Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Titans Will Levis THE ANSWER in 2025, Avoid Shedeur Sanders & Bad Veteran Free Agent QBs

Episode Date: November 18, 2024

The Tennessee Titans may have lost to the Minnesota Vikings, but quarterback Will Levis had a fantastic performance, raising questions about his viability in 2025 as the starter. If Levis continues his improvements it will be clear he deserves another shot next season, but there are seven week remaining to get the full answer. Another factor is the lack of quality in the coming draft class at the position where Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward do not look worthy of spending a high first round pick on while passing up a chance to get a position player at wide receiver or edge rusher. Finally, the veteran passer route could be an option, but with Sam Darnold the only viable option on the market, the Titans are better to spend their money elsewhere.Subscribe to the TicTacTitans Film Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@TicTacTitansTicTacTitans Merchandise: https://dixons-dream.square.site/shop/tictactitans-gear/C3AAPNWXSXA6SBYG3USV2I7R?page=1&limit=30&sort_by=category_order&sort_order=ascFollow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Pre-Alcohol by ZbioticsGo to zbiotics.com/LOCKEDONNFL to learn more and get 15% off your first order when you use LOCKEDONNFL at checkout.BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON today to get 10% off your first month.Bilt RewardsEarn points now by paying rent right now by when you go to joinbilt.com/lockedonnflHillsdale CollegeAll of Hillsdale’s courses are self-paced so that you can start whenever, and tune in wherever. Plus, you can go deeper with readings, quizzes, discussions - or just enjoy the lectures. Go right now to hillsdale.edu/lockedon to enroll. There’s no cost, and it’s easy to get started.PrizePicksDownload the app and use code lockedonnfl to win $50 instantly when you play $5. You don't even need to win to receive your $50 bonus, it's guaranteed! Prizepicks. Run Your Game.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFLGametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms Apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelYou can start the season with a big return on FanDuel. New customers can place a FIVE DOLLAR bet and you’ll get started with ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS - if you win your first FIVE DOLLAR BET ! Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

As things stand right now, I would have Will Levis at quarterback for the Tennessee Titans in 2025. I'll explain why on today's edition of Locked on Titans. You are Locked on Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to the Locked On Titans Podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland, Titans fans. Today's edition of the Locked On Titans Podcast is brought to you by FanDuel. New customers can place a $5 bet and get started with $150 in bonus bets.

If you win your first $5 bet, visit FanDuel.com to get started with $150 in bonus bets if you win your first $5 bet. Visit FanDuel.com to get started. On today's show, I'm going to make the case for Will Levis at quarterback in 2025, why I'm not that interested in the quarterbacks in the draft, and we'll look at some free agents that could be available at some of the positions the Titans do need and why I don't like them or why I do like them as an option. Before we get into all of it, I do want to thank you for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day.

Remember, Monday through Friday, Tennessee Titans content all year round, always for free. Make sure that you get subscribed, stay subscribed. It's your team every day. Speaking of every day, shout out to my everydayers out there tuning in Monday through Friday. Couldn't do it without you guys. If you are an everydayer, let me know down below in the comments

or hit me up on Twitter at TicTacTitans to let me know. But with that being said, Will Levis, as the quarterback in 2025, momentum is picking up. And I know immediately some people will hear that and go, no, we got to move on. We got to have something different. Well, to be honest with you, how can we all know that yet?

I would say it's trending in that direction based on the last two weeks of play we have seen from Will Levis. So if you could look back to his rookie season and say the game against Atlanta with the four touchdowns or the game against Miami in the comeback are better games. But if you look at playing quarterback in the NFL and operating cleanly and making the right decisions, all that, you could argue that this is the best two games Will Levis has ever

played in his career. Like you could make, especially when you consider going against the Chargers defense and going against the Vikings defense, two of the best defenses in the NFL. We talked about it last week against the Chargers that Will Levis was able to not only make good decisions and make good throws, but he was able to throw with anticipation. He was able to throw with accuracy. The problem was in the game against the Chargers is Levis was holding onto the ball a little bit too much and he was causing the sacks. Well, that was not the case in this game. I said it on yesterday's recap show that maybe one of the sacks, Will Levis held the ball too long, but looking back at the tape, I wouldn't even say that he held the ball too long

on any of the sacks. On all five of the sacks, I would argue that it was the offensive lineman's fault for the sacks, not Will Levis. The argument that we made last week, looking at the Chargers film, you look at the Vikings game and immediately some of the big time throws. Some of the just absolutely incredible throws that Will Levis made. The 98-yard touchdown pass to NWI. And I broke that down on the Tic Tac

