Tag: Andre Dillard

6 biggest questions for Titans going into Week 12

The six biggest questions for the Titans going into their Week 12 game against the Panthers.

The Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers will square off in Week 12 in a game between two teams who have been among the most inept in the NFL.

Tennessee sports a 3-7 record and has lost five of its last six games, with all of those losses coming away from Nissan Stadium. Thankfully, this one is in Nashville, where the Titans are 3-0 this season.

Meanwhile, the Panthers have the league’s worst record at 1-9, with their only victory coming in Week 8 against the Houston Texans.

This game will also feature two young quarterbacks who were drafted in 2023 in Will Levis and Bryce Young. Both players have been victims of protection issues, but Levis has shown some flashes while Young’s year remains a major disappointment.

With the Titans being a hot mess right now, there are no shortage of questions going into Week 12. We’ve sorted through the garbage to provide the six biggest going into this contest.

Titans moving Dillon Radunz to RT, considering Andre Dillard for LT

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said Andre Dillard is being considered for left tackle in Week 12.

With veteran Chris Hubbard reportedly out for the season, it was thought the Tennessee Titans would have some combination of rookie Jaelyn Duncan and Dillon Radunz at the two tackle spots in Week 12 against the Carolina Panthers, but the team is apparently considering a third option.

When speaking before the team’s walkthrough on Tuesday, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel revealed Radunz would work at right tackle and the team would give both Duncan and Andre Dillard a look at left tackle in practice.

Dillard, who was ruled out last week due to a concussion, returned to the practice field on Tuesday and is expected to be ready to roll for Sunday, according to Vrabel.

There are multiple reasons why going back to Dillard would be frustrating.

For starters, he’s been the team’s worst offensive lineman this season, which is saying a lot considering how bad the entire unit has been.

Furthermore, the Titans could be deploying someone who is highly unlikely to be on the team next year in place of a younger player who at least has a chance to factor into Tennessee’s long-term plans.

Duncan saw 25 snaps in Week 11 after Hubbard left early and he didn’t allow a pressure or sack in 12 pass-blocking snaps. Sure, a small sample size, but that’s enough to garner him a longer look, especially considering the alternative.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Titans injury updates: Treylon Burks, Sean Murphy-Bunting, more

Some Titans injury updates ahead of their Week 12 game against the Panthers.

As if things couldn’t get any worse for the 2023 Tennessee Titans, who currently sport a 3-7 record and are on the fast track to a lost season, Tennessee is also dealing with some injuries.

The Titans’ offensive line suffered a big blow on Monday night when it was reported that right tackle Chris Hubbard would likely miss the rest of the season due to a biceps injury.

Hubbard, who reportedly plans on playing next season as he prepares to turn 33, was a pleasant surprise for Tennessee overall after winning the job out of training camp, basically by default.

With Hubbard on the shelf, the Titans are likely to deploy rookie Jaelyn Duncan at right tackle after he played well in a small sample size versus Jacksonville.

The Titans should do their best to give that job to Duncan the rest of the way, barring his being an absolute disaster. Tennessee has to see what it has in its younger players before a 2024 offseason in which the Titans are likely to make massive changes on both sides of the ball.

On Monday, head coach Mike Vrabel provided injury updates on some of Tennessee’s wounded. Here’s what he had to say about offensive tackle Andre Dillard, wide receiver Treylon Burks and cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting.

Tyson Campbell out, Zay Jones questionable vs. Titans

The Jaguars ruled out two and listed four players, including Zay Jones, as questionable.

The Jacksonville Jaguars ruled out return specialist Jamal Agnew and cornerback Tyson Campbell for a Week 11 contest against the Tennessee Titans and listed another four players as questionable.

The statuses of wide receiver Zay Jones, offensive tackle Anton Harrison, defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris, and wide receiver Parker Washington are all up in the air.

Jones, who has been in the headlines this week after his Monday arrest, has been out of action since re-injuring his knee in Week 5.

With Campbell out of action, the Jaguars will turn to second-year cornerbacks Montaric Brown and Gregory Junior to fill the void. The absence of Agnew will likely mean Washington is activated from the injured reserve Saturday to take over return duties.

The Titans ruled out three players and listed two as questionable. Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting and offensive tackle Andre Dillard are the two most significant losses for Tennessee.

Dillon Radunz is expected to be the starting left tackle Sunday in Dillard’s place.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Jamal Agnew, Tyson Campbell sit out Wednesday practice

Two Jaguars players sat out Wednesday and four, including receiver Zay Jones, were limited.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were without return specialist Jamal Agnew and cornerback Tyson Campbell at Wednesday practice and had four players limited.

On a rainy day in Jacksonville that forced the team inside the Miller Electric Center practice facility, offensive lineman Anton Harrison, wide receiver Zay Jones, defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris, and wide receiver Parker Washington were all limited.

Jones was arrested Monday on a domestic battery charge, but was back at practice two days later as he continues to work to return from a knee injury.

Washington has been on injured reserve since suffering a knee injury in Week 4, but his 21-day window to return was opened Wednesday morning.

The Jaguars’ Week 11 opponent, the Tennessee Titans, listed 11 players on their injury report, although that included six who practiced fully.

The Titans’ offensive line has been banged up for much of the year and is now hoping starting left tackle Andre Dillard will return from a concussion suffered in Week 10. Wide receiver Treylon Burks missed the team’s last game due to a concussion.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Titans injury updates: Treylon Burks, Daniel Brunskill, SMB, more

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel provided injury updates on four different players on Wednesday.

Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel met with the media on Wednesday before practice and gave injury updates on a handful of players ahead of the Week 11 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Among the players Vrabel mentioned were wide receiver Treylon Burks, right guard Daniel Brunskill, cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting and left tackle Andre Dillard. In addition, SMB and Brunskill added to the information given by their head coach.

