans and free agency. We talked about Emory hunts comment that the Titans are a quarterback away from being a playoff team and why I have to respectfully disagree when I look at the Tennessee Titans roster. But now I want to talk about some trade offers that could come the Titans way for the first overall pick because we got some people outside of the Titans ecosystem proposing some

Starting point is 00:19:44 trades to move up. Before I get into it, do want to thank you again for making Locked On NFL your first listen. Now make Locked On NFL Draft your second listen. My guys, Damian Parson and Keith Sanchez, I've had those guys on the show before. Now that the season is over, get the latest draft rankings, rumors, and news every day, especially if you're a Titans fan. you need to find locked on NFL draft on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast. But with that being said, Jordan Ranon works for ESPN New York giants guy.

Starting point is 00:20:19 He proposed to trade on his Twitter in an article, I do believe too, earlier this week for the New York giants to move up to number one overall. The trade was number three, number 65, which is a third, and then a third round pick next year. That is a laughable offer in my opinion. It's laughable. You're telling me that the Tennessee Titans are going to trade back from the number one overall pick and the best thing that they're going to get in return is pick number 65, a third rounder. Like to me that is insane. five a third rounder

Starting point is 00:21:18 like to me that is insane it's insane is what it is i will continue to bring up a trade from 2018 where the new york jets traded from number six overall to number three overall. The third overall pick, not the first, not the first, the third overall pick. Three spot jump or whatever, you know, the third overall pick. They gave up to move up that high. Pick number six picks 37 and 49, two second rounders and a second rounder in the next year.

Starting point is 00:21:59 So they got three second rounders for moving back three spots for QB two. The Titans have the number one overall pick and a draft that doesn't have a lot of quarterbacks and they're going to get less than that for a team to come up two spots for quarterback one, not QB two, not the third pick, but number one and QB one less. It is asinine. It's asinine. There's no way in the world that the Tennessee Titans jump back for that. If you want to make that pick number 34 and a second rounder next year, I think the Titans would consider it.

Starting point is 00:22:48 I would want a first round pick next year, but I think the Titans would consider it. But three and two thirds for the number one overall pick and the number one quarterback in the draft and a draft that doesn't have, uh, that isn't a good quarterback draft, people say that that isn't a good quarterback draft. People say that it not being a good quarterback draft means the Titans will get less. When I say the exact opposite, the fact that there aren't a ton of great quarterbacks in this draft means that the best one is worth even more.

Starting point is 00:23:23 So I'm not trying to crap on Jordan by any means. He does good work for ESPN. There's no way and it's funny in the comments, all the Giants fans were saying, no, we won't do that. We're not. I mean, it's going to be more than that. If you think you're jumping up to number one overall. And here's the other thing. If the Titans go back further, if the Titans go to 6, if the Titans go to 7, if the Titans go to 9, the offer is going to exponentially increase in the return that they're going to get. They're going to get way more for pick 6 than they would pick 3. way more for pick six than they would pick three. So i'm sorry that trade's not even going to be close to good enough and then i want to look at another trade and uh let me make sure i get this right listen

Starting point is 00:24:29 before i say anything this trade is not like reported or rumored or this is just, you know, a guy who works for PNF 365 or PFN 365 saying that, you know, he reports his name is Brett Hoffman, but he reports that the jets have contacted the Titans about the number one overall pick. Is it true? I don't know. I'm not giving this to you guys as a report. But the proposed package is the Jets first round pick this year, which is number seven. A second round pick this year, which is top 40, a first round pick next year. Now we're talking second round pick next year and another second round pick in 2027.

Starting point is 00:25:15 Look, I would take that in a heartbeat. That is a run to the podium. Yes, we're doing it. I don't think the jets will ever offer that much. I would take off that second round pick in 2027. If I'm honest, but if the jets offered number seven, a second round pick, a first round pick next year and a second round pick next year, I'm taking that deal. I'm taking that deal.

Starting point is 00:25:40 If I have to go back to number nine, I want something, I'll take that extra second rounder from 2027, but to go back to seven, remember the base of a trade package that I'm willing to accept. I went over it earlier this week or last week. It was the base of the package that I'm willing to accept is a first this year, first next year, a day to pick this year and a day to pick next year, depending on who wants to make the trade with the Titans is depending on whether that day to pick as a second, a third, both years is a second, one year is a second. That depends, but going to

Starting point is 00:26:12 seven first this year, first next year, second this year, second next year. Sounds like a deal. If it's to six, I'll do a first this year, a first next year, a second this year, and a third next year. If it's nine, I'll do a first this year, a first next year, a second this year, a second next year, and a third the year after that, or a second the year after that. If it's the giant, I need a first this year, a first next year, a third this year, and a third next year. That's it.

Starting point is 00:26:51 So the Giants offer was terrible. The Jets offers too good to be true. Somewhere in the middle is where I think the Tennessee Titans should ultimately land depending on what they want to do. If they want to move down or not, of course they could fall in love and take the quarterbacks. And if you do, by all means, take the quarterbacks. I'm all for it. But that's kind of a good conversation about what kind of trade compensation the Titans should be looking for with some historical

Starting point is 00:27:15 perspective provided as well. But with that being said, that is going to do it for me today, folks, as always, I am your host, Tyler Rowen, and this was Locked on Titans.

Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans TOP FREE AGENT Trey Smith is FREE, Shaky Foundation & Bad Giants Trade Offer

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.