Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Titans Ride Julio-Coaster: Weekend Trade Reports, OTA Observations & AJ Brown's Recruiting

Episode Date: May 31, 2021

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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, this Monday edition of the Locked On Titans podcast is presented by RockAuto.com. Amazing selection, reliably low prices, all the parts your car will ever need. Visit rockauto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Happy Memorial Day to all of my Tennessee Titans fans in the States.

If you're not in the States, then just a happy Monday to you all. Glad to be back here on the Locked on Titans podcast. And we have a lot to discuss. A lot has happened since the last time I talked to you guys. And we are going to go over all of it on today's show. Starting with another trip on the Julio coaster. And it was an emotional roller coaster over the last 72 hours or so and we're going to go through all the different reports chronologically and go through that roller coaster one more time

ending up though for the Titans in a fantastic place so a trip on the Julio coaster to start off today's show and then we did finally get a good amount of reports coming out of Tennessee Titans OTA organized team activity on Thursday. So I'm going to break down everything we heard and everything that was reported coming out of that, including why the Tennessee Titans veterans weren't there and how much I personally think that can set back the team. And then finally, we'll go over just all of the different other items of news from over the weekend. A.J. Brown's recruiting pitch, the Titans make another signing, and why you never leave your $250,000 Rolls Royce in a parking garage in Atlanta.

So we're going to talk about all of that on a Memorial Day Monday edition of the Locked On Titans podcast. Let's get it! Titans fans, hands and feet inside the car at all times. We are about to take a ride on the Julio Coaster. Going to be looking at all of the reports that have come out basically since Thursday centered around the Julio Jones trade and what they are telling us now. And based on the most recent report, it is very, very good news for the Tennessee Titans.

But it didn't start out that way, hence the Julio coaster, but we're going to dive into that. Before we do, just want to let you guys know, no show was posted on Friday. Had a technical issue with the wiring of the microphone. Thought I was going to get my new wire in the mail on at least Friday. It did not show until Saturday, so that's why that happened, but I'm sure you guys will forgive me for that. On that note, typically, barring any technical setbacks, the Locked on Titans podcast is

rolling Monday through Friday for the entire year, not just the regular season. So make sure that you never miss an episode by subscribing or following on whatever platform you stream your podcast. miss an episode by subscribing or following on whatever platform you stream your podcast. Follow me on social media, on Twitter, at Tic Tac Titans, and the new Facebook page for the show, at LockedOnTitansPod. But on Thursday, we got slapped in the face with a tough report to read, and it came from someone who I personally do trust when it comes to Tennessee Titans information and that was Diana Russini from ESPN and this is what she had to say about the Atlanta Falcons about the Julio

Jones trade on Thursday first she said the Atlanta Falcons have discussed several trade offers for Julio Jones including an offer for a future first round pick per sources. There is a sense around the league a trade could go down as early as next week. So two big takeaways there. The Falcons have been offered a first round pick and the trade could go down quickly after that June 1st momentous date that we'll have to kick first before this all happens. So that's later this week. We could see a trade by next weekend.

But that's two big takeaways there and important for the Titans. But the very next tweet, literally immediately after, Russini tweeted this. As we watch Titans players fiercely recruit Julio Jones on social media, I was told Atlanta has actually had discussions with Tennessee. As of now, they are still talking, but I was told this is quote-unquote a long shot for the Titans to land Jones.

Well, one, quickly, I think both of those tweets are favoring both parties that she's getting information from. So, hey, we've been offered a first round pick, and we're going to make this trade soon. That sounds like the Falcons saying, hey, we've been offered a first-round pick, and we're going to make this trade soon. That sounds like the Falcons saying,

hey, Titans, you better offer a first-round pick, and you better offer it quick. And then the follow-up is Tennessee. It's a long shot. They get him. Well, that's Diana Rossini talking to John Robinson, and Robinson saying, it's a long shot that we get him because we wouldn't pay that. It's just negotiation back and forth in the media. But seeing that the Titans are a quote-unquote long shot that we get him because we wouldn't pay that and blah blah it's just negotiation back and forth in the media but seeing that the Titans are a quote-unquote long shot to get Julio Jones was definitely a quote-unquote shot to the brow of Titans fans very disappointing especially after

AJ Brown's recruitment videos from the previous day but then the Julio coaster took a turn for the better, and we got reports on Sunday morning. Now, grain of salt here, it comes from pro football talk, but what they had to say was that, quote, the current thinking in league circles is that the Falcons eventually will trade Julio Jones to the Titans for a second round pick. That's what we've actually heard all along that Julio is going to go for a second round pick. The Titans are in the mix. So that report after the Rossini report has to get people pretty excited. And then we got another tweet on Sunday after that pro football talk report about the Titans being the league source favorite to get Julio Jones. Jordan Schultz had this to say.

