Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Titans Friday News Drop, Mike Vrabel's Conference Call & Friday Mailbag

Episode Date: April 3, 2020

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Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Rowland. Titans fans, it is Friday, so I am only bringing good news and positive vibes to the table to send us off into another quarantine weekend on the right note. We have two pieces of news, two headlines surrounding the Titans over the last 24 hours that we have to get into before the weekend. So both of those are positive developments, so we should have a good conversation about those to start the show. And then we will jump into the second part of our conference call madness.

We listened to General Manager John Robinson's highlights yesterday and today we are going to take in Titans head coach Mike Vrabel's highlights from his conference call and hear everything he had to say about the team so far, some of the roster moves and some of the new players and how the roster stands right now. So a lot of good tidbits in Mike Vrabel's conference call that we are going to get into and then we are going to get into the Friday mailbag and I will answer some of your guys' questions before we head off and end the show for the week. So I'm really excited to get into everything with you guys. Some good pieces of news, an excellent conference call from head coach Mike Vrabel, and then

an awesome mailbag to cap off the week and send us into the weekend, right? Ready to dive into everything with you guys. Let's get it. Superstar running back Derrick Henry has officially signed his franchise tag tender, meaning he will play the 2020 season on a one-year $10.2 million contract, unless the Titans organization and Henry's representation are able to agree to a long-term extension by July the 15th. And July the 15th is the deadline set by the NFL for franchise tag players to agree to a long-term deal with their teams before they are forced to play out the season on the one-year

franchise tag. Now this is a good sign for the Titans. It means that Derrick Henry does not intend to hold out and that's something that we saw recently with Steelers former running back Le'Veon Bell in 2016 when he sat out the entire regular season and did not sign his franchise tag tender. So Henry will avoid any situation with a holdout there. Also, this is a show and a sign of good faith by Henry's side of things to the Titans organization that they are interested in getting a long-term deal done and their feathers aren't ruffled by receiving the franchise tag. Also, this makes sense for Henry financially as the new collective bargaining agreement that was just

agreed to by the owners and the players association has much more punitive language surrounding holdouts, especially holdouts around franchise tags. So Henry would lose a lot more money and put himself in a much more vulnerable situation if he did not sign his franchise tag tender. Now from both sides, it does seem like contract negotiations are going positively. Even though General Manager John Robinson in his most recent public appearance on a conference call did say that the Titans and Henry are still a little bit of ways away and that long-term extension talks won't really take place and heat up until the summertime, Henry and Robinson and Head coach Mike Rabel have all spoke very glowingly about each other and about the prospect of returning and reaching

a long-term marriage between both sides. So it does seem like things are on a positive trajectory for the Titans and Derrick Henry reaching a long-term extension to keep Henry in Nashville as the focal point of the Titans offense and the Titans team in general going forward into the future and for our second piece of news so I told myself that I would back off a little bit on the Clowney updates because who knows when he's going to sign the rumors go up and down and and now but unfortunately I just can't stay away from the circus so I wanted to update you guys on the most recent Clowney information and going along with John Robinson's conference call and Mike Rabel's conference call they both were very open and spoke

very highly of Jadavian Clowney and John Robinson was basically just admitting that they're continually having contract conversations with Clowney and they've reached out to his representation. Mike Vrabel talked very highly about Jadavian Clowney, his work ethic, and we're going to hear that today. So the Titans are in bed with Clowney and it would seem irresponsible for me to ignore everything that we've heard in the past 24 hours. And the big piece of news was again from Diana Rossini, who's been all over this Jadavian Clowney story.

But basically what she had to report was that Clowney has come off that $20 million mark for his contract. He's now looking to be around $17 to $18 million. And the last note was that the Titans and the Seahawks were both still interested. Now both of those teams, the Titans and the Seahawks, have made moves here recently to add pieces to their roster, which make you question whether or not they're still interested. But according to this report, both of those teams are still battling it out and right now based on the projections it looks like the Titans have about 25 million dollars in cap room so they most certainly still have the ability to bring

the clown to town but that is going to do it for our Friday news dump, we are going to get into Mike Vrabel's conference call. And of course, the audio is courtesy of titansonline.com. And we will come back with that next. If you've been a listener of this podcast, I'm sure you've heard all the great advertisers working with Locked On to reach sports fans. But you may not know that Locked On is a great way for your local business to reach passionate fans just like you. Unlike any other podcast, Locked On gives your local company the unique ability to reach local podcast listeners, and not just any podcast listener, a Locked On podcast listener.

