Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Titans Make Two Signings and Roster Predictions: Offense & Special Teams

Episode Date: August 27, 2020

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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 RockAuto.com. Amazing selection, reliably low prices, all of the parts your car will ever need, RockAuto.com. And speaking of amazing and reliable, the Locked on Titans podcast will be here for you Monday through Friday throughout the rest of the season. So make sure that you are subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast on whatever platform you do stream and follow me on Twitter at TicTacTitans for schedule updates, more content, including my TicTacTitan film breakdowns that will be coming out weekly throughout the season.

But the Titans had an off day on Wednesday, but it didn't stop them from continuing to retool the back end of the roster. The Titans made two cuts on Wednesday and then followed that up with two signings. We will go over all four of those transactions and one of those signings brings the return of one of the boys. Excited to get into all of that today and with those roster changes and those transactions, it's a great opportunity for us with only a few weeks left in camp to look back at my roster predictions and maybe give you an updated list of who I think makes the final 53.

We will start that today and take a look at the offensive side of the ball. Four major transactions for the Titans and some roster predictions on the Locked On Titans podcast. Let's get it. Every year at the beginning of training camp, there is a ton of hope surrounding optimism for some of the young veterans who maybe didn't latch on with a team in their first season as an undrafted free agent in 2019 or part of the undrafted free agent crop from 2020 there is a lot of as mentioned hope that these players can develop throughout training camp into someone that can contribute to the regular season roster. But where we stand in training camp right now, about four weeks in for the Tennessee

Titans, some of that hope and some of that optimism begins to fade. Some of the younger veterans or undrafted free agents start to show that maybe they aren't able to develop as quickly as some hoped and won't be able to make a contribution to the Titans game day roster or their practice squad. So when you see that happen and you see some of the optimism start to fade, you see realism and reality start to come in. The Titans know at this moment in time, especially considering it is a limited offseason, that there is a premium placed on veterans who know what to do.

The Titans don't have the luxury this offseason of having maximum amount of time to develop some of these younger players or undrafted free agents. So in turn, we saw the Titans make four transactions on Wednesday with that philosophy in mind. We saw them make two cuts, waiving two players. One, running back Cameron Scarlett was waived. And also, linebacker Kalen Kirst-Thomas, who was an undrafted free agent, was waived as well. And the Titans followed up both of those moves with two signings. as well and the Titans followed up both of those moves with two signings and both signings happen to be familiar faces for the Titans organization and Titans fans first at the running back position

the Titans brought back Jeremy McNichols and McNichols spent 2018 on the Titans practice squad and then was with the Titans for 2019 training camp and the preseason. In the preseason last year, McNichols had 26 carries for 108 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown catch that saw him somersault into the end zone. McNichols had rave reviews in last year's training camp, and although he didn't make the roster, some of the speed and explosiveness that McNichols displayed clearly was in the back of the mind of the Titans organization and led to him rejoining the team now. Reports throughout training camp indicate

that none of the back end of the roster running backs did anything to impress the Titans coaching staff. That includes someone who's still on the team, like a center-rise Perry. Of course, the recently released running backs in Cameron Scarlett and Dalen Dalkins. No one has gone out of their way to impress the coaching staff, so they will bring in now Jeremy McNichols, or as some fans have jokingly called him, the McWeapon, to see if he could possibly impress the coaching staff before the start of the regular season. McNichols, as mentioned, is an explosive runner. He is a smaller guy, right around 5'10",

but does have good speed, and that's something that the Titans could be looking for since rookie running back Darrington Evans has missed a few practices with injury. Moving into the second signing that the Titans made, and that is at the linebacker position, the Titans brought back another fan favorite, and I think calling him a fan favorite is a little bit of an understatement. The linebacker Will Compton. Of course, Will Compton is known best for his time with the Titans in 2018, and then his podcast relationship with the Titans starting left tackle Taylor LeJuan. Both of those players Compton and LeJuan host the Bussin' with the Boys podcast. As mentioned Compton is a

fan favorite and is known as a good locker room guy. However this does leave us to question what this means for inside linebacker Nick DeZubnar. DeZubnar was brought over not as an every down linebacker or a linebacker substitute, but as more of a special teams ace. Is it possible that the Titans are looking to replace DeZubnar with someone like Compton who can help on special teams, but also gives them a little bit more as an actual linebacker? And that leads us into the next portion of the Locked on Titans podcast here. When I get into my roster predictions, my updated roster predictions, after a few weeks ago, I did my 53-man predictions. Now, after we've had four weeks of training camp, less than 10 days

away from the cut down day on September the 5th, I feel like it's a good time to rehash that conversation. take a look at who I think makes the final 53-man roster now, and then ultimately, which 16 players make it onto the expanded practice squad, and which four of those players will be the protected members of the Titans practice squad in this 2020 season. So a lot to talk about on today's show. Before we jump into that conversation and start off looking at who I think makes the final 53-man roster on the offensive side of the ball, I want to talk to you guys a little bit more about rockauto.com.