One league source contends that the Titans have become weary of other teams making a run at Julio Jones. Says Tennessee is making a quote-unquote consistent push to land Julio Jones but won't overpay. consistent push to land Julio Jones, but won't overpay. So now all of the media reports are trending towards the Titans are in the catbird seat. The Titans have the best shot to get him. And that would indicate to John Robinson, hey, I don't have to overpay. We're clearly the favorite here.

But then, of course, another Diana Rossini tweet on Sunday after all of this. Here we go. The Falcons continue to field calls from teams interested in trading for Julio Jones. The Seahawks have had discussions about a possible trade with Atlanta per sources. In fact, quarterback Russell Wilson and Julio Jones have spoken to discuss the possibility of playing together. I'm sorry guys, but for me it's so convenient. Diana Rossini on behalf of the Atlanta Falcons, tweeted that as a reminder to the Titans,

hey, you may be the favorites, all the reports are that you're going to get them, but we can still trade them to Seattle, so you better offer up. All of this is just negotiation through the media, in my opinion. That's all that we're really seeing here. So, to me, it's the Titans.

They're going to have to find a way to make this trade happen. They will find a way to make this trade happen. It makes all the sense in the world. And the only thing that doesn't make sense is that the Titans don't have enough cap space right now. But as I've said all along, John Robinson kept an ace up his sleeve. The Titans didn't use contract renegotiations where they're converting salary to signing bonuses and pushing money into the future. The Titans didn't do any of that like other teams did to create cap space for the salary cap dip this year. The Titans didn't do any of

that. They kept their ace in their hand. They kept an ace in the hole, and now the Titans are going to be able to restructure Ryan Tannehill, clear out $15.5 million with the restructure that fits Julio Jones perfectly in. The Titans only have to restructure one deal during this crazy offseason where everybody restructured a ton, and the team is drastically better on paper with the defensive improvements and then the addition of Julio Jones. So the Titans got to go make that happen. But before they can go make that happen,

they got to worry about the players in their own building. And that's the OTAs that took place last week and specifically on Thursday. We are going to break down everything that took place. And I'm going to tell you why the Titans veterans missing OTAs is just not a good thing. And it cannot be categorized as a positive in any way. Now, before we get into that, I do want to tell you guys about CreditKarma.com. Credit Karma has always been there to help you make better financial decisions,

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Banking services provided by MVB Bank Incorporated. Member FDIC. Maximum balance and transfer limits apply. Finally, on Thursday of last week, the Titans organization let OTAs out of the basement for the world to see. I had been admittedly frustrated on Twitter. Maybe some of you have noticed my frustration with the Titans' lack of access to OTAs.

Other teams, on multiple days, have gotten reports of attendance, have gotten videos of player activity, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. The Titans' first two days of OTAs, we literally got one total video that barely showed anything. We got no reports on attendance or anything like that. video that barely showed anything. We got no reports on attendance or anything like that. I understand that the Titans allowed media to come on Thursday, and the expectation is every Thursday for the next two weeks, the media will be able to go and check things out. But it was just very strange to me because it seemed like other teams around the league allowed media to be around a lot more often than that. So, leads me to question whether the Titans are one of the more stingy teams in the league when it comes to access to those sort of things.

Conversations I've had point to that the Titans are not one of the more stingier organizations in the league, but I guess I just question why it is the way that it's been for, you know, these OTAs. But, you know know no big deal all it comes down to is what we're allowed to have access to so it won't affect wins or losses but things that will affect wins and losses in my opinion are attendance in OTAs right now the Titans prime division rival and competitor for the division title this year is the Indianapolis Colts there's no way around it the Colts have their starting quarterback and the majority of their starting veterans

at OTAs. They're releasing videos of them playing knockout together and things like that. And I think that all of the team building, all of the camaraderie, all of the reps that you're getting right now do matter. I don't think that any of it. So basically, some people believe that what the Colts are doing right now do matter. I don't think that any of, so basically, some people believe that what the Colts are doing right now doesn't matter at all.

