Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - Will Levis v Malik Willis for QB2, Offensive Playmaker Possibilities & Defensive Openings

Episode Date: May 15, 2023

The Tennessee Titans wrapped up rookie mini-camp last weekend and now face a few questions as the rookies join in with the veteran players. First, can Malik Willis hold off Will Levis for QB2? Next, which playmakers on the offensive side of the ball can emerge? Finally, are there any defensive players who can find a role?Follow Tyler on Twitter @TicTacTitansFollow the show on Facebook @LockedOnTitansPodSubscribe to the Locked On Titans YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnTitans/videosSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp connects you with a licensed therapist who can take you on that journey of self-discovery from wherever you are. Visit BetterHelp.com/lockedon today to get 10% off your first month.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How long can Malik Willis hold off Will Levis for the backup quarterback role? We're going to discuss that question and more on today's edition of the Locked On Titans podcast. Let's get it. You are Locked On Titans, your daily Tennessee Titans podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to the Locked on Titans podcast. I am your host, Tyler Rowland, Titans fans. We're going over the biggest questions for the Titans after rookie minicamp. The Tennessee Titans rookies join the veteran players on Monday.

What are the big questions going forward? Can Malik Willis hold off? Will Levis? Will any offensive playmakers emerge for the Titans? And are there any non-offensive rookies that can make the roster this year? Before we get into all of those questions, do want to thank you guys for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first listen every day.

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We got Titans camps coming up. We got training camp right around the corner. And you're not going to find daily Tennessee Titans coverage like this anywhere else. But with that in mind, let's dive into our first question of the day. Can Malik Willis and how long can Malik Willis hold off Will Levis for the quarterback two position? First, the first thing that I want to talk about here is, remember, after the draft, Mike Vrabel said, Will Levis will start as quarterback three

behind Ryan Tannehill and behind Malik Willis. Now, at rookie minicamp this weekend, Will Levis was the star of the show. Make no mistake about it, but at the end of the day, he's a rookie quarterback who the Titans traded up for at Rookie Minicamp, where most people don't know a single soul. Of course, all the attention is going to be on Will Levis, and while he had some good moments like we talked about yesterday, like we talked about yesterday, everydayers would know. He had some less than good moments as well.

A drop snap, a couple passes that Mike Grable even admitted might be intercepted when the veterans are on the field on defense. So you take the, I guess, the positive reports you hear about Will Levis' performance, you take them with a grain of salt. But at the end of the day, it comes down to the progress of Malik Willis. Now, I think long-term, Malik Willis doesn't have a shot to hold off Will Levis when it comes to being the quarterback of the future for the Titans.

But for right now, Malik Willis has to come ready to go. Because Will Levis has all the experience in a similar system. He talked about it after rookie minicamp in his press conference. All the similarities between the offense that he ran in college and the offense that the Titans are looking to run at the next level. Malik Willis hadn't taken a snap from under center by his own admission

since like he was in peewee football. Now, here's what I do want to say about Malik Willis because this conversation is really a Malik Willis conversation. Everyone said that the judgment of Malik Willis last year was too harsh. Making any proclamations based on his play from last year was too harsh. But it's been the year. He had his red shirt year. Are we allowed to judge Malik Willis now? Am I allowed to judge Malik Willis now that he's had the red shirt season? Because that was the rules.

All you guys who said that was too tough on Malik or making too many, you know, bold proclamations about what Malik's going to do going forward, it wasn't fair because he needed a redshirt season. Well, now he has one. Can Malik Willis come out and run the operation of the offense? Can Malik Willis come out and take snaps from under center? Process the information in front of him.

Get rid of the ball quickly. We're talking about a guy who got benched in a preseason game because he wasn't throwing the football quickly enough. So has he made those improvements? Not accuracy, not arm strength, not speed, not playmaking. I'm talking about calling the play correctly in the huddle, getting everybody lined up, making sure everyone's in the right place, reading the defense and adjusting the play call, whether it be an audible or just a check based on a certain thing the defense is doing. Like there are different routes in the playbook. This is not based on anything particularly, but just giving you an example. The play calls for a skinny post. Well, the defense is in cover three. So then it changes to a go route, a fly pattern, whatever you guys call it in your own world, a nine route, whatever you want. So can Malik Willis properly adjust to all of that knowledge?

Does he have that down? Does he have the operational side of running an offense down now after having an entire year because he had from April all the way until week 17. And he clearly did not have those aspects of the offense down enough to keep the starting job. It got given to Josh Dobbs who had been with the team since breakfast. So that's really what it comes down to.