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But now, after doing those locks earlier in the week, I feel like it's a great opportunity to give you my updated roster predictions after we've had about four weeks of Titans training camp and the roster has turned over a little bit at the back end with some new names and some new talent. So let's go ahead and break this up. Today I'm going to talk about the offense and the special teams unit. On tomorrow's show we will talk about the defensive roster predictions. So let's go ahead and dive right in. I'm going to start with the special teams. It's very cut and dry. Obviously, long snapper Bo Brinkley, who's been with the team for many years, is going to make this roster.

Having someone who is a specialist at long snapping is just a smart move rather than trying to find an offensive lineman or someone else on the team who can give you positional value and still be a long snapper. Bo Brinkley has just been a consistent member, a reliable member of the Titans special teams unit, and I wouldn't expect that to change this year. Now, moving into the punter position, no drama, no surprises. Brett Kern, the weapon, the best punter in the NFL, clearly going to be on the Titans roster after September 5th, cut down day. But the kicker position, that's where the debate comes in. So as Titans special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman said earlier this week,

the competition is neck and neck. And per the reported statistics from training camp, right now Tucker McCann is 32 of 36, and Greg Joseph, the incumbent, is 31 of 37. Now, it's worth noting that at the beginning of training camp, Greg Joseph appeared to be ahead in the competition, but as the pressure has increased and the Titans coaching staff has tried to create pressure-packed moments for the kickers like this week, a two-minute drill that culminated with having to get the kicker out on the field in a hurry

and then sink a field goal. Things like that are starting to really show who can handle the pressure, and in those pressureous moments of late, Greg Joseph has faltered where Tucker McCann has excelled. And reports from training camp indicate that Tucker McCann has excelled and reports from training camp indicate that Tucker McCann has a stronger leg as well so Greg Joseph's accuracy and NFL experience is what put him ahead but if McCann is just as accurate and has a stronger leg then why wouldn't you go with the potential of an undrafted free agent it's not like Greg Joseph has a ton of experience in the NFL anyways, spending time with the Cleveland Browns in 2018,

and then the last half of the season or the end of the season for the Titans last year. It's not like that experience is in excessive amount. So with that said, I am going to give the edge to undrafted free agent Tucker McCann. So out of the specialist group, I have Bo Brinkley, Brett Kern, and Tucker McCann as making the Titans 53-man roster and taking up three spots, leaving us 50 spots remaining. With that in mind, let's move into the offense.

And I want to make this clear. What I'm going to do is I'm going to talk about the offensive skill position players, excluding the tight ends who I will put into the offensive line group. So I will talk about the quarterback, the running back, and the wide receiver groups. Now, at the end of our show, we will talk about the tight ends and the offensive linemen. One thing that I will do is I will talk about the defensive side of the ball tomorrow, as well as give you my predictions of who the 16 practice squad players will be. And I do want to mention to you that there are rules when it comes to the

NFL's practice squad. I'll go into those more in our practice squad section at the end of tomorrow's show, but keep that in mind when I'm deciding who is going to make the Titans roster and who is not and players that the Titans can get on the practice squad. So I will explain all of that in detail when we talk about the practice squad at the end of tomorrow's show, but let's dive into some of the offensive skill positions now, starting with the quarterback position. No surprise here. Obviously, Ryan Tannehill is going to be on the roster, which leads us to debate Trevor Simeon and Logan Woodside, which I have been advocating for Trevor Simeon throughout the

entire offseason, thinking that the Titans do need a veteran backup quarterback, as Logan Woodside has no tangible NFL experience other than being on practice squads and playing in some preseason games. But I will admit that Trevor Simeon hasn't grabbed the opportunity by the throat. Logan Woodside has had up and down days, but Trevor Simeon has also had some up and down days. So at this time, although my bias would lean me towards getting Trevor Simeon on the roster, it's fair to still call it an open debate and an open competition

