The Titans Offensive Line Seems Set, But Still Have Work To Do

The revamped Tennessee Titans offensive line seems set as far as players and positions, but there's still a lot of work to do before they are ready for the regular season.

Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

NASHVILLE - New Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon inherited a mess when he arrived in Nashville for his first day on the job. His first order of business was to improve an offensive line that ranked as one of the worst in the NFL in 2022.

Not only were they bad, but they had some high-priced veterans coming off injuries and players entering free agency off expired contracts.  

Taylor Lewan, Ben Jones, Nate Davis, and Dennis Daley are gone from last year's opening game unit, leaving only Nicholas Petite-Frere and Aaron Brewer as returning starters from last season.  

Enter new Titans Andre Dillard, Daniel Brunskill, Peter Skoronski, and Jaelyn Duncan, among others, who must combine to fix the issues of a season ago.   

Through OTAs and minicamp, head coach Mike Vrabel, offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, and offensive line coach Jason Houghtaling have settled on what seems to be their starting five for their offensive line.

Still, more work must be done before this group is ready for its season opener against the Saints in New Orleans. 

Here are the starters as they stood at the end of OTAs and what we expect to see entering training camp on July 25.

STARTING FIVE

Left Tackle: Andre Dillard 

A former first-round draft selection of the Eagles, Dillard never found a spot as a starter in Philadelphia. There's no doubt that the physical talent is there, with size, movement, and strength, but there is still a level of inexperience despite his years in the league. Dillard made it clear that he was here to be the left tackle, and so far, that is where he has spent most of his time during the recent OTAs and minicamp. He will enter training camp at this spot but must continue working, growing, and improving to hold onto it. 

Left Guard: Peter Skoronski

The Titan's 2023 first-round selection, Skoronski, came to Nashville as a left tackle. While many assumed that would be his position, he stepped into the left guard position shortly after the rookie minicamp concluded. He has spent most of the reps during OTAs and minicamp in that spot. He has the physical build of a big, strong, physical guard but never played there before joining the Titans. It's a transition, and Skoronski must improve his technique and quickly learn the communication with his fellow linemen to be ready for the start of the season.   

Tennessee Titans Aaron Brewer (55) and James Empey (66) warm up during an NFL football minicamp Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn :: Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Center: Aaron Brewer

Brewer spent his time last season at left guard, a returning starter, but now moves to his natural center position, replacing the departed Jones. The former undrafted rookie has big shoes to fill, not only as the center but as a leader along the line and with the team, where Jones stood out during his time in two-tone blue. Undersized, Brewer has gotten good reviews from Houghtaling, with the caveat that he still needs to improve his technique. 

Right Guard: Daniel Brunskill

The former 49ers utilityman brings versatility, along with size, strength, and a bit of a nasty streak, to this unit. He came to Nashville because of his relationship with Carthon and the opportunity to become a regular starter. Having found a place as a starter, Brunskill now must work to gel with the others to form a cohesive unit.  

Right Tackle: Nicholas Petite-Frere

Petite-Frere returns for his second season in the NFL and as the Titans right tackle. As expected, he had his struggles during his rookie campaign. At the same time, because of the struggles of Daley at left tackle, the Titans spent most of their resources trying to support him, leaving Petite-Frere to fend for himself more often than not without blocking help. Houghtaling spoke highly of the improvement of Petite-Frere both physically and in his technique, as the former Ohio State Buckeye dedicated himself to improving both during this offseason. 

Swing Tackle: Jaelyn Duncan 

The massive Maryland rookie has spent time at both tackle spots from the start of OTAs and has responded well, considering he was exclusively a left tackle throughout his college career. One look at Duncan in person, and it's clear he has great size, both in height and in circumference, and he has shown the ability to stone onrushing defenders in those practices that have been open to the media. At the same time, he is still a rookie and needs to continue to learn the playbook, his assignments, and his technique, but with time and work, Duncan could push for a starting role in the coming seasons. 

Titans Related Stories

• TITANS DRAFT PICKS AND THE ROLES WE SEE FOR THEM THIS SEASON: The Titans added six draft picks in April's draft, so what roles will they fill this season? CLICK HERE 
• THE GREAT RYAN TANNEHILL DEBATE RAGES ON FOR TITANS FANS, AND MEDIA ALIKE: When it comes to Ryan Tannehill as the starting quarterback, both fans and media continue to debate him and his play as the starter and where he can take this team this season. CLICK HERE 
• DENICO AUTRY GETTING BETTER WITH AGE FOR TITANS: The veteran defensive end/linebacker has continued to improve, even though he will turn 33 in July. CLICK HERE