Has Malik Willis taken steps forward in all the areas that Mike Vrabel wanted to see him take steps forward? We as fans of people who cover the game, we're like, oh, the arm strength, the legs, the traits. How does Malik do with the operational side of the offense? Because it looks like Will Levis had a fast track with that sort of stuff when it comes to the offense with calls, audibles, check with me, reading the defense's alignment, reading things pre-snap that the defense is showing in the

back end and covering. All those little things that Malik Willis was way behind at, well, Will Levis is going to be way advanced for a college player at those things, outside of arm strength, speed, all that stuff. So if you ask me the question, how soon until Levis becomes the backup quarterback, to me, by the second week of training camp, I would expect Will Levis to hop over Malik Willis if it doesn't happen earlier than that. But hey, it's been Malik's redshirt year. Let's see what he's able to do.

Now he's gotten the development year that everybody swore up and down that he needed so desperately, me included. So let's see, Malik, how far you've come. That's going to be the interesting thing to watch going forward. But there are more questions that need to be answered. Are any of these rookie offensive playmakers

actually going to matter for the Titans? Can any of the non-offensive rookies actually latch onto the roster? We're going to discuss all of that and more before we get into it, though. Do want to let you guys know that today's episode of the Locked on Titans podcast is brought to you

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FanDuel, official sports betting partner of the NBA. Titans fans, let's continue today's edition of the Locked on Titans podcast. We just talked about Malik Willis versus Will Levis. Who will get the backup quarterback job going forward? How long can Malik Willis hold off Will Levis? I'm thinking about the second week of training camp, but outside of that,

which of these rookie offensive playmakers are actually going to make an impact for the Titans? That's the big question right now. Before we dive into that, I want to thank you guys again for making the Locked on Titans podcast your first to listen every day. Remember, Monday through Friday,

Tennessee Titans content on YouTube and your favorite podcast app all year round and always for free. Make sure you get subscribed. Stay subscribed. Throw a thumbs up on the video if you're watching right now. All your support means a lot. I really appreciate it. Coming forward,

happening soon, I guess, on the podcast, I'm going to have a deep dive into Tajay Spears later this week. We're going to do one on Peter Skowronski in the coming weeks as well. I am going to do a mailbag here in the near future for you guys to send in your questions to me at tiktaktitans on twitter so a lot coming

your way make sure you don't miss any of the content hit the notification bell as well so you know when i go live every day but the titans offense has a lot of openings whether it be depth positions whether it be starting positions there is a lot of opportunity for rookies on the Titans offense to get a roster spot and maybe even play. But will any of these rookies actually make a difference? And I want to hone in on just a couple names here. Number one, Tajay Spears. So really excited for the Tajay Spears deep dive that's coming for you guys. I got a great interview lined up. I teased it yesterday. I'm teasing it again. Really excited for you guys to hear what Matty Hawk had to say about Tajay Spears.

But I think Spears is a guy who is going to have more value than maybe even I imagined early on. You know, even my own instant reaction. I think Spears has obviously got the ability to be the third down back for the Titans. He's going to be able to come out of the back field, be used as a receiving threat like we saw with Dontrell Hilliard. He's going to be able to run the ball with a little bit more success

in my opinion than a Dontrell Hilliard type. He's a better runner of the football. Also, good pass protector. So, third down back, check. Good to go. I think Tajay Spears has the ability to even spell Derrick Henry on early downs and just be the Titans running back for a few series a game. And I think that would be huge for Derrick Henry.

Derrick Henry's longevity, his stamina, his production. I think it would be huge. But what we're hearing out of camp as well is that Tajay Spears is being used on the offense when he's not the primary running back. So a guy who's going to be used in gadget plays, brought in motion. Think about last year for me. Just think about this.

And I'm sorry in advance, but do you remember when the Titans tried to run a jet sweep to Malik Willis? Raise your hand. All right, throw a thumbs up on the video if you remember that. Do you remember that? The Titans tried to run a jet sweep to their backup quarterback. One, that's why you don't have a job anymore, Todd Downing. But two, who approved that? Mike Rabel saw that in practice and said, all right, let's try it. How down bad does the offense

have to be for that? Give me a break, okay? But anyways, imagine that play with Derrick Henry in the backfield, man comes in motion, give it to a jet sweep, but it's Tajay Spears instead of Malik Willis. You see what I mean? You see what I mean here? Also, I remember Chigokonkwo said in his last press availability a couple of weeks ago that the offense that Tim Kelly is installing is all about speed. They're trying to outflank the defense before they're able to adjust.

