Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Wide Receiver DISASTER, Smith-Njigba at 11, Trade Targets & Free Agent Options

Episode Date: March 23, 2023

The Tennessee Titans are facing a disaster at the wide receiver position after doing nothing in free agency in the first two weeks. At this point, they may be forced to take a wide receiver in the first round with their first pick. If they do, the pick needs to be Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Also, if the Titans make a trade for a WR between now and the draft who other than DeAndre Hopkins could make sense. Finally, what options remain on the free agent market for the Titans?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 are basically forcing themselves to draft a wide receiver at pick number 11, and if they do, the selection needs to be Jackson, Smith, and Jigba out of Ohio State. I'll explain why and more 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 got a lot to break down on today's show, and we are focusing on the wide receiver position, focusing on it a lot more than the Tennessee Titans seem to be doing. We're going to talk about why Jackson Smith and Jigba out of Ohio State needs to be the pick at number 11 if the Titans take a wide receiver and why his teammate at Ohio State, Parrish Johnson Jr., most likely won't be there at 11 anyways for the Titans. We're also going to talk about some veteran trade options for the Titans, including, of course, DeAndre Hopkins. And then we'll talk about some free agent wide receivers that are still available to

the Titans as well. Before we get into all that, I do want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day. Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content on all platforms all year long and always for free. Make sure you get subscribed and stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast on your favorite podcast platform on the Locked on Titans YouTube channel.

Make sure that you are with me every single day for the free Titans content. Throw a thumbs up on the video right now as well if you're watching. It goes a long way to help support the channel, and the show's always free. All I ask for in return is the press of a button. But with that being said, let's dive into this news. And it's got me choked up.

Okay, so Ohio State's Pro Day was on Wednesday. And there was one player, despite CJ Stroud and despite Jackson Smith and Jigba, despite Marvin Harrison Jr. being involved as well, there was one player that stood out to Albert Breer from Sports Illustrated, my colleague at Sports Illustrated. It's fun to say that. Anyways, but I want to pull up Breer's tweet here and read it to you guys if you're not watching on YouTube, but he said, quote, a lot of hype around CJ Stroud, Jackson Smith and Jigba and Marvin Harrison yesterday at Ohio State. I actually heard the guy who helped himself the most in the

eyes of scouts was probably left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. He has elite traits and is a true left tackle. Still young, but a high ceiling. End quote. And look, guys. I agree 100%. Paris Johnson Jr. is an absolute freak. Okay? He's got incredible feet for a guy his size. He's bigger than Skowronski.

He's bigger than Broderick Jones. I think he's the number one offensive lineman in the entire draft. I felt that way throughout the draft process. And based on Breer's tweet, based on some of the word around Paris Johnson Jr., he's not going to be available. He's simply not going to be available for the Titans. Now, if Skowronski is there, I'm going Skowronski over a wide receiver. But I would understand if you're somebody who views him as a guard and you don't think a guard is worth the pick at 11. I would get that.

So, with the Titans' lack of additions in free agency at wide receiver, without some sort of blockbuster trade happening that we don't foresee, the Titans basically have no choice but to take a wide receiver at 11. The whole point of free agency for most teams and what we see the Titans do most of the time is the Titans will try to add a veteran, a solid veteran at all of their big time need positions so that they can take the best player available when they get to the draft. The Titans have not done that. The Titans have done the opposite. They have left a five alarm fire at wide receiverina, that is still a terrible wide receiver group. But adding in a guy like Jackson Smith and Jigba right now

would allow the Titans to at least start building with some foundational pieces, at least have some hope. You add another receiver next year, and now you've got a three-man team. You've got Phillips as a depth guy. That makes sense. That makes sense. That makes sense. So to me, if Paris Johnson Jr. isn't there,

the Titans probably do need to go with Jackson Smith and Jigba. He's my number one wide receiver in this class. He would be a great pairing with Traylon Burks from a skill set standpoint. Burks is a big, physical, down the field, contested catch guy who can make plays over top of people and make dynamic, explosive games. Jackson Smith and Jigba has explosiveness to him, but he's more of a smooth route runner who can get in and out of breaks, who can set guys up with his routes and get open against zone coverage,

and he can work inside, in the slot. That's where a lot of people see him. But an interesting quote from Mike Vrabel at Ohio State's Pro Day, Mike Vrabel said they think that Smith and Jigba can work inside and outside. So if the Titans view him with that sort of versatility, then that means that in the Titans' two wide receiver sets, where they have two tight ends, a running back, and two wide receivers,

that means you can have Burks, you can have JSN, and now you're actually working with something. Now you actually have a decent group to build around, even if it's not immediately one of the best because you still have depth issues. So that would make a lot of sense. I mean, look, as a sophomore, the guy had 95 catches,

1,606 yards, and nine touchdowns. The talent is there. The ability is there. And I think at this point in time, if Paris Johnson Jr. is gone, Jackson Smith and Jigba needs to be the pick for the Titans at number 11. They put themselves in a position where they don't really have a lot of options. But that doesn't mean that something can't change between now and the draft. And the Titans could go out and make a trade for a veteran.

