Tennessee Titans STEAL Ernest Jones in Trade, SHOCKING Roster Cuts & Waiver Claims to Watch

the Tennessee Titans cut their roster to 53 players on Tuesday but the biggest move was an excellent trade for Rams linebacker Ernest Jones I'll break down all the action on today's edition of locked on [Music] Titans 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 Roland Titans fans today's edition of the locked on Titans podcast is brought to you by Game Time download the game time app create an account use the code locked on NFL for $20 off your first purchase terms apply it was a crazy day for the Tennessee Titans the roster has been cut from 91 down to 53 the Titans made a huge trade for linebacker Ernest Jones I'm going to tell you all about that trade why it turned out to be a great move for Rand carthon also we'll talk about some of the more shocking roster cuts and keeps that happen and I'll even tell you who the Titans should have their eye on in the waiver claim process before we get into all of that though do want to thank you for making the locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day remember Monday through Friday Tennessee Titans content all year round all always for free you're not going to beat that anywhere else there's a reason this is the number one Tennessee Titans podcast in the world so make sure that you get subscribed stay subscribed it's your team every day speaking of every day shout out to my every dayers out there tuning in Monday through Friday if you aren't in every dayer you need to be one tomorrow the Titans are going to make waiver claims they're going to set their practice squad I'm going to break down all of that roster information we're going to have some preview stuff and then the season starts next week I am your host Tyler Oland 25 years as a Tennessee Titans fanatic cover the team for Sports Illustrated USA Today been the host of this podcast for Five Seasons running and I'm a certified film junkie ready to break down the x's and o's with you guys all year long which reminds me over on the Tic Tac Titans film Channel I'm GNA have a long video on Brian Callahan's creativity on offense up on Wednesday morning I'm gonna have a tandre sweat breakdown might be looking at an Ernest Jones breakdown as well so make sure you subscribe over at the Tic Tac Titan YouTube channel as well but with all that being said I know it's a long intro let's talk about this Ernest Jones trade because it was an absolute steal for Rand carthon and let me first break down the conversation at the end of yesterday's show my everydays will remember we talked about why the Ernest Jon Jones trade made sense for the Titans but there were some cons to the trade there were some shaky fit questions where is he going to line up with Kenneth Murray obviously being a guy with a very similar skill set but then you look at the trade that happened and what it actually cost the Titans and of course they're going to make that trade so the Titans acquire Ernest Jones linebacker from the Los Angeles Rams for a pick swap in 2026 the Titans are giving up their fifth round pick and they're gon to get back a sixth round pick and get Ernest Jones so literally they go from the fifth round in 2026 to the sixth round in 2026 and they get back Ernest Jones who has been one of the better blitzing linebackers in the NFL since he came into the league three years ago so Ernest Jones has played three seasons for the Rams 47 games he started 33 of those games he has 320 career tackles five and a half career sacks and get this in last season in 2023 he played in 15 games had 145 tackles and four and a half sacks do you know how many linebackers in the NFL last year had 145 tackles and over four sacks how many anybody know the answer is one it's Ernest Jones he had 30 pressures last year that's number one for linebackers with a certain amount of snap starting linebackers essentially he had six quarterback hit hits last year to go with it this is one of the best blitzing linebackers in the NFL and the best part is Ernest Jones again is going into his fourth season he's only 24 years old so this is a guy who not only fits the Titans ethos on defense in their blitzing nature and their downhill nature and their aggressiveness not only does he fit that but he's a young player that can still develop and get even better uh I want to go to a quote that was written by Jordan deani who covers the Rams for CBS Sports he said in a recent article about Ernest Jones quote nevertheless it would be a surprise to see the Rams ship off one of their young talents who is a leader on the defensive side of the ball okay he also said Jones has also stepped up his performance in the playoffs in in the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals he recorded seven tackles and one sack with three quarterback hits last year against the Lions in the wild card he recorded nine tackles two sacks and a fource fumble so this is a guy who last night in the show I was like hey he basically does the same things as Kenneth Murray does it fit do you really want to make that trade and no lie in my head I'm thinking Ernest Jones is 24 he's a good player he's a starting linebacker the Titans are gonna have to trade a third fourth round pick I don't know if that's worth it but all they gave up was a pick swap for one round in 2026 for this level of player well I mean I had not considered that an nnest Jones trade could possibly be that cheap that is not something that had crossed my mind so I will gladly take the L on that with the admission that I had no idea that ran carthon