EMERGENCY REACTION: Titans Trade for LB Ernest Jones IV | MCA Titans Podcast

the Titans have traded for linebacker Ernest Jones from the Rams what does he bring to this Titans defense how does he fit in what do the Titans give up is the move worth it and how does this change the Titans defensive ceiling this season we're going to break it all down now this is the Music City audible let's get to it oh welcome everyone to another episode of the Music City audible podcast presented by broadway sports media in partnership with 440 Sports I'm Justin Graver with me as always Justin melow and here we are for an emergency pod this is going to be a quick one we're going to try to keep this is under 10 minutes just reacting to the Titans trading for Ernest Jones later today Justin and I are going to hop back on the mic after the roster cuts are finalized and react to the final 53-man roster for the Titans so we're going to keep this pod very much focused on Ernest Jones that includes the Malik Willis trade we'll react to all that later right now let's focus on Ernest Jones Justin what was your reaction when you saw this news come down well it's a big one it's definitely a big one you know it's funny I had thought that they might be a player for him just cuz of how he fits the defense how he fits dard Wilson's defense specifically but I didn't know that they'd pull it off and I I certainly didn't think uh you know the capital that they gave up would would be as low as it was and we're going to talk about that in a second but this is a this is a great deal is my initial uh you know opinion and one that really improves this linebacker core you know there've been a lot of moving Parts over this last few days we'll talk about that in the second but really really big news here for the Titans a phen another phenomenal acquisition by General manager Rand carthon so a little background on what happened here with Ernest Jones in La he's been a a starter for most of his career there he's entering the final year of his rookie contract this season wanted to obviously wants that new contract but he wasn't holding out or anything like that there was no none of the stuff you sometimes see with a guy who's in the last year of his contract wanting a new deal but there is a player a rookie for Los Angeles Omar Spates who has emerged throughout training camp and a lot of Rumblings around La were that Ernest Jones who been a team leader a defensive captain wore the Green Dot a very very productive linebacker one of the best linebackers in football that he might be losing his starting spot to Omar Spates and that that's why this thing came out about him requesting a trade and ESPN reported on Sunday that the Rams had given Jones permission to seek a trade which obviously that's worded in a way that sounds like he requested a trade Shan McVey addressed that in his press conference the next day saying that this is quote Shawn McVey we never said that he requested a trade we've had communication with his representation so it looks like the Rams saw what was happening with Omar Spates and they wanted to move uh Ernest Jones off the roster it wasn't because Ernest Jones requested a trade and the Titans are the fortunate beneficiaries of this circumstance I'm pulling that information from a great athletic article by Jordan rodrig who covers the Rams for the athletic I texted Jordan right after this news broke just nnest Jones to the Titans wow and she responded and said uh probably one of my favorite players to have covered so the people involved with the Rams who cover this team are like they love this guy Ernest Jones Erica tamposi Ricky Hollywood if you know who she is if she was the producer of around the NFL that trained me she now works for the ram social media team she replied to one of my tweets that you guys got a good one with a bunch of sad faces cuz she was bummed that the Rams lost Ernest J so the people around La absolutely love this guy and we're going to get into some of the numbers and what he does for the Titans defense but trade compensation should probably hit that quickly Ian Rapaport tweeted that the Titans gave up a 2026 fifth round pick in exchange for Ernest Jones sorry a 2026 fifth round pick that's what I said in exchange for Ernest Jones in a 2026 sixth round pick so the Titans not next draft two drafts from now slide from the fifth round back to the sixth round that's the that's it that's all you give up for this guy we're going to assume that a new contract is probably on the way because again he's in the last year of his rookie deal but that has not been announced yet but all in all it feels like a steal for Rand carathon to land one of the best inside linebackers in the league number one you're a superstar you saw me answer the phone there and you just kept talking I'm in the middle of breaking Titans roster news right now guys and we're recording this so once in a while you're going to see me a lot on my phone here as I'm getting news and calls and text but a great job on your part I have a big problems with a couple things here okay and I and I I I heard everything you said the Omar Spates thing makes no sense to me okay I'm going to be blunt and it it reeks to me okay it reeks of um first of all this guy's had 100 plus tackles back toback years 145 last year he had this is a phenomenal this is a damn good football player okay a really good one now they come the report comes out that he asked permission for a trade and then he comes out says I never asked for one that to me just goes to show you how much this industry sucks how much happens without a player even knowing okay my is that was decided