Of course, we've heard about DeAndre Hopkins, but there's a couple guys in Denver that we need to talk about as well. Before we get into that, though, I do want to let you guys know that today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast is brought to you by Built Bars, the best tasting protein bars in the galaxy. I'm not kidding you guys. Everyone loves these things. Any of my listeners that have got them have reached out to me to tell me they're great.

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as we continue to look at ways the Titans can improve the wide receiver position, because right now, I mean, like I said at the beginning of the show, it's an absolute disaster. It is a downright travesty. The Titans have the worst wide receiver group in the NFL by far, if you line things up right now. Burks, I got faith in Burks. Burks is going to be fine. But it's only his second year. He only played 11 games last year with multiple different injuries.

Kyle Phillips played four games. How can you tell me that you're optimistic about Kyle Phillips, who is a slot-only receiver in a Titans system that doesn't play a lot of three wide receiver sets. So right now, the Titans' three starters are a fifth-round pick from last year that played four games and had eight catches, Traylon Burks, and then NWI. That is ghastly.

Like, that's enough to make me grab the barf bag, folks. I'm going to have to pause the show. So, the Titans have to do something at wide receiver. And as I was saying in the first segment, if they don't make any kind of real addition

between now and April, I mean, they have no choice but to take a wide receiver, number one. And a real addition would be a veteran player who has proven success in the NFL. Obviously, we got to start with talk about DeAndre Hopkins. But before we get into that, I want to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day.

We're going to do a post-free agency mock draft on Monday, and I want to at least put this out here right now. The schedule for the next two weeks is going to be a little weird, so I'll just tell you guys. I'm going on vacation. That's right, a vacation, okay? I'm cruising to the Caribbean for my brother's bachelor party. My fiance is coming too because the girls are involved and they're going to be on the cruise. It's going to be great. It's the first vacation I've had since 2017. So I am excited.

So there may not be a show a week from now on Friday, and there may not be a show on Monday, the week after that. I may be able to pre-record some things. I may be able to do some small short videos on YouTube and post those as well. But just wanted to let you guys know that I'm taking a well-deserved, well-earned vacation and may not be five episodes a week

for the next two weeks. So just wanted to let you guys know if you're worried about where your podcast is, and I appreciate that you guys care and reach out to me about that sort of stuff. But with that housekeeping stuff out of the way, I know that bore some of you guys to death, but just have to let people know what's going on.

We got to talk about Hopkins. And a report came out, again, from Albert Breer, basically saying that the Cardinals aren't going to get a second-round pick like they thought they wanted at the beginning or they thought they might get at the beginning of the DeAndre Hopkins trade conversation. What Breer said is it's more likely that they get closer to what Brandon Cooks was had for, which was a fifth round pick this year and a sixth round pick next year.

And like I said on the show a couple of days ago, if you can get Hopkins for a fifth and a sixth round pick next year. And like I said on the show a couple of days ago, if you can get Hopkins for a fifth and a sixth, you do that. But if they want like a second and a third or a second and a fourth closer to what the Titans paid for Julio, I'm not doing it. I'm simply not doing it. So to me, it's all about risk reward at the high end of the price. I'm absolutely not doing it. Just say no, as I said a couple of days ago. But, but, but, but, but, I will admit that there is a line in the sand. And if you cross a certain price, then I'm willing to take a chance on it because it's not that punitive if you're given a fifth and a sixth round pick.