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let's get into head coach mike vrabel's conference call audio courtesy of titans online.com first vrabel talks about how he's making sure that players are getting work done and how to integrate new players i don't worry um i don't have concern about what these players are going to look like physically. I believe that self-motivation is the core to any team success. And I know and I'm positive that we have self-motivated players that will be doing whatever they possibly can right now. And we'll also, whenever we get them back and we see them physically in our building, whenever that may be, Todd and Frank and I have already talked about making sure that there's some level of evaluation

or physical evaluation that we're just not throwing these guys in. I know that the health of the team is the most important thing. Some guys will have access to more in-home equipment, or maybe they own a gym, whatever the situation may be. But we're going to be conscious of what their level is when they come back in. We're also working through what that may look like to remote or digital or virtual learning

to try to make sure that our coaches are the best possible teachers in this time and making sure that our players can have access to the information that we would normally present them with when we get back to the offseason program, whenever that may be. How does he plan on motivating new outside linebacker Vic Beasley? I mean, that's our job is to have a vision for the player and coach him and hold him to a standard that's expected of our players. And I'm not going to comment on what was done or what wasn't done in Atlanta.

We're focused on moving forward with Vic, with a skill set that we like with a player that can run and have some speed, some explosiveness, some versatility, we believe. And then that's what I'll do. That's what Shane will do. That's what Matt Edwards will do. There will be a lot of people involved in helping him still continue to develop and try to find a role for us and ultimately help us win. How versatile are recent signings Nick DeZubnar and Ty Sambrello?

Well, you know, and I think it's important when you talk about, you know, special teams or that position that you're referencing, Nick, you know, we're going to coach him. Like, he's going to be in a linebacker meeting, and obviously he's going to have to be able to go in the game, much like all our other players that are going to be a backup. And that's probably where he's going to start. You know, he's probably going to start out as a backup linebacker. But you can't just be a special teams player.

You don't have enough roster spots. And I know that they expand some of that stuff. But that's what they do. And if somebody goes down, and my guess is that the best ones that we've had, whether that be in Houston or here are guys that can can go in there and play both spots you know they're they're a premier special teams player and that's their first role but they can also you know back up at either inside linebacker spot and so we coach him as such you know I don't think we can paint him as hey you're never going

to go in the game of the linebacker whether he's gotten that opportunity or not my thought process and our coaches will be that you know we'll coach him and he'll learn our defense and we'll see just like everybody else what that looks like when he gets out there Ty is a versatile player who's played guard in this league, played tackle in this league. And so those are scheme fits that's familiar with the system. And somebody that we looked at last year, potentially, but didn't end up working. So we know where he's been and what he can do.

And so I think there's some versatility up there that we covet when we talk about being able to play more than one position. Thoughts on Jadavian Clowney's health and work ethic? You know first of obviously the health issue that's not for me to decide I know that when I coached J.D. J.D. was prepared, we did a lot with him. We had a lot of injuries. One year, we put him in a lot of different places to try to help him help us affect the game. And then

he played extremely hard. He played extremely hard. And I'm not sure if he missed any games that year or not, but we put him in a lot of different places. We asked him to do a lot, and he did do a lot for us. And so I've never had an issue with any of J.D.'s effort on the field.

Vrabel speaks on backup quarterback Logan Woodside. That's how you have to build. Again, confidence is built through routine performances over a set period of time. The body of work that we have for Logan is through the preseason and through practices. But his grasp is you watched him prepare while he was on injury reserve last year, watched him prepare mentally, was very impressed with that, which is something that for a young player you have concern about sometimes

is can he stay engaged. But this was a player that was rehabbing while he was on into reserve stayed locked in stayed focused in the meetings and he's ready on the game plan you know Pat would meet with him at the end of the week like he was going to play a football game which I thought was great and they have a really good relationship and all Arthur would obviously spend a lot more time with Brian and Marcus. But from a mental standpoint, we try to prepare Logan like he was going to go play a football game, even though he was rehabbed.

And so now we'll see what he looks like physically when we can get him back out there throwing. And then we'll make decisions. But whoever ends up being on the roster, we have full confidence in that they can go out there and do their job. Assessing the current edge group. We have some guys that have played and made plays in this league. I think there's some versatility. We have some young guys that we wanted to work with and did work with,

but we'll have an opportunity to continue to work with, whether that's, you know, Reggie Gilbert hasn't played a whole lot of plays for us, but certainly showed flashes of things that we like. You know, Roberson showed flashes, and then obviously trying to get DeAndre Walker back healthy. Those are three younger bodies, you know, two guys going into their second year, one guy going into his fourth year. But then other guys that have played a lot of football for us.

You know, Harold's played a lot of football, and Kamale's played a lot of football for us. We'll have to get Vic brought up to speed as soon as we can. And as always with any player, as much as they can handle, that's what we'll give them. If they can handle that and they prove to be proficient in the things that we've asked them to do, then we'll look to give them some more.