4-pack, the top four plays of Week 11 in the video I made over on the Tic Tac Titans film channel. The link for that is down in the description of this podcast, of this video. I'm going to have a full Will Levis breakdown on the channel on Tuesday as well,

so make sure that you tune in for that. But I'll show you with the film on the Tic Tac Titans channel. The throw to NWI on the 98-yard touchdown pass, it's a Palms coverage from the Vikings on the right-hand side, on the passing strength side, where the cornerback can take an out-breaking route or he can go vertically. He takes the out-breaking route from Chigacompo. It leaves the safety one-on-one with NWI down the sideline, and Levis just out-throws the safety. The safety is actually a decent position. The safety understands what his assignment is going to be. It didn't matter because Will Levis's arm was so incredible. I mean, it was as high level of a throw, a BTT,

big time throw as the data heads would call it. You think about the strike to Calvin Ridley, that should have been a touchdown. I've talked enough about the refs, but it should have been a touchdown pass to Calvin Ridley for 52 yards. Levis throws an absolute dime on a post route over the middle of the field, taking advantage of the coverage that the Vikings like to run. Similar thing where they're reading and reacting mid-play

and deciding who to match up with. Levis just completely outruns the corner, keeps him on his backside, and Levis leads him perfectly for what should have been a 52-yard touchdown and put Levis over 300 yards for the day. Like, miraculous throw there. I think about the throw to Bryce Oliver on the post route

where Will Levis is literally getting blitzed by seven people, two people in his lap. He's falling off his back foot, and he throws an absolute dynamic pass to Bryce Oliver for 30 yards and a first down, and that comes immediately after you get a touchdown taken off the board and go from second and eight or second and six, throwing a touchdown pass for 50 yards to third and 11, and Will Levis responds like that with seven people blitzing.

Magical throws. There's a play to Calvin Ridley on a sit-down route on the left-hand side for about 21 yards. A magical throw. Like, you just don't... There aren't 20 quarterbacks in the NFL that can make the throws that Will Levis made on Sunday.

I would say there aren't 15. That is what brings you back to Will Levis at the end of the day is he has such magical arm talent. He really does. It's the processing speed. It's getting the ball out of his hands quickly. It's the decision making, play to play. Do I take the shot? Do I take the sack? Do I dump it down? And that stuff takes calibration time. And Levis got hurt early in the year. He played the first month. I think he lost his confidence. Now he got to sit off the injury, come back,

and I'm just going to let it rip. Finally, he just said, I'm just letting some of these throws go. Throws that he would not have made in the first month of the season because he was too worried about the turnover. So we have seen from just a quarterback-y, I know that's not a word, but from a quarterback-y standpoint, Will Levis has had the best two games of his career

in back-to-back weeks. Brian Callahan even said, I wish there was more to show for it, but you can see it. And Will Levis was under pressure on 46% of his dropbacks, according to NFL Pro. 46% of his dropbacks, and he had the performance that he had.

I mean, when the Vikings blitzed Will Levis, he was at his best. 8 of 11, 200 yards, had his touchdown pass against the blitz. So, look, I am not here to tell you that Will Levis is the quarterback in 2025. It's confirmed. It's certified. Guaranteed. It's still up in the air. But the way that he has played these last two weeks and some other factors, which we're getting ready to talk about, including the quarterback draft class,

would have me at this time right now, after week 11, if I had to choose right now, I would rather have Will Levis in 2025 at quarterback over a veteran free agent or over a draft quarterback. That's where I'm at. Now, we have seven more games of the season. We are going to get our actual answer by the end of the year. No doubt about it.

But right now, as things stand, I would rather have Will Levis over the other options. And I'll go over those options in the draft and free agency on today's show. Stick with me. Today's episode is brought to you by Z-Biotics and their pre-alcohol drink. Pre-alcohol probiotic drink by Z-Biotics is the world's first genetically engineered probiotic. It was invented by PhD scientists to tackle rough mornings after drinking. Here's how it works.