I would do the exact deal that the Cowboys did for Brandon Cooks. A fifth round this year, a sixth round next year. I would do that exact deal for DeAndre Hopkins if I could for the Titans right now. I think that would be feasible. But if you get higher than that, you get to a third round pick, a third and a fifth, third and fourth. I don't know at that point. Now you're getting a little dicey for me. I'd probably have to say no to that. But either way, if you're the Titans and you're reported to be one of the teams interested, that Albert Rear report has to excite you because now you know you can get in the ring

and actually throw your weight around a little bit and try to get a deal done without killing yourself in the draft assets that you need. So to me, I think that's feasible, but again, not likely. But hey, the price dropping is only good news for the Titans. Two other guys I wanted to talk about are the two guys in Denver who are both being floated in trade conversations right now, Jerry Judy and Cortland Sutton. So the differences between them two. Cortland Sutton is a bigger-bodied receiver who can go down,

make contested catches down the field. He's a boundary guy, and he's had a lot of success. I mean, he played 15 games last year. He's a guy who's been pretty durable for the Broncos, had nearly a thousand yards last year. He's productive. And if the Titans trade for him, he's only going to be $13 million per season in salary the next two years. So that's incredibly affordable. I think that could make a ton of sense. But what makes even more sense is Jerry Judy. Now, Jerry Judy is the more sought after target anyway. He's going to be more expensive in a trade for sure. And the issue with Jerry Judy is I talked

about two years on the contract with Cortland Sutton. Jerry Judy is going into his final year before he needs a new contract. So the Titans would probably have to work out a new deal with him or risk losing him. And you're giving up draft capital, probably a second, third round pick, something like that for Jerry Judy, without knowing for sure that you can lock them down to a long-term contract. That is more risky. But the truth is, Jerry Judy fits perfectly with Traylon Burks. He's smooth. He is fast. He can work his way through the middle of the field. He is fast. He can work his way through the middle of the field.

Burks can get down the field, make those contested catches, be that deep threat for the Titans. I think they would fit well together. When you have Sutton and you have Burks, there's some overlap there, some overkill in skill set. So I think Judy definitely makes more sense for the Titans. But again, Judy is going to be more expensive. Let me know down in the comments if you had to make a trade, whether it be Hopkins, whether it be Judy, whether it be Sutton, who would you want the Titans to trade for? But those are some options for them that if

they made a trade for one of those guys between now and the draft, I would say it actually moves the needle for the Titans at wide receiver. But either way, the Titans have to add another veteran receiver anyways. Just don't know if it's going to be somebody who moves the needle, but we're the Titans at wide receiver. But either way, the Titans have to add another veteran receiver anyways. Just don't know if it's going to be somebody who moves the needle, but we're going to talk about options that the Titans have here in just a moment. Before we get into it though, do want to let you know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. No, the NFL season is not going on, but man, it is a great time in basketball, whether it be the college tournament that's getting into the Sweet 16, whether it be the NBA season that's headed towards the playoffs.

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But there are some options out there. I got about six or seven names written down that are still available as of this recording. They are going quick. They're flying off the shelf, ladies and gentlemen. So by the time you hear this if it's over the weekend or maybe even Friday evening I mean some of these guys may be gone

but before we get into it I want to thank you again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day now for your second listen check out the Locked on NFL scouting with the Draft Dudes podcast from free agency to the draft salary salary cap management, and more, join NFL experts Kyle Krabs and Joe Marino

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So, the number one free agent option that actually would move the needle for the Titans is Odell Beckham Jr. Now, I have been on record numerous times when people ask about Odell, when people bring up Odell as an option.

To me, there's no way that Odell Beckham Jr. is going to play in Tennessee. He was in Cleveland in a similar offense that was run Cleveland in a similar offense. It was run first with a ton of play action and, you know, I don't want to call it, I don't know how to explain it. Tennessee is, or Nashville is a big city.

It's somewhat of a glamorous city, but does Nashville appeal to Odell Beckham Jr. the way Los Angeles or New York City does or Miami, Florida or Houston, Texas. You guys get what I'm saying? I just see a – like I don't see Odell being interested in like a Chicago or a Nashville in the middle of the country. It just doesn't seem like it vibes with his personality.

And at the end of the day, schematically, like I said, he's done something similar in Cleveland, and he was constantly frustrated. Does Odell Beckham Jr. look like the type of guy who gets along with Mike Rabel? I don't. I don't think so. So while I admit that Odell Beckham would move the needle for the Titans, if you have Jackson Smith and Jigba, Traylon Burks, and Odell Beckham, that's a real receiver core in the NFL.