Brunskill (ankle), Burks (concussion) and SMB (thumb) sat out last week’s game while Dillard (concussion) exited early. Here’s a look at the updates Vrabel provided for each.

Stock up, stock down for Titans going into Week 10

Shaun Calderon takes a look at the players (and a coach) who either improved or hurt their stock the most in Week 9.

The Tennessee Titans have had a handful of days to digest their deflating 20-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last Thursday, a game that wasn’t a pretty contest by any means.

There were a lot of moments the team certainly wishes it could have back. In fact, if the Titans somehow find a way to go on a second-half run but fall just short of making the playoffs, this is the kind of game that they’ll look back on as one that got away.

Despite the loss, there were some players who found a way to improve their individual stock ahead of a Week 10 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

On the contrary, several others ended up lowering theirs by the end of the weekend.

Scroll down below to see which three players we felt raised their stocks and which players/coaches ended up lowering theirs after the disappointing defeat at the hands of the Steelers.

Titans injury updates after Week 9: Treylon Burks, offensive linemen

Some injury updates on Titans WR Treylon Burks and multiple offensive linemen.

The Tennessee Titans were dealing with some injuries going into their Week 9 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and now have more to worry about after the game.

The most notable of the bunch was wide receiver Treylon Burks, who was involved in a scary moment after he was down on the field for a while following his attempt to catch a pass in the fourth quarter.

Thankfully, Burks avoided serious injury and was able to make his way to the team’s facility on Friday, but he is in the concussion protocol, head coach Mike Vrabel revealed.

“He’s on his way in,” Vrabel said, per Jim Wyatt. “He is in concussion protocol. There was a brief loss of consciousness, that’s why (medical personnel) reacted in the manner in which they did.

“It sounds like everybody did exactly what they were supposed to do based on the protocol and making sure Treylon’s well being was looked over as quickly and correctly as possible.”

The Titans saw four different starting offensive linemen leave the field during the game, with center Aaron Brewer being the only one who didn’t. Nicholas Petit-Frere was the only injured player who didn’t return.

Vrabel said it was too early to know about their statuses, as each are undergoing tests to determine what they’re dealing with.

“It’s too soon right now,” he said. “Guys are just getting MRIs. Give Daniel Brunskill a lot of credit for competing, and fighting through some sort of injury. Nick couldn’t finish, and pretty much all of them went down for a snap or two. We’ll know more after this weekend, and how everyone is feeling.”

Vrabel also added that right tackle Chris Hubbard, who missed Week 9 with a concussion, could return to practice next week.

Another notable injury happened to cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, who left after the first series of the game with a thumb injury. There was no update with SMB as of Friday.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Titans’ winners and losers from Week 9 loss to Steelers

The biggest winners and losers from the Titans’ Week 9 loss to the Steelers on Thursday night.

The Tennessee Titans once again failed to produce back-to-back wins after dropping their Week 9 game to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-16.

With the loss, the Titans now move to 3-5 on the season and sport an 0-4 record on the road. If you include the Week 6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in London, Tennessee is now 0-5 away from Nissan Stadium this season.

Adding to that, the Steelers continue to own the Titans, with Pittsburgh now having won each of the last five meetings with Tennessee.

It’s safe to say that the Titans’ playoff hopes are, at best, on life support.

On the bright side, we saw another impressive performance from rookie signal-caller Will Levis, who was making his first road start in prime time. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to overcome everything else that went wrong.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from Week 9.

Titans’ Nicholas Petit-Frere on track to start at LT in Week 8

Titans OT Nicholas Petit-Frere is on track to get the start at left tackle this week.

The Tennessee Titans appear to have thrown in the towel on the Andre Dillard at left tackle experiment after benching him in favor of fellow offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere in Week 6.

When asked about the position on Tuesday, head coach Mike Vrabel said NPF would be working with the starters at left tackle in practice this week and Dillard is moving to a swing (or backup) role.

“Nick will be out there today with the 1s,” Vrabel said, per Jim Wyatt of the team’s official website. “Andre needs to prepare as the starter and be ready to play both sides, and when he gets another opportunity, take advantage of it.”

Petit-Frere, who was suspended for the first four games of the season, made his 2023 debut in Week 6 when he came in the game for Dillard.

However, he definitely had his issues, with NPF giving up the same amount of pressures (four) and one more sack (two) than Dillard totaled in eight less snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

But it’s important to remember this was Petit-Frere’s very first action in his second year and it came at a position he hasn’t played at in the NFL yet, so he should get a longer look.

The thought all along has been that 2023 first-round pick and left guard Peter Skoronski, who was a great left tackle in college, would get a shot at some point.

Unfortunately, Vrabel put a damper on that idea and made it sound like Skoronski will stay at left guard for the long haul. Hopefully that changes should things go south with Petit-Frere.

“He’s going to be a left guard,” Vrabel said of Skoronski, per Paul Kuharsky. “We think that’s going to be a really, really good position for him.”

The Titans would be doing themselves a disservice to not at least take a look at Skoronski at left tackle if NPF doesn’t pan out. After all, the rookie could very well be a long-term solution at one of the most important positions on offense, which would make Tennessee’s potential rebuild at least a bit easier.

It’s understandable to be hesitant about switching a young player’s position and risking it not working out and having to move him back, but I think Skoronski is good enough and mature enough to handle that.

As far as Dillard is concerned, he now becomes a top cut candidate for the Titans in 2024, barring an epic turnaround. For now, he’ll be lurking in the shadows hoping for another opportunity, either at left or right tackle, something I don’t see happening unless injuries occur.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]