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Never waste a hunch and make every moment more with Fandle, an official sportsbook partner of the NFL. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. I made my case for Will Levis to be the quarterback in 2025 based on the way that he has played so far. Now we're going to have seven more games to see what Will Levis does and help give us the true answer to this question.

But one of the main reasons that I am leaning towards Will Levis in 2025 at quarterback is not just the play of Will Levis in the last two weeks, but it's also the quarterback draft class. So I want to have a conversation there, something that I'm going to continue to talk about as we move through the rest of the season. And as, of course, we get closer to the NFL draft,

we're quite some ways away right now, no doubt. But it's a very important conversation that we have to have is do the Titans go for the next quarterback of the future or do the Titans continue building the roster? And I leaned this way a couple of weeks ago when we talked about that and I feel even more like that now. I would rather build the roster than draft one of the top two quarterbacks, the only quarterbacks that I would take build the roster than draft one of the top two quarterbacks, the only quarterbacks that I would take in the first round, here in this upcoming draft.

So, obviously, you have Shader Sanders from Colorado, Deion Sanders' son, everybody knows about Sanders, no question about it. You also have Cam Ward from Miami, who is a totally different player than Sanders, in my opinion. I think Sanders is a better fit for the Titans. I've talked about that before. Sanders is just a more precise, more accurate.

I think he sees the field better and processes quicker than Cam Ward. Cam Ward is an older player. He's been in college, I believe, four or five years already at this point. He has much better talent than Shadur Sanders. He has a stronger arm, a bigger arm. He has more mobility and more explosiveness, but he makes some wonky decisions. He doesn't process very quickly. He makes bad decisions just like Will Levis. I would say he's a similar player. Now, he's a more dynamic athlete, make no mistake about it, but big arm, more mobility, good size, questionable decision-making, turnover-prone.

Like, Cam Ward is at least somewhat similar to what the Titans have at Will Levis in quarterback, even if he's a more explosive athlete. Whereas Shadur Sanders, like I said, accurate, quicker processor, but he has very meh traits. Whereas Cam Ward, Will Levis have elite traits in terms of the arm velocity, the athleticism. Shader Sanders is an average athlete in terms of the mobility.

He has a B-level arm, quite honestly. And he does hold the ball. He holds on to the ball. He processes quick. He gets through his progressions, but he just holds the ball a little bit too long.

And that's a similar problem to what Will Levis has so with that being said the point I'm trying to make here is none of these quarterback prospects are good enough for me to take that chance right now I mean if Sanders and Cam Ward were in last year's draft class, they would be second round picks. None of them would have gone ahead of a guy like Bo Nix or Michael Penix or J.J. McCarthy. A lot of people who cover the draft would say that they would have Sanders as QB7

in last year's draft class. Cam Ward as QB8 or maybe flip-flop. The only reason that Sanders and Ward are being talked about as top 10 picks is because this draft class is so weak at quarterback. I'm sorry, that is not the draft class where I'm looking for my franchise quarterback. I'm not doing that. Again, you have two routes to take here. You have a decision to make. Do you take the quarterback and try to continue to build around him?

Or do you build a roster and get it as ready as possible for the quarterback? To me, I'd rather roll with Levis in 2025 and build the roster so that when the Titans or if the Titans have to take a quarterback in 2026, the team is actually ready to support a young rookie quarterback. The Titans have a disaster at right tackle. The Titans need a young, game-breaking wide receiver.

The Titans need a ton of help at pass rush. Dylan Radins is a free agent and has had his own struggles this year. The Titans may need a right guard and a right tackle. The Titans will probably need a safety in this year's draft class. The Titans probably need a linebacker again in this year's draft class and they definitely need an edge. And they need depth everywhere. I don't think that this roster is good enough to take a quarterback in the first round and hope that that makes a significant change. Especially Sanders or Ward.