could move like this I mean I jokingly said that the Malik Willis trade was a ran carthon masterclass but this legitimately is so now Ernest Jones becomes a starting linebacker next to Kenneth Murray and I talked about it schematically the Titans look at their inside linebacker roles as two different positions they're not just interchangeable guys they do two different responsibilities all right you have your hammerhead shark in Kenneth Murray that can go downhill take on the lead blocker and then you have Jack Gibbons who can be the guy who comes and cleans it up well now okay Ernest Jones may be better as a hammerhead shark but he's still pretty dang good at being the other guy and cleaning it up too 145 tackles you wanted the Titans to replace a ziz alire if that's something you cared about that's exactly what you got here with Ernest Jones and he's 24 he's 24 I saw the reaction by Rams Fans online and they were salty that they traded away Ernest Jones for this little now people would say why is Ernest Jones available if he's so good well the Rams have younger linebackers who they like that are on the roster and they don't want to pay Ernest Jones and a lot of people ask me well an extension how I don't think the Titans gave ER Jones an extension with this trade I think that they're saying hey we're going to give you an opportunity to start and we have the we are willing to give you an extension but let's play out your final year on your rookie deal he's $3.1 million I believe is what it is on the cap the Titans absolutely had the money to make that deal so not concerned about the money the trade compensation again a fifth in 2026 to get a sixth back in 2026 in Ernest Jones I mean ran carthon absolutely cooking absolutely cooking all right some other things that I want to point out here about Ernest Jones be before we go anywhere before we get into these roster Cuts all right he was 13th among all linebackers in overall Pro Football Focus grade he was tied for seventh in run defense grade tied for sixth in pass rush grade tied for fourth in tackles for loss again I told you he was first in rashers this is a guy who gets downhill gets to the quarterback now I will say before we go anywhere coverage is not his specialty and one of my major concerns for the titans this year is Middlefield defensive coverage safeties the linebackers that's one area of weakness that I'll be watching but I mean for the time being no way you can be anything but over the moon about this trade for Rand carthon considering what he paid and Ernest Jones as a player but roster cuts that there were some Shockers let's discuss before we do do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook look you've heard me talk a lot about FanDuel America's number one sports book it's number one for a reason just like this podcast but I got a little something different for you this time now through September 22nd all FanDuel customers can bet $5 and get a three week free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV then if you have a YouTube TV base plan you'll be able to watch every regular season Sunday afternoon out of Market game all you need is a Google account and a current form of payment and you can cancel at any time but again it's only a $ five bet and you get a three-week free trial and Titans money line they plus 170 Titans plus four and a half against the Bears Titans over under set at six and a half they are going over I'm just saying a $5 bet on any of those would be an easy way to to check this box so make sure that you visit fanduel.com lockon to download America's number one sports book Titans fans let's continue breaking down all of the roster moves that that the Tennessee Titans made this cutdown day we talked about the trade for Ernest Jones and why I didn't think the Titans could get him that cheap and since they did you can only only think of it as a fantastic move by Rand carthon let me know your guys's grade for the Ernest Jones trade initial your initial reaction what's your grade for the trade let me know down below hit me up on Twitter at Tic Tac Titans before we talk about the roster cuts and the roster keeps that really shocked me do want to thank you again for making locked on Titans your first listen each and every day Monday through Friday Tennessee Titans content all year round always for free make sure that you get subscribed stay subscribed check out the Tic Tac Titans film channel here on YouTube as well you're going to want pair up all the great conversations we have here with the film workk I'm doing over there but uh with that being said make sure that you make your second listen locked on fantasy football it's that time of year guys you want to get the best draft insights the best strategies so you can win your league check out locked on fantasy football it's your team every day here on the locked on podcast network but so overall the big Shockers just positionally the Titans kept five tight ends chicka cono Josh Wy Nick vanet David Martin Robinson and Thomas oder that is a bit of a surprise No Way Around It bit of a surprise that they kept Thomas oao I didn't see a lot of people who cover the team have Thomas oao as a guy that was going to make it so that is immediately a shocker and some people have surmised that maybe a tight end could be on their way out via trade maybe a guy like chiga cono could be a guy who would be traded I would still be shocked by that but hey people are talking I don't think that would be the right move I don't think you need to do that unless you're trading him for another player that's very