for the backup quarterback role. But in my opinion, I think that Trevor Simeon, because of that NFL experience and that game prep experience that he has in his past, Trevor Simeon will ultimately be the backup quarterback for the Titans this year, which leaves two active quarterbacks making the Titans 53-man roster, Ryan Tannehill and Trevor Simeon. Moving to the running back position, obviously the Titans are goingman roster, Ryan Tannehill and Trevor Simeon. Moving to the running back position, obviously the Titans are going to have star running back Derrick Henry on the roster. I think it's obvious that the Titans are going to have rookie running back Darrington Evans on the roster

as well. I've also said that I think it's obvious that someone like Kari Blossomgame makes this roster. Kari has been getting reps as a regular running back, not a fullback in practice recently because they have been managing Derrick Henry, giving him maintenance days to keep him healthy, but also because rookie running back Darrington Evans has missed a few practices in a row with injuries. So that has forced Kari Blossom game to display some versatility,

not just being a fullback, but also being a running back and toting the rock as well. It's also been mentioned throughout training camp from reports that none of the back end of the depth chart running backs have impressed, and that has played itself out in terms of Titans transactions. We've seen a guy like Dalen Dawkins. Now we've seen a guy like Cam Scarlett be waived, and the Titans bring in a guy like Marcus Marshall,

bring in a guy like Jeremy McNichols, and rumors have been that center-right's Perry, the veteran running back brought over for special teams purposes as well, hasn't really impressed in his opportunities. So with that in mind, I have King Henry, Derrick Henry, Darrington Evans, Kari Blossom game who displayed versatility as not only a fullback who can block, but a fullback who can catch out of the backfield

and a guy who in a pinch can carry the ball. He gets a roster spot as well as a back. And then I do think someone like Jeremy McNichols is able to make the roster. The Titans will have Evans. They'll have Henry. They'll have Kari Blossom game as a versatile piece. They need a pure running back with some talent as a runner to be behind Darrington Evans and Derek Henry.

And I think compared to center-rise Perry and Marcus Marshall, Jeremy McNicholas is a guy who can fill that role. So that's the running back position that makes the roster, including Kari Blossomgame as a versatile back, in my opinion. Moving into the wide receiver group. This is a very difficult group to kind of hash out. Of course, you're going to have A.J. Brown, Corey Davis, and Adam Humphreys make the roster. In my opinion, it's a lock that Kalief Raymond, because of his versatility as a returner and the speed that he brings to the Titans offense, and the fact that he's been incredibly impressive by all accounts in Titans training camp,

I think Kalief Raymond is a lock for this roster. So that is four people that I have at the wide receiver position. Typically, you're going to see five wide receivers or six wide receivers kept. And I think the Titans have some difficult questions to answer at that position. You have a Cameron Batson, who the Titans clearly have their eye on as they kept him around after being injured all last season and gave him an exclusive rights free agent deal to ensure he would be on the team earlier in the offseason.

So a Cam Batson. You have some other small, quick guys like a Rashard Davis, who displayed incredible versatility by being able to return kicks, but also Davis' route running improvements have been applauded throughout training camp as well. You also have a small guy like a Mason Kinsey, a Nick Westbrook, but then you have a Christian Wilkerson, a Cody Hollister, a Krishan Hogan, who are big-bodied wide receivers who may serve a purpose for the Titans as well. It was very difficult to decide who I think makes the roster.

These are guys who are not locks. They're right there on the bubble. But ultimately, I sided with Cam Batson. I think the Titans clearly have some sort of love for Cam Batson, and he could simulate what Kalief Raymond gives you as a kick returner and as a deep threat on offense. And then I think of Rashard Davis, who's improved route running and his ability to field kicks. The versatility there gives him a chance to make this roster.

I think the Titans can find more special teams help in terms of gunners on punt team, people to fly down on kick return, fly down on kickoff. I think the Titans can find players who can fill those roles on the defensive side of the ball more than at the wide receiver position. So a focus on speed on offense and kick returning is what the Titans do at the wide receiver position with A.J. Brown, Corey Davis, Adam Humphreys,

Kalief Raymond, Cameron Batson, and then Rashard Davis. That is going to do it for this portion of the offense and the special teams. We are going to move forward into our next segment and talk about the tight end position, the offensive tackles, and the interior offensive line. Before we jump into that though, I do want to tell you guys a little bit about Roman. Talking about erectile dysfunction isn't easy.

