Titans Mailbag: Will Levis, Carnell Tate, Chris Johnson And Mason Kinsey Questions

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Questions this week ranged from Chris Johnson's ALS battle and Will Levis' future to receiver rankings, stadium decisions and the proper vessel for cookie dunking.

By PAUL KUHARSKY

Happy Fourth of July Weekend, Happy 250th Birthday, America. I still have a cool pin from the Bicentennial (pictured below), given to me by a family friend in Cleveland as we had not yet moved East. I’ve seen some stuff by big-time graphic designers about how this mark has stood the test of time and is regarded as a classic.

I hope you’ve got a great weekend ahead.

Tennessee Titans

Instead of a podcast, we’re digging into a mailbag sponsored by the great folks at Edley’s BBQ. So here’s the best of what you send. 

I didn’t see anything disrespectful or insensitive.

But I’ve seen fair criticism of Michael Strahan from Jeff Pealman. How does he not ask CJ if he thinks football had something to do with him having ALS? It’s an obvious and important question.

Johnson did a very good supplemental Instagram post in which he took that on himself. I pulled this from my piece on Tim Shaw and Johnson.

"While we don't know exactly how my ALS started, there is growing research linking repetitive head trauma to ALS. Studies have found that NFL players are nearly four times more likely to develop ALS than the general population. I hope the NFL steps up, invests in research, and continues working to protect players -- both now and for generations to come. Together, we can push towards better treatments and, one day, a cure."

 

Anything can happen.

I don’t think they are particularly worried about tight end. I think the kind of guys you’re thinking about at inside linebacker and cornerback are looking for better opportunities than the Titans will offer, and if they land here it will be later as they come to terms with accepting what will be depth roles. 

So, I doubt they attract those kinds of guys before camp. But people change their minds all the time.

Tony Yayiod
Will Mason Kinsey make the team?

He can’t.

I think my current receiver rankings look like this. Keep in mind they are pre-contact, pre-any one-on-one work vs. defensive backs. I think one to five are pretty much locked in for opening day. Maybe there is movement three to five, but those are the top five.

Bicentennial Pin1)    Carnell Tate
2)    Wan’Dale Robinson
3)    Calvin Ridley
4)    Chimere Dike
5)    Elic Ayomanor
6)    KJ Osbourne
7)    Bryce Oliver
8)    Xavier Restrepo
9)    Tyren Montgomery
10)    Hank Beatty
11)    Mason Kinsey

If Will Levis went to the Rams, who aren’t looking for a QB as far as I know, he’d rank worse than he does here – third, but behind a No. 2 who was just a No. 1 pick, not a journeyman veteran. He’d be behind Matthew Stafford and Ty Simpson. And he might have to fight with Stetson Bennett, a 2023 fourth, for the third spot.

I like Levis and think he may have a good second act somewhere in time. But where does all the forgiveness for his boneheaded plays come from? He had poor coaches, but they weren’t throwing the ridiculous picks or giving away the crazy fumbles. Any QB would benefit from working with Sean McVay, but the element of the Titans fan base holding on to Levis as if he’s some sort of massive victim as opposed to a guy who did very poorly in a poor situation confuses me.

If Cam Ward is bad through two seasons, you’ll want him out. But many saw Levis do poorly through two seasons and still hold out hope?

Final say on your question: I’ll wait to see Ward with Brian Daboll before taking a third/fourth stringer under McVay. One of them will actually get playing time, which is a huge element in the ability to improve.

I am not as excited about Kevin Winston as everybody else is -- yet. I thought he was overanxious on a lot of stuff in the spring, and while I understand how a lot of people paint that as a good thing, I see a need for him to be more disciplined. Marcus Harris also has a huge amount of confidence from the staff.

Amani Hooker wasn’t out there a great deal, and we didn’t see much of Cor’Dale Flott or Alontae Taylor either. So it wasn’t difficult for the second-year guys to look the best.

Chim Dike had a solid spring, but in no way was he the best of the receivers. Wan’Dale Robinson caught a lot of balls, and Carnell Tate made some great plays, particularly early on. Elic Ayomanor was fine but not up with that top bunch.

Yes. The playing surface is very likely to be the latest iteration of the sort of turf they’ve been playing on at the old Nissan Stadium. That’s completely the franchise’s choosing. 

The architecture of the building has long been established and the Titans basically designed it. 

Here’s a look at the locker room construction from early June and a rendering of what they expect it will look like.

 

Top fan
Scott Trevathan
Who are some of your favorite Titans of all time? I don't mean because they were good players, but because they were good people.

My top two guys are from the early, early years: Frank Wycheck, who I had a relationship with that went beyond his football career as we worked together on the radio, and Samari Rolle. Just great guys who understood my job and were cool. They explained things, they were fun to be around, had no problem sharing stuff off the record and being human with me.

Logan Ryan and Jason McCourty were much the same years later, when the businesses had changed a great deal.

What am I, a cat? We are living in a society here. A cup, of course.

I do enjoy eating.

None, ideally. Maybe some on special teams. 

He’s a great story and a great guy. But if he’s going to be an NFL player, it’s likely going to be in 2027 and beyond. 

The Titans need Austin Schlottman to be their guy this year, with Andre James as the alternative who’s hopefully not needed. Or Jackson Slater there if Cordell Volson is handling right guard. 

The song right now is Ring the Bells, by JOHNNYSWIM, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors:

I saw Hamilton again recently, so all that is flowing through my head, and I’ve listened to that a few times. I just bought the Springsteen show I saw with my son in Atlanta in May, so I’m playing that quite a bit too. Surprise.

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Paul Kuharsky has covered the Tennessee Titans since 1996, first for The Tennessean, then ESPN.com and now independently at paulkuharsky.com. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee and one of the longest-tenured Titans beat reporters in the franchise's history.