It’s Totally Fair to Criticize the Titans Plan at Linebacker

I’ve been a big fan of what Ran Carthon has done in free agency for the Tennessee Titans so far. I loved the Tony Pollard signing…the Lloyd Cushenberry signing…the Calvin Ridley signing…the Chidobe Awuzie signing…you get it. I talked all about that on the latest episode of The Unofficial Titans Podcast. You don’t need me to go through it again. If you listened to that show, you already know that I was skeptical of the Kenneth Murray signing. It’s clear they see something in him that his tape hasn’t necessarily shown thus far in his career, but I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Murray can be an effective downhill “don’t-think” linebacker who pursues running backs and quarterbacks who get a little frisky and leave the pocket. His athletic testing was off the charts, so it’s clear they want athletes.

But, as we’ve made it through the weekend and Murray remains the only linebacker signing outside of tendering Dr. Gibby, I think it’s fair to question just what the hell the plan is. Who is going to be wearing the green dot for this defense come September?

I know the common response to all of this has been that “they can’t fix everything in one offseason.” Honestly, the discourse this weekend has been driving me fucking nuts. What they’re doing at linebacker is a hell of a lot different than what’s going on at, say, safety, where there are still quality options available in free agency. It’s not the same as what’s going on at tackle either, where there’s a wealth of quality options in the draft. That’s why what they’ve done is so perplexing. I understand that they’re not going to check off 25 boxes in free agency. But, the market should dictate how they attack the need. The market said “hey, there’s not just some quality free agent linebackers, there are some difference-making free agent linebackers.” It was right there for this team, and they just chose not to pursue the need beyond Gibbens and Murray.

They need the guy at linebacker. It’s a glaring need, and I don’t know that they even tried with some of the linebackers at the top of this market. You may say that it takes two to tango…that maybe there was an offer on the table but the free agent has to also agree to come to Tennessee. So, you’re telling me they couldn’t convince at least one of Patrick Queen, Josey Jewell, Azeez Al-Shaair, Willie Gay, Frankie Luvu, Devin White, or even Sione Takitaki to come to Tennessee? That’s what’s frustrating – as far as we know, Jerome Baker was the only linebacker other than Murray that they were ever really interested in. If they were to play this game at offensive tackle, it wouldn’t be popular, but I could at least understand it because of how good this tackle class is. But, that’s not the case at linebacker. I like Payton Wilson, but that’s about it so far if we’re talking about guys who look NFL-ready. There’s a plethora of fun developmental prospects on Day 3 or as UDFAs, but the Titans already tried that route with Monty Rice and Jack Gibbens last year and look where it got them.

It was right there…a solid free agent linebacker class…and now, the market has dried up. Spare me the “they can wait for cuts” argument. No quality player is going to be cut during the summer. It’s not just that they simply didn’t get the linebacker they wanted. It’s that they let this class of quality free agents slip through their fingers like sand. I don’t think the linebacker position has been devalued. If you watched the Ravens and 49ers play in 2023, I don’t see how you could possibly think the position is unimportant because of how having two really good inside linebackers helped to unlock the full potential of each unit. But, maybe Carthon and Brian Callahan don’t see it that way.

Maybe their plan is to go after Dre Greenlaw or Nick Bolton in free agency next year. But, I don’t know that that would be a wise decision. They’ve preached patience this offseason and said that it’s going to be a multi-year process, but Amy Adams Strunk has shown us that when she feels like the team is trending in the wrong direction, she’s willing to make a change. Unless they’ve had clear communication about a three-year plan or something, I don’t think I’d want to test her patience.

I’m even willing to give them a pass for how they’ve handled the defensive line so far because while some might feel mixed up about this year’s draft class, I like the depth among defensive line prospects. But, come on, guys…the way they’ve handled the linebacker position has been baffling. It’s okay to be stoked about the rest of this free agent class. It’s also okay to be objective and admit that the Titans have botched the retooling of this linebacking corps so far. The pushback on this critique has been insane.

If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to The Unofficial Titans Podcast on Apple Podcasts, follow us on Spotify, or wherever you take in your podcasts!

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.

Subscribe to the SoBros Network Patreon here – $5/month gets you instant access to an exhaustive content library of articles, podcasts, and videos created exclusively for our subscribers!