good like another cornerback or uh maybe another offensive tackle was a swing tackle something like that but just saying five tight ends that was a shocker also only three running backs Julius Chestnut gets the third running back spot no Hassan H Haskins H Haskins is cut even though he's a special teams demon as Brian Callahan called him he was cut that was a shock to me so I got I got a couple of these wrong I'm still pretty excuse me I'm still pretty happy with my performance but uh Hassan H Haskins was a guy that I just got wrong I thought he was making the team and he didn't so I'll I'll stay accountable um six wide receivers that's kind of the expectation the five that you would expect Jain Jackson but that means Kyle Phillips was cut Mason Kinsey cut kis Jackson cut so these are guys Bryce Oliver cut these are guys that everybody everybody liked a lot of people had fans um and let me just uh clear this up to make sure that everyone's aware so uh isn't thomasa an international freebie not if he makes the roster so Thomas odoko had an international player exemption because he came from the IP the international pathway program so he was a 17th player on the Titans practice squad in previous years instead of the 16 he was the 91 player instead of just 90 that teams carry in training camp but now that the Titans have put Thomas oao on the actual roster he is no longer eligible to be an exemption player the Titans would have to reapply it would likely be denied so that's a big move for the Titans to put Thomas oo on there and ruin the IP um exemption and I think that could be If we're honest that could be a reward for Thomas Odo he had the big effort play against the Saints he's been fighting for the in Titans camps for years and not getting a real chance because he's an exemption player so I think this could be a reward for Thomas odoy nine offensive linemen and another one I was wrong about uh Hassan H Haskins and then Geron Christian I thought Jon Christian was going to make this team absolutely after he was a late ad to Titans to the Titans roster in the summer I thought it was an obvious sign that they weren't sure about Jaylen Duncan or Jon auku or Leroy Watson and ultimately it turns out Jaylen Duncan and John Juku both made this team and gr uh Jon Christian did not so that is a shocker to me I would say the most shocking move of the day other than Thomas o dequ making this team is Jon Christian not making this team I had uh my guy from locked on Browns Jeff actually asked me like Christian didn't make the team that's Brian C or Bill Callahan's boy so it is a bit of a shock to me and those are the two on offense that I did get wrong but nine offensive linemen five tight ends a bit of a shocker on defense only four interior defensive linemen and I've continued to tell you guys that I think this is a place where the Titans need to look at the waiver wire and we're going to talk about the waiver wire at the end of today's show and guys the Titans should keep their eye on for waiver claims that we hit tomorrow and then we'll talk about it tomorrow so stay with me here come back tomorrow I'll tell you exactly what you need to know all right so anyways only four that means Quinton bohanna didn't make it TK McLendon out with injury and TK McClendon is a guy that I missed on I thought that TK McLendon would make the roster but then he got turf toe and he got put on ir and he's out for the season so he got injured I think he would have made the roster if he didn't get injured but he got injured but only four interior defensive linemen and seven inside linebackers so Ernest Jones has to pass a physical before he can officially join the roster I'm sure that'll be happen uh happening in the next few days but seven linebackers initially make it and it's not the seven that you would necessarily think because Chance Campbell out for the season ACL injury sucks for chance Campbell it does but that's another guy I had making the roster and he got injured so anyways moving right along that means that the Titans have Kenneth Murray Ernest Jones Jack Gibbons it's a good top three man good top three Otis ree James Williams Cedric gray and I still think gray could end up on IR with his shoulder injury and the nerve issues and then Luke gford made it Luke gford was injured for most of Camp you didn't hear anything about him but the Titans signed him last year from the Dallas Cowboys as purely a special teams Dynamo I think a guy like L Luke gford getting healthy is the reason Hassan H Haskins didn't make the team because Luke gford is a special team's demon as well so I think they're like hey we might as well instead of keeping a running back who's essentially a linebacker why don't we just keep a linebacker who's a linebacker who's also very good on special teams I can understand how that works so uh only four cornerbacks four cornerbacks no no Gabe Judy Loy no Trey Avery Trey Aver's been cut that's my final Miss I missed five spots I thought Trey Avery would make it I didn't think that they would only keep four cornerbacks that's another spot where I think the Titans could add somebody but that's my final Miss I missed Five Guys Trey Avery is the final one no Eric gor either the Titans just go with the four quarterbacks that are NFL caliber and cut everybody who's not so sne Cheeto also a good sign that Cheeto should be healthy Roger m K and Jarvis brownley Jr again I think the Titans could look the waivers there but five safeties I am the only Titans content creator who got the safeties right Mike Brown I've been trying to tell everybody Mike Brown