They're not Jaden Daniels. They're not Caleb Williams. They're not Drake May. They're not on that level of prospect. They're not. They're second-round round players in my opinion. And with quarterbacks, that probably means that they're mid first round picks. They're better than Kenny Pickett and Malik Willis and Desmond Ritter,

that draft class. They're better than them. But they're not as good as last year's class. They would not be in the top three or four, five quarterbacks from last year's class. So you cannot take those quarterbacks with the first, second, third pick, which the Titans are likely to have. Especially when, and I'll continue to make this point, the Titans' biggest needs, wide receiver, Travis Hunter,

Teteroa McMillan, Isaiah Bond, Luther Burden. I would take all four of those. I would rather have Will Levis and Travis Hunter over Shader Sanders. I would rather have Will Levis and Teteroa McMillan over Shader Sanders or Cam Ward. I would rather have Will Levis and Isaiah Bond over Sanders or Ward. Do you see what I mean? This is the decision the Titans have to make. So I would rather have Travis Hunter,

Abdul Carter, the edge rusher from Penn State. I would rather have them or what if the Titans are at two or three and they can trade back a couple of spots for a team that wants to come up and get a quarterback. Imagine if the Titans were able to trade back five spots, pick up a first round pick in 2026 and then draft TMAC, draft James Pierce, Mikel Williams.

Think about the options the Titans would have if they didn't pigeonhole themselves into taking a quarterback. All of those options with Will Levis at QB and getting one of those elite players in this draft, in a draft that's not great up top, or getting an extra, you want Arch Manning, you want Nico Lama- You want Nico Lamalama? I don't know how to say his last name.

I'm not going to lie to you. Tennessee's quarterback. You want one of those guys? A Miller Moss? You want one of them? Having two first round picks in 2026, probably the best way to do it. So again, we're going to get our answer. I'm not saying I've made my final decision on this.

We're going to get our answer on Will Levis in the next seven weeks. But right now, as things stand right now, I would much rather have Will Levis at quarterback in 2025 with Travis Hunter, T-Mac, Abdul Carter, maybe even those guys and an extra first-round pick in 2026 over Sanders or Ward. They're just not that level of prospect that I'm willing to go after them over those other options. Let me know how you feel about that, whether you're down

below in the comments on YouTube, hit me up on Twitter at Tic Tac Titans. But to me, seven weeks to see, but I feel pretty confident that I'd rather go the Will Levis route with the other additional options than take a quarterback at the top of the draft in 2025. But we're going to talk about another reason why I feel that way and it's free agency. Before we get into it, I do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by Built. Listen up.

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Should the Tennessee Titans roll with Will Levis at quarterback in 2025? I've attempted to answer that question and how I feel about this right now. And of course, seven weeks left. We'll get more of an answer by the end of the season. But again, as things stand right now with the NFL draft class, the other options available to the Titans and paths that they can take and the way that Will Levis has played in the last two weeks. I'm rolling with Will Levis. Now, I want to look at some veteran free agents in 2025

to continue to make this point. Before I do, thanks again for making Locked on Titans your first listen on the Tic Tac Titans film channel on YouTube. I got a Tic Tac four pack out breaking down the top four plays of week 11 on Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. I'm going to have a Will Levis film breakdown. I would appreciate you guys if you guys would check that out as well. For your second listen, though, check out Locked on NFL.

You get all your Titans news in under 30 minutes for free here with me every day. Get your NFL news for free under 30 minutes every day with Locked on NFL, which I'm also the lead host of. But with the promo out of the way, I want to look at some veteran free agents at two positions. Number one, quarterback. So, a lot of people have talked about the possibility of bringing in a bridge quarterback in 2025. The number one name on the top of the list is Sam Darnold. And look, is Sam Darnold better than Will Levis right now?

Yes. I would say that he is. I would say that. But I also wonder how Will Levis would look if he played in the Minnesota Vikings offense and in their system with Aaron Jones and Justin Jefferson and TJ Hawkinson and two great offensive tackles. Well, Derisaw is out now, but for the most of the season, he had Derisaw at left tackle and Brian O'Neal at right tackle.

What would Will Levis look like in a better environment? Well, I would rather create that better environment for Will Levis with the Titans and try to get that answer in 2025 than go get Sam Darnold. Where's Sam Darnold going to lead you? And what are you going to do? You're going to give Sam Darnold $40 million for three seasons? Is that what you're going to do?