It doesn't make an impact on wins or losses at all when their season comes. All these extra reps and the veterans being together this early and using every possible opportunity on the team calendar to get together and to get better for the season. Some of you guys out there apparently don't believe that practice matters, and none of this stuff matters. It's very nihilistic, and that's okay if you want to believe that.

But I personally was raised by a coach, and I had a conversation with Teron Davenport on Twitter about this, and apparently my retort to what he had to say was misconstrued in some way. I didn't come at it from a place of I know more or I know better or whatever, but I was raised by a football coach who believed that every single rep, every single mental rep, physical rep, every practice, every step you take, every drill, every little thing matters in the ultimate calculus. So I am never, just personally, me, Tyler Rowland, I am never going to say that practice doesn't matter, that these OTAs don't matter, that they add zero to the calculus of the

season. If Ryan Tannehill was out there at OTAs passing balls to Josh Reynolds, the new free agent signing, I think that that does matter. It does, in my opinion. So it's just a conversation age old. Does practice matter? And to me, practice is super important. Every single possible rep that you can get with your teammates, not only for getting better at football, but also for chemistry, it matters, especially when the Titans are trying to be a Super Bowl winning team and all the little things on the margins matter a lot. and if the Colts go on to

beat the Titans I know it's not I'm not going to be able to sit here and say hey well the Colts veterans went to OTAs for uh the first two weeks in May and that's why the Colts ended up being better than the Titans it's not the only reason but'll matter. So just want to throw that out there right now as we get into this information. But the veterans who are at Titans OTAs were Anthony Fergser, Brett Kern, Amani Hooker, Tyre Tartt, Dane Cruikshank. Younger guys are in Cruikshank's position. Just a guy who missed a lot of time last season, needs to get a good start. See, that's exactly my point. If we believe that some of these veterans need to go in because season needs to get a good start see that that's exactly my point if we

believe that some of these veterans need to go in because they need to get a good start onto the season so what Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry and all them don't need a good start to the season I just oh oh whatever but the veterans who were not there that are of high high name value Tannehill Derrick Henry Kevin Byard AJ Jeffrey Simmons uh Jeffrey Simmons, Jackrabbit, Jayon, Rashawn. And again, we can have the debate if you want, but to me, every single rep, every single opportunity matters, and the Titans are missing out on valuable ones by not having their veterans in these OTAs. The draft classes from the last two years were there in totality, 2020s and this year's now. Caleb Farley and Elijah Molden were not actually out on the field.

They were rehabbing from injuries and asked for being out on the field. The players who were there were doing walkthroughs of different plays, installing the system. They were doing individual drills with their position groups, and they also were doing some team activity, seven-on-seven, things like that, in a jog-through sense. So that is what they were actually doing out on the field. And then, as for the observations, not a lot to take away from the players who were there. There's not a lot of super-heavy competition going on at shorts and t-shirts, but the big takeaways are Deshaun Kizer looked very, very sharp.

And, man, anything to get Logan Woodside off this roster. I'll take Deshaun Kizer as very very sharp and man anything to get Logan Woodside off this roster I'll take Deshaun Kizer as the Titans backup quarterback next year and then Darrington Evans rookie running back from last year going into a second year this year got a ton of work at wide receiver and I've talked about on this podcast how he can help lessen the blow of having such a bad wide receiver core if the Titans do not make that trade for Julio and do not improve the group right now he can lessen that blow and I want to see him get more involved in the offense anyway gadget plays jet sweeps things of that nature I think he could be very valuable in diversifying the Titans offense having a receiving threat out of the

backfield like that who can also play some wide receiver and worth noting that Darrington Evans started out at Appalachian State in college as a wide receiver so the skills are there so I like seeing that versatility it's not something full-time but Vrabel said he just wanted to make sure that guys are cross-trained if they have the ability to be so there you go the next OTAs for the Titans are June the 1st June the 3rd and the 4th June the 7th the 10th, and then mandatory team minicamp starts on June 15th. So football right around the corner, folks. Before we get into our next topic,

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talking about just some miscellaneous news items for the Titans over the weekend. Before we do, I do want to remind you guys about the Locked On Today podcast hosted by Peter Bukowski. It's all the biggest sports stories from all the major sports in under 20 minutes every single morning. It's like having the sports section read to you.