To me, that screams a lot of quick game. A ton of quick game. Quick screens, tunnel screens, bubble screens, jet sweeps, quick slants, all that kind of stuff. And if your goal on offense is to outflank the defense and get the ball out quickly, the best way to do that is to have a gadget player who can execute those type of plays. And I think a guy that can do that is Tajay Spears. So I know this sounds a little, let's just say corny, but don't look at

Tajay Spears as a running back. Look at him as an offensive weapon. And I think if we look at him that way, people who didn't like the pick in the third round, that should make you feel a little bit better about it. And I know it's not going to make me sleep much better at night, but it does help with the wide receiver issue as well. If you can line Tajay Spears up out there and throw him the football. I'm not saying that it fixes it at all. Don't get me wrong. But, but I'm just saying it helps a little bit

to have another guy that you can use as an explosive playmaker on the outside. But we talked a ton about Spears, who I really like. But you also got to talk about Josh Wiley. And I have been saying this all long. It's not just that he can be a tight end and pair with Chica Conquo. But like I just said with Tajay Spears, Wiley helps the wide receiver problem just a little bit because in red zone situations,

you can line Josh Wiley up outside. He is lined up outside, detached from the formation. A ton in college. They isolated Josh Wiley a lot in college. So they could do the same thing for, he could do the same thing for the Titans is essentially my point here. Josh Wiley, maybe not consistently be used as a wide receiver, but he can isolate from the formation. Imagine three wide receivers on one side.

Let's do Traylon Burks, Kyle Phillips, Chris Moore. And then on the other side of the formation split out wide, you have Josh Wiley. Or let's do it better this way. Let's go Traylon Burks, Kyle Phillips,

Chika Konkwo, and then Josh Wiley on the outside. Yeah, and 6'6", 6'7", dog versus face. Hilarious name, but yeah. So with Wiley's size, but also his athletic profile, he's going to be able to split out and play some wide

receiver. Not literally wide receiver, he's going to be a tight end, but he'll be in a typical wide receiver alignment, essentially. So I think Wiley really helps the Titans in that realm as well. Again, it doesn't solve the wide receiver problem, but I could see why the Titans basically looked at themselves and said, none of these wide receivers that we can pick, we think matter. So why don't we take players who may not be wide receivers, but we think can plus the passing game? So I understand from the sense of what they did.

Okay? Moving forward though, we got to talk about Colton Dow and Jacob Copeland. And I don't know why this is. I don't, and let me address this real quick because I like to interact with the chat a little bit. I'm not going to take too much time,

but Andre Bunning says, I'm against the Spears pick for injury, longevity, and need. Andre, let me put it to you this way. And this is something that I've said a lot, so not to direct it towards you, but since you put it in the thing. We shouldn't want the Titans

to give a second contract to a running back anyways. I don't want the Titans to bring back Tajay Spears after four years. Let him go somewhere else. Draft a new running back. The position I care about longevity in a second contract the least is running back.

Is running back. We don't want to give a running back a second contract. So I don't care if he's not healthy enough to get to a second contract. Who cares? Once Derrick Henry is gone, I never want to give a second contract to another running back ever again. Run through those guys. Turnover.

Every year, draft a new running back and get rid of someone else. So who cares if a running back doesn't have longevity? Who cares? You're not going to give them a second contract anyway. So I just wanted to address that. But for the wide receivers, look, I think Colton Dow

is going to be a good special teamer. I think he's going to work hard. Yes, running backs are four-year rentals. That's all they are. Cheap four-year rentals. Let them go. Get another one. Something in my soul is telling me that Jacob Copeland from Maryland,

the speedster, six-foot wide receiver, undrafted free agent for the Titans, something is telling me that Jacob Copeland is going to make an impact on this team. So when we do bold predictions closer to training camp, look for that. Jacob Copeland, Maryland. I just, I have a feeling. I have a tingly feeling inside. But with that being said, we got to go to the other side of the ball,

the other sides of the ball. Which non-offensive rookies have a chance to make this roster and make an impact? We're going to get into those in just a moment. Titans fans, we are going to cap off today's edition of the Locked On Titans podcast. We talked about Will Levis versus Malik Willis. And dear God, I'm going to struggle with the Will Levis, Malik Willis all summer long. All summer long.

So just prepare yourselves for that. But we talked about that. We talked about the offensive playmakers that have a chance to factor into the offense. Now I want to talk about some guys who don't play on offense, but that are rookies that I think could potentially make this roster.

Look, before we get into it, though, drink water, guys. Take a drink of water. Everybody watching right now, hydrate. I just took a nice, fat drink of water during the transition between segments. It tasted so good. Hydration's key. I'm a big water guy. I'm going to try to be consistent here and remind you guys to take a drink of water.

All right? Looking out for you with your Titans news and your health. It's the kind of guy I am. I can't help it. But moving right along. So the Titans didn't draft a single defensive player in the draft. Now, why? Why? Well, the defense has pretty good depth.

