NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- As transformers go, Rodger Saffold needs to be a top one for the Titans.

The new left guard is expected to combine with Taylor Lewan to make for a major strength for Tennessee, paving the way for Derrick Henry and Derrick Lewis and making sure Marcus Mariota doesn't have issues from his blindside.

Saffold was kind enough to spend 30 minutes chatting with me about the increased value of internal pressure in today's NFL, and the increased value in stopping it. We also talked about his ownership of esports team Rise Nation, growing up on the same street as the girl he'd grow up to marry and the pain that results for a man his size -- and his seatmates -- when he gets stuck in a middle seat on a Los Angeles to Tampa flight.PodcastYazooArtSquare

This week's episoide is unlocked, so you can just head below the line. You can also find it on it on Apple Podcasts, here, or directly through the Vokal website, here. 

You can find the history of this site's podcasts right here.

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Harold Landry needs to steer away from his best move for it to work better

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Harold Landry knows he can burn the edge and get to the quarterback in the NFL. He also knows it doesn’t work all the time and he needs more variation.

So how does a young pass rusher developing an expanded pool of moves convince himself to go away from the thing that got him to the NFL in order to make that thing more effective?LandrySackEagles

“Guys, I think, have to be willing to use new moves that we practice in individual, when we go to the team periods, when we put pads on in training camp, whatever that may be, even if it doesn’t work,” Mike Vrabel said. “A great example of that, and I know he’s not here, Whitney Mercilus would do that."

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Watching Adam Humphries work, even without hits coming, I see two things:TakeALap 2

The potential for some unstoppable short game when things are well timed up and the need for the slipperiness he's proved to posses to avoid the sort of kill shots that can put a small slot receiver in danger.

We talked about both of those and more this week as he was gracious enough to Take a Lap.

Below you'll learn about him as a high school basketball player, as a tourist in Australia, his most memorable dropped pass(es), his most influential coaches, his talents as a chef and his go-tos when he uses Uber Eats.

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While adjusting diet, Jurrell Casey missing Charity Morgan

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Jurrell Casey was one of the Titans' core of defensive players that went all-in on a vegan diet.

In an effort to put on and keep on more weight for the 2019 season, he's scaled back a bit, adding fish back into his meal plan, as first written about by Jim Wyatt.CharityMorgan

I spoke with Casey recently about the adjustment and his desire to play heavier this season. The Titans are expanding their facility to include an on-site kitchen that will mean they won't have only catered food, 

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Giving them above average seasons, let's prioritize Titans' re-signings for 2020

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nobody’s talking about contract year’s over at team headquarters. But as the Titans try to make their move from good to great in 2019, seven key players will be playing for new deals presuming they are not extended before this season.ByardRushWash

It’s a pretty significant list of players:

  • Marcus Mariota
  • Kevin Byard
  • Jack Conklin
  • Wesley Woodyard
  • Logan Ryan
  • Derrick Henry
  • Dennis Kelly

Contract years can bring out the best in players, but that can also make a team wary if a guy steps up his game when he’s trying to win a new deal in a way he hasn’t before. I don’t think that is a concern with Byard, Woodyard, Ryan or Kelly here.

So let’s play a hypothetical game.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Ryan Tannehill struck a good chord in his first visit with the Titans media corps, sorting through the complicated equation of being a backup quarterback who retains the desire to start but doesn’t mess with the guy in front of him.TannehillThrowOTA

His competition is against the Titans’ defense, not Marcus Mariota, he said, and the biggest adjustment is pulling back on the leadership he worked hard to improve while starting for the Dolphins for six of the last seven seasons while missing 2017 as he recovered from injury.  

“It’s a transition for me, definitely tough at times,” he said. …When you work with good people, great people and you’re all aligned and in this thing together trying to win football games, it definitely helps with that transition. But yeah there are some things that are tough about it. It goes along with it...” [Unlocked]

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Some numbers that show Mike Vrabel understands finding pressure without a 10-sack guy

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As we consider the Titans’ ability to scheme up a pass rush as they are lacking a premier pass rusher likely to put up a double-digit sack season, I wanted to look at all the teams Mike Vrabel played on.VrabelRavens

In regular seasons in Pittsburgh, New England and Kansas City, he was part of 14 regular seasons that totaled a 144-80 record -- a .643 winning percentage.

There are all sorts of paths to winning in the NFL.

Few have been better than whichever one Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have walked, and Vrabel was part of the Patriots for a great eight-year run.

No Jevon Kearse was available for the Titans to splash into their formula this season the way the 1999 Titans found one. And Vrabel exudes great confidence that he and Dean Pees will be able to get more out of the people they’ve got and the scheme they draw up.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In mid-April when the Titans resurfaced for offseason work, Marcus Mariota said his intention was to play heavier but he was unable to tell us how much heavier.MariotaWeight

It sounded like it could be as little as five pounds more than last year, a number I didn’t think was going to be a big factor in terms of making him a more durable quarterback in his fifth season.

But it’s not five pounds.

[Unlocked]

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