between the Rams and his representation okay the Rams knew he wanted a new deal no surprise mid- round rookie last year of his deal he's vastly outperformed of course he wants a new deal surely representation has asked for it the Rams know they're not going to give it to him look into their history historically they don't pay off ball linebackers just not a position they value I get it so they tell the representation go ahead and find a trade for him all while the player probably doesn't even know what's going on okay and look I'm jumping a little bit ahead here I don't know that for a fact I'm not reporting that but for the player to come out say I never asked for one it says it came as a surprise to him that that's what it strongly indicates right yeah the other thing that stinks to me here is I have a really hard time believing he was going to be replaced by a udfa linebacker okay again that reeks of them knowing this isn't working out we're probably going to deal them let's just go ahead and rip the bandaid off now they've got another linebacker in that defense starting right now that's not nearly as good as he is why wasn't he replaced by the udfa because he not entering the last year of his contract 1 plus one is two exactly okay so makes no sense to me I don't agree with it uh it is what it is it's an ugly business now I I put out some sources some of my buddies with the ram said oh I've seen this regime do this before they will replace a guy that'll come as a surprise I'm not buying it the other linebacker is not nearly as good as he is okay so it reeks to me it's a it's a bargain for the Titans they get him for nothing when I thought you know I wrote an article the other day for the draft Network about this guy being traded I almost included the Titans I didn't because I didn't think they would part with the compensation necessary not that I thought it was going to be a first or second rounder don't get me wrong but I thought it'd be a third or a fourth yeah right they gave up a third for Sneed I mean the will Lis trade is still a thing uh they're short on the capital that I thought it would take to get this guy I didn't think it would take 2026 day three so they get him for nothing he is a great fit for the dinard Wilson defense a really damn good fit who's going to Blitz more him or Kenneth Murray they're going to have to fight and argue over this I can't believe they went out and got another blitzing backer like this guy to play next to Ken M dard Wilson's going to be crazy this year guys like he's be throwing at the wall they're just gonna be sending the kitchen sink this is a great deal for the Titans uh engage eight every play anyone who plays Madden knows I'm talking M classic um uh I want to read something here that was written by Jordan Dean who's in NFL on CBS sports reporter who wrote this uh yesterday Monday after the news about the you know the trade permission whatever was granted here's just word for word what Jordan wrote about Ernest Jones it would be surprising to see the Rams ship off one of their young talents who is a leader on the defensive side of the ball the 24-year-old Jones was selected by La in the third round of the 20121 NFL draft out of South Carolina he had a career year in 2023 with 145 combined tackles 4 and a half sacks 14 tackles for loss and six passes defended Jones also has stepped up his performance in the playoffs in Super Bowl 56 yes Roman numerals are hard in Super Bowl 56 versus Cincinnati Bengals he recorded seven combined tackles and a sack to go along with three quarterback hits last year against the Detroit Lions in super Wildcard Weekend he recorded nine combined tackles two sacks and a forced fumble this guy is a player who it would be surprising to see Los Angeles move him for all the reasons that you know you just stated and I just stated like he's their best linebacker and now he's going to be the Titans best linebacker some numbers that support what you're talking about with who's going to Blitz more last season Ernest Jones LED all off-ball linebackers in total pressures with 33 he led the next closest player had 26 so he led the NFL amongst all off ball linebackers in pressures by seven pressures last year Kenneth Murray for what it's worth had 14 pressures last year which was 25th most so that's two guys who are in the top 25 in pressures generated from the AL ball linebacker position one guy who who's number one by a wide margin in Ernest Jones and if you look at just his PFF grades last season 78.8 overall PFF grade that was 13th among all linebackers 86.2 run defense grade that was tied for seventh among all linebackers 83.1 pass rush grade sixth highest among all linebackers he had 18 tackles for loss which was tied for fourth amongst all linebackers the one area we may be having questions about is his coverage where did have six pass breakups last year so that's a pretty good number for a linebacker his coverage grade for PFF was only 62.5 that's you know about average it's not great but it's a huge upgrade over Jack Gibbons and I think that's the area that we haven't talked about yet Justin that we're going to finish talking about here is you're going to have Kenneth Murray and Ernest Jones starting together that pushes Jack Gibbons down to the third linebacker spot first guy off the bench type of roll that's a lot more appropriate excuse me that's a lot more appropriate spot for a guy like Jack Gibbons to be because you I mean it was always a liability there a linebacker and then you have the injury to chance Campbell out for the year with a torn ACL you got Cedric gray dealing with a nerve issue in his shoulder no