And then Josh Smith, a guy that we signed back, a local guy that in his short time with us showed that he had some of the skills needed to play the position and that we wanted to continue to work with him. In my opinion, the best snippet from Mike Vrabel's conference call is his answer to how Jeffrey Simmons can move into the Jarrell Casey role. Also just talks a little bit about the multiplicity up front from defensive linemen. I mean, I think that's obviously the transition that we hope and that would be the plan is

able to expand Jeffrey's role moving into his second year. And we are excited that he's feeling better, that he's doing well, and that he continues to work with Todd and Frank per the NFL guidelines as it relates to players that are rehabbing. the NFL guidelines as it relates to players that are rehabbing. And that's kind of where we see, you know, Jeffrey moving in that direction. So that's all going to play out once we get back here. But that's a position that he knows and rotated at and then played some at. But I think you'd obviously

like to have him on the field more than you'd... Yeah, I don't want to undermine what one technique and a three technique is, but one guy's shaded on the guard and one guy's shaded on the center, so I think that when you talk about, you know,

I don't think there's as many double teams as what maybe there was 10 years ago. They still occur with both the shade and three. And I think that he has done that. Both of those guys, we always look at those guys. And some guys are going to have to play over the center. Some guys are going to have to kick to the guard based on their front, our front, or

what their formation is or what their motion is and our adjustment. So there'll be times where the nose may be in a three technique and you're wondering why and just the same way as a three or the tackle is going to be in the shade sometimes. Vrabel talks about leadership on the football team after losing so many key veterans. I'm going to try to say like leadership. I know that our guys are out there and they're in communication. I'm in communication with our players to make sure that their health and their family's health and safety sport is at the forefront. But yeah, I've thought about what maybe

some of these virtual meetings would look like and would like to empower those players at that position to come up with the time that they'd like to have the coach available uh let's say from seven in the morning till three o'clock in the afternoon you got guys on the east coast got guys on the west coast and would love to empower the players at that position to come up with a time that they'd like to meet. Our coaches are going to be available. I'm going to be available. So that would be the first way, I think,

to try to empower those players at that position to, again, I'm speculating that we're going to start the off-season program remotely and what that may look like. So that would be the first thing would be to have those players at that position come up with the time that they would like to meet. And finally, Rabel gives an update on defensive play calling responsibilities. No, not yet. I'm still obviously processing a lot of that information

and the role that I want to play. I love our staff. I'm excited about our staff, our conversations in the morning to get the playbook exactly how we want it, to find out what we did well and continue to do that. And then what we needed, what we don't need, how much is too much in the book. And so that's kind of what we're doing now. And we'll have somebody call up.

And I just need to continue to work through that process and figure out what my involvement is going to be and to what extent. That wraps up the highlights from Head Coach Mike Vrabel's conference call. We are going to jump into our Friday Mailbag next. let's cap off the week and head into the weekend as we always do with a friday mailbag now it's a little bit of a light week got about five questions to go, so make sure that you guys are getting in your mailbag questions to me at TicTacTitans on Twitter as soon as possible so that we are ready to go for next week.

But I will start with a question from Rex Green. Basically just asked me to choose between AJ Espinosa and Yoturk Gross Matos out of Penn State. Espinosa out of Iowa, of course. They both are tweeners, not exactly outside linebackers, not exactly defensive tackles. They could probably play a five technique in a base three, four, and maybe rush from the interior and rush off the edge in certain situations. But if I had to pick between the two I would take Gross Matos I think he has just a little bit more upside a little bit more burst to him so that would be my selection

out of those two and I think that it's possible that both of those guys could be options for the Titans at 29 in the draft my next question comes from Brett Soul he asked if you could relive any Titans game go back and relive it, what Titans game would it be? And for me, it was between two different games that I both thought were absolutely excellent. And I think that they would be even better to watch in person just because of the way things played out. And the choice came down to me between the 2016 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. You know, Ryan Suckup on the Arrowhead at Arrowhead. That had to be absolutely awesome to enjoy live.

So if I could relive any game and go back and actually be there, that would be a choice. But the other one, and what I'm ultimately going to go with, is the Eagles game from 2018, the Corey Davis walk-off in overtime. That game was so exciting to watch. Back and forth, non-stop, and then at the very end, the Eagles scored in overtime. Got a field goal up in the Titans' comeback. Corey Davis jumping up over the Eagles secondary as Marcus lobbed the ball into the air. I mean, what an absolute barn burner.