is a good player he could be an essential player on special teams too number 44 Mike Brown he's good he could be a dime package linebacker he's not bad as a back deep safety like is he a starter no but he's just a nice solid St player everybody had Matthew Jackson making it and I'm like no it's Mike Brown Mike Brown is the fifth safety it was clear to me from watching the tape I like Mike Brown last year too anyways uh so five safeties there so I think a guy like Jabari small at running back should be a practice squad option I think Bryce Oliver should be a good practice squad option at wide receiver Cole Spencer on the interior offensive line a good practice squad guy Isaiah Eon on the interior defensive line good practice squad guy uh khed Duke Edge rusher Gabe Judy LLY cornerback Matt Jackson safety Braden narvis kicker Eric gar and Karis Jackson I think all of those guys that's 10 guys I think those 10 guys should be practice squad options for the Titans but I think the Titans oh Caleb Farley got cut I gotta mention that I gotta mention Caleb Farley so sad so sad what's happened to him in his life but it needed to happen it needed to happen so the Titans need to go out and get some people on waiver claims they need to add some players from other people's rosters I think so I'm going to tell you who onon the Titans roster I don't think should unpack their bags anytime soon they should probably just keep them packed by the door and also who are some guys who got cut on Tuesday who I think the Titans should be looking at we're going to talk about all of that right now before we do though do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by game time look is winding down need to go to as many Live Events as you possibly can while the weather is nice and to do it you need to buy the tickets on game time game time has this new feature called Game Time picks that makes getting tickets to your favorite Live Events even easier 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locked on Titans podcast reacting to all of the roster moves the Tennessee Titans made of course they made Cuts but the biggest move of the day was trading for Ernest Jones and at the price that the Titans traded for him I don't think you could do anything but love that trade from Rand carthon the roster moves though there were some Shockers uh Geron Christian didn't make the uh make the team thomasa Co did make the team five tight ends seven linebackers a lot of crazy stuff Kyle Phil Caleb Farley cut I mean absolutely crazy but with all these roster moves it is important to keep in mind Titans fans that the roster is not done they set the initial 53 man roster the initial 53 man roster the Titans are still going to make waiver claims they're still just going to sign guys off other people's teams who don't who make it through waivers the Titans may make another trade like the Titans have a general manager now who is in incredibly active and who is looking for all of the margins and looking for all the little spaces and the little crumbs around the edges that he could take advantage of so the Titans could make a lot more moves still throughout the week till they get to their actual 53 man roster for the day one game against the Chicago Bears I think there are people that could go on IR like a Cedric gray so with that in mind who are some players that got cut by other teams that the Titans should be looking at before I tell you do want to thank you again for making the locked on Titans podcast your first listen each and every day Monday through Friday Tennessee Titans content for free all year round you don't beat that anywhere else with the film Channel with my Twitter account social media activity with the podcast no one is making better Tennessee Titans content than me so make sure that you get subscribed stay subscribed but for your second listen check out locked on fantasy football it's that time of year you want to win your league check out locked on fantasy football part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day so looking at cuts from other teams all right there were some crazy Cuts Noah Brown wide receiver for the Texans got cut he's an excellent player I mean he saved them in some games last year that was pretty surprising um Tim Patrick from the Denver Broncos another guy got cut maybe not as surprising but uh definitely a name that you didn't think would be out there but the Titans have enough wide receivers I don't need the Titans to go after either of those guys I wouldn't be mad if that's if they went after like Noah Brown for more depth I wouldn't be mad but I don't expect it they have enough wide receivers but at some positions that I am looking at I think the Titans could look for an offensive tackle but I literally did not see any good offensive tackles that I'm interested in get cut and it makes sense the Titans are keeping guys like Jaylen Duncan and Jon auku because offensive tackles are so hard to find I don't think there are a lot of teams out there giving up offensive tackles that are worth taking a look at uh I think a team will pick up donon Christian and Leroy Watson that the Titans got rid of so other positions outside of offensive tackle and wide receiver samj perine got cut by the Denver Broncos I think Julius Chestnut is a better Runner but samj perine obviously has the experience with Brian Callahan I think that he's a better pass protector than Julius Chestnut so it could be the could look to add a fourth running back and S perine who gives him a little more value with Julius Chestnut being a guy who could play on