timetable set for his return so the Titans linebacker depth that looked so strong like less than a week ago suddenly was the opposite of strong they needed to make a move here and they don't just go out and get depth you know there was a lot of speculation on Twitter the Titans were going to save one of their roster spots for a waiver claim and bring in like a backup linebacker to shore up the depth well no ran carthon makes the ultimate move and says we're going to go get a starting upgrade here in Ernest Jones and I do Wonder like how the fit's going to be because Kenneth Murray Ernest Jones neither guy particularly excels in coverage I think Ernest Jones is going to be better in coverage than Kenneth Murray but they are going to get downhill quickly they're going to stop the run and yes they are going to get after the quarterback this might be the best pass rushing Duo inside linebacker tandem when just when it comes to rushing the passer of any team in the entire league now so you got what could be the best quarterback Trio in the league at least a top five quarterback Trio you got what could be a top five safety Trio with Amman hooker quandre Diggs and Jamaal Adams and you got now probably the best pass rushing linebacking duo in the NFL with Ernest Jones and Kenneth Murray like this is a huge upgrade from where the Titans were just a couple of months ago before they added all these pieces on defense to look at where they are now and Veteran guys too who know how to play in this league I am super excited now I think the ceiling of this Titan defense just went up three or four notches I agree I mean and that's one of the big things remember they lost chance Campbell and Garrett wallow to season ending injuries Callahan said the other day boy we've got some we've taken some bumps at linebacker uh so they felt a little thin here I guess uh it push with Jack Gibbons down to the third as you said and I still think they keep five right like I think Otis Reese and James Williams probably still make the roster maybe we get a Surpise maybe it's six I mean you know Cedric gray obviously is in that mix whether he shifts to IR or not I guess we'll find out soon uh then You' got Luke gford in that backend mix maybe with Reese and Williams because he's a really good special teams player but uh I think it pushes everyone down to an appropriate role it gives James Williams a chance to develop to be honest which is he should be allowed to do behind the scenes that's what he's going to do now it makes Jack Gibbons a rotational Thumper not someone that's going to be a three down linebacker I think that's important and I still think Otis ree assuming he makes the roster should still be in the mix for some SNS too some rotational snaps right so they they've got a lot going on at the position but they had lost a couple bodies they were feeling those absences at practice and and they went out and took advantage of a rare opportunity a chance to acquire uh at the very least a midlevel starter I'd almost call him a highlevel starter at his position yeah at off ball backer and take advantage of that chance to go get him at a discounted rate now the question is are they going to extend them I imagine they will I don't know that they do this deal with without the extension I don't think it's something that'll break the bank either way maybe like a threeyear 30 million right maybe a 10 Mill per year or slightly under 89 roughly uh but hey you've got will Lis on the rookie deal and that's when you take advantage of these things so all in all a home run acquisition for the Titans yeah I don't have much else to say but I will share this tweeted by Brett Coleman I would be super excited if I were a Titans fan Jones is a phenomenal fit for them should be an extremely Blitz heavy team this year and earn erest Jones is one of the best pass rushing inside linebackers in the game this is exactly what the Titans needed I think he might be the third best player on the defense now behind Jeffrey Simmons and lerus Sneed like he might be up there and that he's in the conversation yeah I mean he's in the conversation I guess I I I think you know a guy like quandre Diggs Herold Landry are probably right there with him and I like Amman hooker I'd probably put him right there with him too healthy yeah um so that'll do it we did this podcast here we it was more than 10 minutes so apologize for the misleading introduction there but um we hope you guys appreciated it we will be back like I said later today after 400 p.m. Eastern after 1: p.m. Pacific after 300 p.m. central if you need all the time zone spelled out for you uh when the final roster Cuts have been all announced we'll go through who made the team and who didn't but we'll be back later to react to that we'll talk about Malik Willis being traded to the Packers so stay tuned to the channel if you're subscribed to the channel and you have Channel notifications turned on you'll get an alert as soon as that video drops also remember to like this video drop a comment below we appreciate that and this quick video was brought to you by sinkers beverages in East Nashville Bluegrass beverages in Hendersonville check out the sinkers beverages.com website or follow the link in this podcast description to to join The In Crowd In Crowd members get access to allocated wines and spirits exclusive events Early Access to Barrel releases and more all right we'll be back later today so until then y'all stay safe out there tighten up for Ernest Jones and uh tighten up that was a bad outro but who cares we'll be back later see you guys a broadway 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