And being in Tennessee and how the crowd exploded and all of the Eagles fans that were there, I just think reliving that game and actually being there in person would be such a joy. Just absolutely incredible. I was in person for DeMarco Murray's walk-off against the Bengals in, I believe, 2017. It's all blurring together now. But walk-off wins and having a football game end at the buzzer or with one play, a walk-off like Corey Davis's or even, you know, the other choice, the field goal from Ryan Suckup. Those games are just the games that you want to be there in

person to experience that moment with all of those different people so I'm going to go with the Eagles game from 2018 the overtime walk-off from Corey Davis and I will have a close second with that Kansas City game from 2016 the next two questions both come from AJ's blonde dot on Twitter doesn't actually have his name in his handle or you know his name on there so AJ's blonde dot one of the more creative better names than all of Titans Twitter really enjoy that but his first question was just my general thoughts on Logan Woodside as QB2 for the Titans. And I think John Robinson spoke to that in his conference call that they're going to bring in competition for Logan Woodside, whether that is signing a veteran free agent

or whether that is going with a late round draft pick and letting them compete. So I feel just like John Robinson. I am willing to see Logan Woodside compete. If he wins the competition and proves to be the best possible backup candidate, then yeah, I think it'd be a good idea to roll with him as a cheap option. But if he gets beat out by a rookie or a veteran, well, then there's a reason that he got beat. So let's just wait and see and see what we get in training camp in the preseason from Logan Woodside.

His second question is one of my favorite ones here, and it is, what are my three favorite draft picks from the John Robinson era? And for me, it is actually pretty easy. Number one is Jayon Brown. As a fifth round selection, Jayon Brown has turned into one of the best pass coverage linebackers in the NFL and part of one of the best inside linebacker groups in the NFL with Rashawn Evans as well. And being a fifth round pick, the type of value that Jayon Brown has given this football team. And I just enjoy his personality. I know that we, you know, really

don't know these guys personally, don't know them as individuals, but from the things I've picked up from Jayon Brown, his interest, his demeanor on camera, his demeanor with his teammates, in my opinion, he's just my favorite draft pick and person on the team so far as just a guy. And then my favorite actual player to watch out on the field is third round draft pick, the mayor of Murfreesboro, Kevin Byard. I mean, Byard has become one of the best safeties in the NFL, has been the highest paid safety in the NFL, leads the NFL in interception since he's come into the league. So Kevin Byard is definitely the best draft pick of the John

Robinson era, and that's my opinion, but it's also just a fact, he's a third round draft pick who became the best safety in the NFL, I mean, that takes the cake, even though Derrick Henry has been absolutely fantastic, and we'll see what A.J. Brown becomes, and Adorey's been pretty solid, and like I mentioned Jayon already Rashawn and Harold could all be good I get it but I mean you can't you can't say anything different than Kevin Byard's the best draft pick of the John Robinson era and then to round off the question my third favorite draft pick right now has to be AJ Brown I mean Titans fans and the fan base are just so starved for a good wide receiver who's entertaining, has some moxie, and, you know, get some national buzz.

I can't act like that's not something that matters for a team. You know, the national impact that you have for a franchise is super important. And A.J. Brown was a big part of the Titans kind of changing the narrative around the franchise last year, and he'll need to continue to keep that up but those are my three favorite draft picks so far of the John Robinson era and then my last question of the mailbag comes from Sean Salvatore he basically wants me to go back and and create an alternate ending for the Super Bowl loss to the Rams to give us a positive moment to end the show. And just imagine for me, if you will, close your eyes and see Kevin Dyson shaking off the tackle,

spinning free, breaking the plane of the end zone with the football, and the Titans score, making it 23-22. But here's where I really want to change things up. The Titans elect to not go for the field goal. The Rams have an explosive offense, and with the NFL's overtime rules at the time, if the Rams were to get the ball to start overtime, they would have had a chance to go down, kick a field goal, and that'd be the end of the game. So the Titans take the ball out of the explosive greatest show on turf Rams offense and try to take matters into their own hands. The Titans line up for the two-point conversion. Steve McNair under center. Eddie George single back.

The Titans are in three wide. Kevin Dyson to the right by himself. Derek Mason all the way to the left. Steve McNair calls hike. It's a pass play. He's trying to find Wycheck over the middle at the back of the end zone. He's unable to do so. He scrambles to his right.

He sees Kevin Dyson fake inside. Dart outside. Tries to find Dyson on the end zone boundary. He's unable to do so. He's approaching the line of scrimmage. The Rams linebackers are gaining steam. Steve McNair decides at the very last moment to take matters into his own hands. He dives for the end zone, reaches the ball across the pylon,

and breaks the plane, scores a two-point conversion, the ball across the pylon and breaks the plane, scores a two-point conversion, and the Titans win the 1999 Super Bowl 24-23. We can only imagine. But that is going to do it for me on today's Locked on Titans episode. Make sure that after you are done listening to this, you go check out the Locked On NFL podcast. There is a lot of general national NFL news going on. Make sure you are all caught up to date on that as well.

But as always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.