$40 million is what the going rate is for average quarterbacks. Average starting quarterbacks in the NFL are getting paid $40 million. The good quarterbacks are getting paid $50 million. And in the case of Trevor Lawrence, average quarterbacks are getting $50 million if they're coming off their rookie contract. So, Sam Darnold, I mean, think, Kirk Cousins just got, what, three years,

$180 million with $150 guaranteed? Sam Darnold is going to get $40 million a season. Do you really want to pay $40 million for Sam Darnold to be a bridge quarterback? With the way that he's turned over the ball this season? He's played good, but he hasn't been great. And he's had moments where he was awful. Just a week ago, about a week ago,

got out Rich Harman Kwan, RIP. But, oh, that's Bobby Shmurda. Sorry, getting confused. Anyways, against Jacksonville, he threw like three terrible red zone interceptions. He threw like three terrible red zone interceptions. I'm sorry, but I am not paying $40 million for Sam Darnold. I would much rather just ride out Will Levis for $2 million. For what? Sam Darnold's never taken you to a Super Bowl. So what would be the point of that? It doesn't make any sense to me for the

price. Okay. And then you look at the other options. Do you want these guys? Jacoby Brissett, Drew Locke, Daniel Jones, who's got benched by the New York Giants and is probably going to get cut soon. Jameis Winston, Justin Fields. You want Justin Fields, just draft Cam Ward. He's just a younger Justin Fields with a better arm. Like, I don't, I don't see how any of these veteran quarterbacks get the Titans closer to a Super Bowl or set them up to have higher upside than playing Will Levis. Will Levis probably not going to be a franchise quarterback at this point. Probably not going to be the Titans QB of the future. But I know for certain that any of the names that I just said aren't.

None of those guys are either. And they're going to be more expensive than Will Levis is in 2025. I get that people are impatient. People want to rush. People are like, I want to see the Titans win. I don't care if they go 8-9. At least it's better than this.

Well, I don't agree with that. I think that 3-14 is infinitely better than 7-10 or 8-9. I would rather be at the bottom than be in the middle. That's purgatory. So if you would rather have Sam Darnold for $40 million for three years, if you would rather have Daniel Jones, Justin Fields,

then more power to you. But I would much rather have $2 million of Will Levis and the upside that comes with Will Levis overpaying any of that for those guys who are getting you nowhere. Nowhere. So that's how I feel. Now, I do want to mention a lot of people are saying Titans need a right tackle. Why didn't you talk about offensive tackle? Well, I don't think there is an offensive tackle worthy of a top five pick. Will Campbell from LSU, I think some people are going to start talking about him playing guard at the next level because of his arm length concerns. And we know

that the Titans care about arm length when it comes to offensive tackle. So I don't know if that's a fit. Calvin Banks from Texas, good player, but top five pick. I'm doing that in a trade back, but top five pick. I don't know. I don't know about that. So, what I would rather do is

I would rather, again, go with wide receiver or edge and then get one of Cam Robinson, Garrett Bowles, Joe Noteboom, Jedrick Wills, who has had injury problems

but knows Bill Callahan well and Bill Callahan got the best out of Jedrick Wills. I don't think that the Browns are going to pay him. They might. I don't think that they will. Bring in Jedrick Wills. I think that could make some sense. A guy like Walker Little even would be an option.

The Titans just need, the Titans don't need a high-level right tackle. If they could get their hands on it, then great, but I don't think that's available in the draft. So go out and get average-level right tackle play. With how much better Latham will get, how much better Skowronski will get in year three, getting Cushenberry back, I think you bring Dylan Radins back at right guard,

or get one of these low-end average right tackles and pay Trey Smith. I wouldn't advise paying a guard big money, but if the Titans really want to stack the offensive line, then by all means, go ahead. Bring Trey Smith back to Tennessee. But my point is, there are other ways to solve the offensive line issue

than taking one in the first round. You need a wide receiver and edge. You can do that by bringing Will Levis back and solving right tackle in free agency. So right now, after 11 weeks of the season, that's where my head's at. If the season ended today, that's what I would want to see the Titans do.

Let me know what you would want to do, but that is going to do it for me today, folks. Make sure you get subscribed, stay subscribed, thumbs up on the video. Tighten up down in the chat if you're watching on YouTube. Shout out to all my podcast folks as well. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.