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Let's round out this Thursday edition of the Locked On Titans podcast by rounding out my offensive and special teams roster predictions, my updated roster predictions after about four weeks of Titans training camp. Just to recap for you, in the last segment, I gave you my offensive roster spots for the special teams quarterback running back and fullback and wide receiver I have Bo Brinkley Brett Kern Tucker McCann Ryan Tannehill Trevor Simeon Derrick Henry Kari Blossom game Darrington Evans Jeremy McNichols AJ Brown Corey Davis Adam Humphreys Kalief Raymond Cam B, and Rashad Davis making the roster.

Let's talk about the tight end position and the offensive line group. So looking at the tight end position, this is somewhere where the Titans made some changes. Of course, they released Parker Hesse earlier in training camp and brought on NFL veteran Jeff Swaim. And I don't think the Titans do that if they didn't have a role specifically for Jeff Swaim. He's not eligible for the practice squad because of his NFL experience. And I think Swaim is a different kind of player than the Titans even have on the roster. So let's talk about it. Johnnie Smith, Anthony Ferkser are people I called locks.

Clearly they're going to make the team. That leaves Michael Pruitt, Jeff Swaim, and then Tommy Hudson. In my opinion, the Titans are going to keep four tight ends this year because of the special team's versatility and the versatility within the group. You have the starting tight end in Jonu Smith, your explosive weapon, the guy who's going to be out there every single snap at tight end. You also have the receiving specific tight end in Anthony Ferkser. He's not going to give you a lot in the blocking game, in the run game, but incredibly versatile in the passing game, winning in one-on-one coverage.

So you have those two, but then you have Michael Pruitt. Now Pruitt displayed versatility for the Titans last year as a fullback and as a tight end but that versatility was diminished a bit when the Titans brought on Kari Blossom game and took Michael Pruitt out of that fullback role so now he's limited to just a versatile third tight end who can give you a little bit in the blocking game and give you a little bit in the passing game although he's not really talented at either and not really a standout at either of those traits. Enter Jeff Swain, who is your prototypical, big-bodied, in-line, blocking tight end. As mentioned, that's not something that the Titans have on the roster currently. And because of the versatility of all four of those players and what they provide,

I think that all four of those names make the Titans roster. Jonu Smith, Anthony Ferkser, Michael Pruitt, and Jeff Swaim. I think they're all on the team at the tight end position. Let's move into the offensive line. So at the offensive tackle position, Taylor LeJuan, Isaiah Wilson, Dennis Kelly. Those guys are making this team. I also do think it's a lock that a guy like Ty Sambrello makes this team as he has had NFL experience as a starting tackle but also has the ability to kick inside to guard.

That sort of versatility will make Ty Sambrello a little bit more valuable to the Titans than other offensive linemen that are currently on the training camp roster. Therefore, I think all four of those tackles make the Titans 53 man cuts. Taylor LeJuan, Isaiah Wilson, Dennis Kelly, Ty Sambrillo. Moving into the interior offensive line group, of course you have Ben Jones, Nate Davis, and Roger Saffold. After that, I do think that the Titans are going to keep someone like Jameel Douglas, who started for the Titans last year, has the ability to play guard and center. Now the Titans have all positions on the

line covered. They have versatile pieces backing up their starters who can play guard and center. Thinking back to Sambrillo can play tackle and guard. I think that sort of versatility is incredibly important. Guys like Avery Genesee, guys like Daniel Myrner, guys like Aaron Brewer, all are eligible for the practice squad and will get a look from the Titans. A veteran guy like Zach Caron, unfortunately, I don't think makes the team because someone like Jameel Douglas takes that spot. I will say that if the Titans sour on Douglas and don't bring him back, then I do think Zach Caron gets that spot as the veteran interior offensive lineman that can play guard and center. So that wraps up my offensive and special teams

roster predictions. To go back through with you guys, Bo Brinkley, Brett Kern, Tucker McCann, Ryan Tannehill, Trevor Simeon, Derrick Henry, Darrington Evans, Jeremy McNichols, Kari Blossingen, AJ Brown, Corey Davis, Adam Humphries, Kalief Raymond, Cam Batson, That is 27 roster spots taken up, one more than half. That leaves 26 roster spots available for the defense and 16 practice squad spots available as well with the remaining players on the team. And we are going to break that all down on tomorrow's show. Also, there is the potential for some Friday mailbag questions to be answered after we talk about the practice squad. If you have any mailbag questions, make sure that you send them to me at tiktaktitans.

But that is going to do it for today's show. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.