special teams more now and fill thatan H Haskins role plus what he was doing before I think that's something to keep in mind uh backup quarterbacks like third string quarterbacks for the practice squad CJ bethard I've liked CJ bethard for a while I wanted him to get the job over Logan Woodside for so long um PJ Walker is a guy that was cut by the Seattle Seahawks I believe who I think could be a good good fit but he's got a similar skill set to Malik Willis so I don't know if that's something the Titans are looking for um but I do like PJ Walker as a player so I'm in I'm down uh Mike White from the um I think he playing for the Dolphins last but he had a good run with the Jets and won some games hey if you can lead your team to some wins especially a team like the Jets they have a good roster but still the Jets you can lead the Jets to a few wins as a third string quarterback I'll check you out um bayy zappy waved by the Patriots so those are some guys who I think could make sense zappy in particular uh could be a developmental guy for the Titans to have on their practice squad and maybe he could take over for Mason Rudolph as the backup in a few years um interior defensive line is a spot that I have been dying for the Titans to go out and get some help in uh Marcus Harris it's a rookie from the Houston Texans uh had some good moments in the preseason I think uh Marcus Harris cut by and man I forget who tipped me off to this I somebody tagged me in it sorry that I forget a lot of Twitter activity today it's hard to remember everything but Marcus Harris is a good defensive tackle from the Texans who I think could be a good option for the Titans Edge Carl Lawson we've been asking about Carl Lawson he got cut by the Cowboys I think that's probably an indication that he's cooked most likely after the injuries and being close to 30 that could be that could be trouble but another guy Andre Carter the guy who played for the Army Black Knights I liked Andre Carter coming out of college I was shocked that he dropped as far as he dropped I would love to bring in Andre Carter absolutely love to bring in Andre Carter as an edge project for the Titans on the practice squatter straight to the roster quite honestly they only kept uh five Edge guys they could keep six so wouldn't be shocked there uh at cornerback CJ Henderson former first round pick flunked out with the Texans flunked out with the Jags flunked out with the Panthers I believe too maybe it's just a lost cause but hey he's a young talented guy I thought maybe the Titans would take a chance on him in the uh in in free agency for cheap but he's available now you could check that out um and then finally Trey flowers at cornerback former bengle played with Brian Callahan for a long time he's more of like a dime linebacker big slot cornerback and maybe play against tight ends as a tight end stopper I think he had his best moments with the Bengals as a tight end stopper that could make some sense leis C former first round pick from Georgia got cut by the Vikings maybe the Titans take a chance there I I think bet on the talent see if dard Wilson could get the best out of him as a defensive back guy and then Josh Proctor from Ohio State I like Proctor as maybe a seventh round pick for the Titans play special teams I'm not you know I like Mike Brown but I'm not so in love with Mike Brown that I wouldn't want to take a chance on another young guy so those are some guys that I think those are some guys that I think could make a lot of sense so anyways um wanted to quickly just take a moment overall I think the Titans are going to make a a lot of moves I think guys like JN auku uh Caleb Murphy Julius Chestnut even I would say Luke gford especially and then Mike Brown all of those guys I think they should keep their backs packed I think the Titans can make a lot of moves at the end of this roster and those are the Five Guys five or six guys that I think I think personally they're not locks to stay on the roster like the Titans are still going to make a lot of moves overall we're still going to see some activity here so I like the Ernest Jones trade I had some people ask me again about why I said I didn't like it yesterday if you listen to what I said I said I wouldn't want the Titans to give up anything a value because he has a similar skill set to Kenneth Murray well for what the Titans paid I don't care what a skill set is he's a way better player than what they have so if you're only going to cost me a a pick swap in 2026 in the fifth and sixth round then whatever and you look at the totality of the moves that ran carthon's made here trade Malik Willis for a seventh round pick and then getting Ernest Jones he gave up a fifth round pick in Malik Willis and he got back a sixth to seventh and Ernest Jones so in totality that that's pretty great that's pretty great movement um when over the surprises again on the roster you guys could say what you want about me but Nick sus who covers the Titans put out a little chart of which beat reporters did the best and he won with 48 and I got 48 right too and I was the only person who had two of my missed Cuts be injuries so call it what you want but yeah I'll just say that so anyways tomorrow we're going to talk about the Titans practice squad we are going to talk about the waiver claims that the Titans made more roster moves coming I'm G to be breaking them down thank you guys so much for tuning in Tighten Up Down in the chat thumbs up on the video that's going to do it for me today folks as always I am your host Tyler Roland and this was locked on Titans [Music]