That, that's, I could look at that group and say, yeah, I think the Titans could be pretty good. Like, that would be a difference maker. But, Odell's coming back from injury still. And, right now, the word is, he's going to sign with the Jets. He's going to go play with Aaron Rodgers. And, he's going to go sign with the Jets. He's going to go play with Aaron Rodgers, and he's going to go sign with the Jets again,

to my point, in New York City. Well, New Jersey for the Jets, but you know what I'm saying. It's all the same. So, I think Odell would move the needle, but I just don't believe that that's going to happen. A guy who's a little more realistic, but I still don't think is a great fit,

is DJ Chark. Chark has been rumored heavily to be going to the Panthers or going back to the Lions. The Titans aren't really rumored to be interested. Maybe they surprise us, but I don't think Chark fits with the Titans

physical run first offense and just the ethos of the team, but the man has talent. He's fast. He's near 6'4". I mean, Chark would instantly boost the talent on the wide receiver group,

in the wide receiver group. I mean, he would. But again, rumors of going to Carolina don't really see the fit perfectly there. So, I just don't think it's likely. And that is sad.

But moving forward to some options that maybe are more realistic. The number one guy I want to talk about is Olamadia Zaccheaus. Played for the Atlanta Falcons. I mean, the guy has played half his career in the slot, half his career on the outside, which for being 5'8", and being able to play that much on the outside, pretty impressive. He's been productive in his career as a guy who is

not widely known or widely renowned in any way. Zaccheaus could be a cheap option. He'd probably be around $4 million. And Zaccheaus would fit in the mold of what the Titans have been looking for. Players who have gotten opportunities, but maybe haven't gotten

a chance to get significant snaps unless it was due to injury. Zaccheaus is only 25 years old. So he's a guy that if he plays well, you could add him into your bunch for a couple more years. So that would make some sense. A guy who's similar, but older at

29 years old, Nelson Aguilar. I mean, that's not a name that's going to get anybody excited. We're not going to have a parade because of Nelson Aguilar or anything, but my God, he's an NFL receiver. He's had a far better career than anybody else on the team right now. And outside of Traylon Burks, Aguilar would be the second best receiver on the team. So I don't think it really moves the needle in a major way, but my God, at least they're

helping Tannehill some. Okay. Another guy who I've kind of been on since the start of the process is a cheap, cheap option is Demarcus Robinson played for Baltimore. He's been in a run first offense. He's willing to get physical, willing to go over the middle. He's six foot one. So he's got some size, maybe not the fastest guy, but at this point, the Titans just need anybody who can help. We're done going, oh, they need speed. They need, they need help. Period. I feel like Bugs Bunny in Space Jam right now. Like, please, Lord, someone. Michael Jordan is selling the Hornets. Maybe he'll come play wide receiver for the Titans. Side note, and I know I'm on a tangent, but that movie with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon,

about Michael Jordan and a shoe contract looks great. It's called Air. You might want to check it out. It comes out in April. But anyways, just a big sports fan. I can't help it. But outside of Robinson, another guy that I really like is Richie James. James had a great year for the Giants last year.

They had nobody to throw to, and he was consistently their most productive receiver. He's going to be more of a slot guy, but he's got a ton of speed. He's had some injury issues, no lie. But again, beggars can't be choosers at this point. And he spent some time in San Francisco, so Rand Carthon will have that familiarity with him. Maybe they can get him to come over.

I would be much more excited about Richie James than I think makes a lot of sense to certain people. But I think he could really help the Titans with his speed and with his ability to work underneath. The last guy I want to mention is Marquez Calloway. Deep speed, ability to improve as a player. He'd be a field stretcher who could just get vertical for the Titans, something they don't have in the group right now.

That could make a lot of sense. So I know a lot of these names, Zaccheaus and Aguilar and Robinson and James and Callaway, these guys probably don't move the needle for the Titans. They probably don't. But, but, at least it's something. Because right now, the Titans are putting themselves in a potentially fatal situation at wide receiver. This season is going to be DOA

if the Titans don't do something significant at receiver, whether that be the first pick, whether that be a free agent addition or a trade, or whether that be both. Because right now, even if you add a rookie at number 11, like Smith and Jigba or Quentin Johnson or Jordan Addison or Zay Flowers or whoever wide receiver you like, Traylon Burks, a rookie, and Kyle Phillips, I mean, Titans ain't winning nothing with that.

This year in 2023. Be great to create those building blocks for 2024, but we can't kid ourselves and let ourselves think that that's going to be good enough for this year. So, and if you're doing that, what is the point of having Tannehill and Henry? What is the point? If you're giving them that at wide receiver to try to win games.

So, expect some movement. And if they don't, they're waving the white flag on the year. So, it'll be interesting to watch what happens going forward. But that's going to do it for me today. That's going to do it for me this week. I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.