Chesapeake Bay Candle Reviews: Rosewood Fig

Hello, and welcome in to the latest edition of Yankee Candle Reviews here on SoBros Network. I will be your host – the Fragrance Aficionado of SoBros Network, also the EIC, Stoney Keeley. My passion for Yankee Candle began in 2006, when I strolled into the location in Providence Marketplace in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. I picked up a jar of Autumn Woods, and found it captured the essence of the season perfectly. I’ve been hooked in this…well, you could even call it ‘romantic…’ relationship with Yankee Candle ever since. Today, we’re talking about Chesapeake Bay’s Rosewood Fig.

Man, there’s nothing that hits in the bedroom (minds out of the gutter) quite like a good essential oil candle. That’s something that Chesapeake Bay Candle does well. I’m not sure of what they’re arrangement is with Yankee Candle, but Rosewood Fig is the latest of a few Chesapeake Bay Candles that my wife and I have picked up wandering into our Yankee Candle store here in Mount Juliet. And, folks – it is absolutely PERFECT for this time of year.

It combines a little bit of all the seasonal heavyweights – floral, sweet, and outdoors – with a unique flare. The fig adds a nice subtle sweetness to the floral front notes, but it’s the wooden that stands out and makes this a memorable candle. Unlike Yankee Candle’s jar candles, this one burned pretty quickly. My wife burned it every night for a little bit and a couple weeks later, it was about gone. But, that’s the trade off for a good essential oil candle. Those things do tend to go quick, but the intense fragrance fills the room quicker than any other candle, in my opinion.

Recommended Burning: It’s been an unusually hot spring day. You’ve been out in the backyard doing yard work. The raw nature of physical labor in the sun caused sweat to stream down your face. You’ve worked up an insatiable sexual appetite. As the sun sets, you clean your body in a nearby stream. Upon bedding for the night, you light Rosewood Fig and give your partner back shots hard enough to mirror the raw nature of physical labor in the sun.

Check out the Yankee Candle archives here on SoBros Network for my extensive backlog of Yankee Candle reviews! Also, be sure to check out my comprehensive list of the top 100 Yankee Candle fragrances of all time. I worked on that thing for forever, so any read is appreciated, thank you. That is all.

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.

Subscribe to the SoBros Network Patreon here – $5/month gets you instant access to an exhaustive content library of articles, podcasts, and videos created exclusively for our subscribers!

Podcast: The Newest Tennessee Titans

I don’t really know what the plan is for the Titans at linebacker, but I’m not going to let that black cloud hang over what was largely a positive week in free agency last week. I was high on the additions of Tony Pollard, Lloyd Cushenberry, Chidobe Awuzie, Calvin Ridley, and Nick Folk. I’m fine with another deal for Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and the depth signing of Saahdiq Charles. And, I can cope with signing of Kenneth Murray as long as y’all keep flashing that RAS in my face whenever I doubt it.

On the latest episode of The Unofficial Titans Podcast, I hopped on the microphone to break down all of the action, why I like each signing, and what I think it says about the direction that Ran Carthon, Brian Callahan, Chad Brinker, and this new Titans regime want to take the franchise in.

If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to The Unofficial Titans Podcast on Apple Podcasts, follow us on Spotify, or wherever you take in your podcasts!

Listen to “Ep. 163: Free Agency and The Walking Dead” on Spreaker.

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.

Subscribe to the SoBros Network Patreon here – $5/month gets you instant access to an exhaustive content library of articles, podcasts, and videos created exclusively for our subscribers!

Podcast: St. Patrick’s Day in Nashville, 2024

It’s become yet another time-honored tradition here at SoBros Network…me, sitting alone with my microphone, ranting about how no one cares about St. Patrick’s Day in Tennessee. I don’t even bother to check the vibes anymore to see if maybe people DO care about St. Patrick’s Day now, and maybe I should…because as it turns out, there’s a massive Irish festival in town that kicked off on March 9th, and runs through St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday.