I mean, you look at Ed Rusher, Landry, and they added Key, and Rashad Weaver, and you could probably put

Danico Autry in that group if you wanted to, even though he's got positional versatility. But yeah, there's at least five guys there with Sam Okwe and Onu who I think they could hang. They could hang on the roster. But I think there's an opening there. I think there's an opening at edge because to me,

really, the Titans only have three guys at edge, in my opinion, because you have Weaver, Landry, and Key. In my opinion, Danico Autry at 33 needs to focus more on winning one-on-one matchups on the interior when he rushes from the inside and rush packages. I think for his longevity, for his health, I think it would be important to have Danico Autry rush from the interior almost exclusively on third downs.

I don't think you want Danico Autry out there on early downs playing in the run game a ton. I just don't think that that is the smartest way to extend him throughout the season. So I think that if you have Weaver and you have Key and you have Landry and then you have Autry focusing on the interior, then that only leaves Sam Okwe and Onu. And listen, I like Sam Okwe and Onu.

He's an okay depth guy, but I think he's more of a practice squad player in my opinion. So I think there is the potential for an edge rusher from the undrafted free agents to get on. And you know who I think it will be? Caleb Murphy out of Ferris State. Again, 25 and a half sacks

in one year his last year of college. Now, of course, it's Ferris State. I get it. I get it. But, good burst, good length. I mean, he may not be an elite athlete or have any traits that pop off the screen,

but he's got a little bit of everything. And if you get 25 and a half sacks in a single season in college football, I don't care what level it's at. That's impressive. That's impressive. And from what I've heard, he had a little bit of pop. He had a little bit of pop during minicamp. So I think that a guy like Caleb Murphy can beat out Sam Okwe and Onu.

And, I mean, yeah, dog versus face, we've been in lockstep. 40 sacks in two seasons, man. I think that guy is going to find a way, Caleb Murphy will find a way to make this Titans roster. Yeah, Sam O'Kay is okay. Right. Okwe Nonu

is a guy I'd like to see the Titans keep on practice squad, be able to pull up with injuries during the season. He had some good moments last year. But I think he's just a practice squad player. I think Caleb Murphy gives you something potentially special. Maybe not pro bowl. Maybe not starter level special.

But as a rotational pass rusher on third downs early in his career, I think he could absolutely give you something. He could absolutely give you something. So, outside of edge, look, I'm going to be honest. Inside linebacker, pretty crowded. Interior D-line,

pretty crowded. Cornerback, pretty crowded. Safety, I don't really like any of the prospects the Titans have in here. We need to talk about safety soon because it's scaring me a little bit. Nobody's talking about safety right now, but outside of Kevin

Byron and Imani Hooker, who is there? I mean, the Titans could do like I do on that and change Elijah Molden to a safety. Just a little, you know, advice there for you, Rabel, but all jokes aside, not very happy with the safety position, but we'll get into that a different day.

The last guy I got to mention here is Trey Wolf, the kicker. Caleb Shudick. I mean, the Titans are staring down the barrel of a scary kicker situation. A situation so scary that I could see Randy Bullock being brought back at the end of training camp if they don't like what they see. But, but, yeah, I agree, Dr. Lipsitch.

The Titans' safety will be a big need for the Titans next year with Kevin Byard turning 30 in his contract situation and Imani Hooker's injury situation. So, Avery Adams blew his patellar tendon at the end of the season, last game of the year, I believe. Or no, it was the Dallas game because I was there and I saw it happen. Andrew Adams tore his, Patellar, Tendon.

So he's going to be out all year long. That's like worse than an ACL, your Patellar, Tendon. But anyways, Trey Wolf from Texas Tech is going to have a real good opportunity to make this roster if he goes one-on-one with Caleb Shudick

in training camp and wins. So he had a little bit of a rough start to rookie minicamp with the operation and the timing, as I talked about yesterday, but improved as the days went on. So let's see what Trey Wolf has, because if there's anybody on this team who is an undrafted free agent who has a great chance to make the roster, at the top of that list is Trey Wolf

because simply the Titans kicker situation is a disaster again. It's a disaster again. But with that being said, that is going to do it for me today, folks. Some questions that have popped out after Rookie Minicamp. The rookies and the veterans are now intertwined. I believe the Titans next. OTA

starts on the 23rd or the 25th of May, but I got more deep dives for you guys, more stuff to talk about in the coming weeks, so make sure that you guys get subscribed, stay subscribed to the Locked on Titans podcast. That's going to do it for me today, folks. As always, I am your host, Tyler Rowland,

and this was Locked on Titan.