Great to pair up with the Locked On Titans podcast during your morning or afternoon or evening commute. So make sure you guys check out the Locked On Today podcast on whatever platform you do stream. But as for these news items, number one, I want to get into this one. Janoris Jackrabbit Jenkins, the Titans' newly signed free agent, was the unfortunate victim of a carjacking.

Luckily for him, he was not in the car, but he was keeping a $250,000 Rolls Royce at a parking garage at an Atlanta airport. That car was stolen. So more reports on that. I will update you guys on the story as the updates continue but just sound advice for you guys and Janoris if you're listening jackrabbit if you are listening you're mad I didn't call you jackrabbit so that's unfortunate but I wouldn't leave a $250,000 car sitting anywhere for a long period of time in a public place just just generally speaking i mean i don't even like to leave my car overnight places in public and it's worth like now like ten thousand dollars at this point it's 2016 it's old so genoiserabbit, don't do that anymore.

Hope he gets his car back, though. That is sad. Next, the Titans did make a signing, and they signed an offensive tackle named Chris DeLauro. He has never played actually in an NFL game, just been on practice squads and things like that. Guys, I am at this point in time where the caliber of player getting signed, like Chris DeLauro, as an offensive tackle,

I mean, it's camp body. I can't bring myself to go into some in-depth scouting report for a guy who's not going to make the roster. So that's where we're at with that. But the Titans did add him to the team. Now, really what I wanted to talk about all along was A.J. Brown, man, just an absolute angel sent from the football gods. I mean, he is in full on heavy recruitment mode for Julio Jones, and I am here for it. You have my full support, A. I played you the little clip that he put out the other day, but I am going to play you this new one as well. So enjoy.

That's what they're going to say when you make a catch, when you make a touchdown. They don't even do that for me. Just hear me out. Just hear me out. And look what I'm wearing. Your first time jersey. I haven't even been released yet. look what I'm wearing. Your first Titan jersey. I haven't even been released yet. Okay. I'm going to sell you on some things right here. Listen to me closely. You have 10 of you.

Mr. Finger roll himself. Every time. Every hill. Listen. He does what he needs to be done. Like, he's a leader. He's a great passer. He's it.

Anyway. Next. Him. Behind me. Superhuman. We don't even have to discuss him. He speak for himself, look how mean he look in the picture, like, okay, then me, I'm up and coming, pro ball year two, not a big deal, kind of a big deal, but not really, okay, scratch that, anyway, whatever, you, the goat of our era, of our receivers, help me help you. Come home, Julio. Come home. Come home, Julio. Come

home. God, I mean, if you just can't love A.J. Brown, I don't know what's wrong with you. He's just fantastic in every realm, an incredibly exciting player, an incredibly fun player off the field as, I mean, just absolutely one of my favorite Titans ever already this soon. It's crazy, but he's got me. He's got me smitten. But anyways, that is going to do it for today's show. I do want to talk to you guys. I know that I preach nonstop about Monday through Friday, five days a week, all year long.

But we are quote unquote in the off season per the Locked On Podcast Network. So there may be a few weeks in the next two months where I go three days a week. And I know that everyone needs their five day a week fix, but I do work pretty hard year round on all this. And I like to maybe go on vacation, which I plan to do with my family here later in the month so a couple of weeks here in the next three to four or five weeks you may only have Monday Wednesday Friday Monday Tuesday Thursday things like that but you know mostly will be five days a week still and and the Titans will be back for mandatory mini camp just in two weeks or

so so i'm not going anywhere crazy like that i just wanted to let you guys know if you didn't get a full week of five podcasts it's because i'm probably on vacation with my family trying to decompress from a full-time job and this is practically a full-time work with everything that goes into it so you know you know, everyone needs a vacation. I hope you guys understand. And based on my interactions with my lovely listeners before, I'm sure you guys will. But I'll be certain to give you guys a heads up on those weeks.

But that's going to do it for me today. I hope you guys had a really safe holiday weekend and had a good time as well. I'll be back with you tomorrow here on the Locked on Titans podcast. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland, and this was Locked on Titans.