Nonetheless, me being an old curmudgeon set in his ways matters not in this conversation. What matters is that St. Patrick’s Day is upon us. I love the holiday – it’s the unofficial kickoff to spring, and as vibrant greens burst throughout the city’s landscape, it’s a sign that the great thawing of winter is underway and beautiful weather is on the horizon. It helps that I fucking LOVE corned beef and cabbage, among other Irish culinary staples (it’s a severely underrated cuisine in my book). So, as I’ve done for a couple of years now, I dig into some of the festivities happening around town to celebrate the holiday.

And, I couldn’t read a story from the Nashville Scene about RiverGate Mall being for sale and not lament the loss of the great era of indoor shopping malls, including RiverGate Mall and Hickory Hollow Mall, from the 1990s. Friday night used to be a special thing when you could go to Hickory Hollow, eat some Sir Pizza, and stop by the mall to see what you could get at KB Toys or Suncoast. It makes me wonder what kids these days covet in this era. Are they just going to Target in Providence on Friday night? Who knows? Anyway, let’s get to this week’s SoBros Power Hour.

If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to The SoBros Power Hour on Apple Podcasts, follow us on Spotify, or wherever you take in your shows.

Listen to “Ep. 111: St. Patrick's Day in Nashville, 2024” on Spreaker.

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.

Subscribe to the SoBros Network Patreon here – $5/month gets you instant access to an exhaustive content library of articles, podcasts, and videos created exclusively for our subscribers!

SoBros Investigates: The Most Popular Canned Beverage in Gladeville

Man, I don’t know why, but I have had the urge to get out in the field and do some real investigative journalism lately. Maybe it’s how knee deep I’ve gotten into the weeds on the NFL Draft. Maybe it’s my time freeing up a month after football season has concluded. I don’t know what it is, but I’ve been hearing the call that all good journalists hear in their sleep – “find the stories that Americans really care about.”

It’s been years since my hard hitting stories about what the back of a Lowe’s looks like, how hard it was raining in Hermitage that one time, and why they put bushes on the roof of Carraba’s. I thought for sure by now that I’d have my Pulitzer and at least one Grammy or Oscar, but life doesn’t always pan out the way we think. Nonetheless, I can’t let those feelings of defeat keep me from getting out there and digging up the truth for people. In my effort to come across a compelling story, a narrative spoke to me when I was at the dump a few weeks ago doing my recycling because I care about the future of our planet. I tossed my beer cans in the dumpster and thought to myself, “I wonder what Gladeville is drinking out of cans these days.”

Figuring that if I’m thinking it, at least 10 other people are thinking it (based on the saying from elementary school), I decided to snap a photo to investigate this matter more deeply. I had to act quick. Everyone hates journalists taking photos.

So now, I can compile my results and present my findings as an official study.

Courtesy of researchers at SoBros Network:

In a recent study conducted by SoBros Network, investigators found Miller Lite to be the most popular canned beverage in Gladeville. A study of over 200 cans (maybe) in a dumpster at the Stewart’s Ferry dump yielded positive results in favor of Miller Lite. The parameters of this study include taking a photo of cans tossed in the recycling bin at the dump and then eyeballing that photo to get a good feel for my how many cans are in the dumpster.

Miller Lite takes the crown based on the number of cans present, but also there’s a really old Miller Lite can in there too, which tells me that Gladeville has been drinking Miller Lite for a really long time. You might say Sprite based on the sheer volume of cans in this photo, but they’re all in one spot so those likely came from one household. Researchers counted that as one vote for Sprite. Coors Light, Coke Zero, and Diet Mountain Dew also make the list as popular canned beverages of choice in Gladeville. And, it’s worth noting that someone threw a can of Fancy Feast into this dumpster as well, however, Fancy Feast was not included in the parameters of this study.

Researchers would mention tangerine La Croix, but those are the researcher’s cans and the researcher knows for a FACT that tangerine La Croix is far from the best and only got it because it was better than the researcher’s other options (lime and pampelmousse) at the store the researcher bought them from.

Researchers hope this finally answers the important question, “just what are people in Gladeville drinking out of cans?

-SoBros Network, 2024

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.

Subscribe to the SoBros Network Patreon here – $5/month gets you instant access to an exhaustive content library of articles, podcasts, and videos created exclusively for our subscribers!

Trending Posts

It’s Totally Fair to Criticize the Titans Plan at Linebacker
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