Report: Titans expected to keep OT Andre Dillard

The Titans are reportedly expected to keep Andre Dillard in 2024.

Just about everyone on the planet thought the Tennessee Titans would cut left tackle Andre Dillard after a disastrous 2023 campaign, but it appears that may not be the slam dunk we all expected it would be.

In fact, according to Adam Caplan of Pro Football Network, the Titans are expected to keep Dillard around for 2024. And, Caplan adds that if Dillard sticks around, the team could hold a competition at right tackle between Jaelyn Duncan and Nicholas Petit-Frere.

While their plan could change, Tennessee is currently expected to retain veteran LT Andre Dillard, league sources said.

Dillard, who signed a three-year, $29 million deal last March, started 10 games last season for the Titans but was benched for some others. It’s worth noting that $6 million of his $9 million base salary for this season becomes fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the new league year, a league source confirmed. The new league year opens at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

If the Titans stick with Dillard, it would be expected that third-year OT Nicholas Petit-Frere and second-year OT Jaelyn Duncan would compete for the starting RT job. But even so, that wouldn’t preclude Tennessee from drafting a left tackle or adding competition to that position in free agency.

If Dillard is the starting left tackle for Week 1, there might be a mutiny in Tennessee. Keeping him would be much more digestible if the plan is to leave him on the bench as a backup on a reduced salary — and even then I’d have nightmares about the possibility of him getting into an actual game.

After all, he was the worst left tackle in the sport after signing a three-year, $29 million deal, and was so bad that we longed for the days of Dennis Daley.

Just in case you thought there was some hope that Dillard could be fixed by an elite offensive line coach like Bill Callahan, bear in mind that the former first-round pick was once coached by Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, who is equally respected around the NFL.

As for the other part of this report, you can’t talk about an in-house battle at right tackle without mentioning Dillon Radunz as a candidate after the former second-round pick finished the 2023 season strong at the position.

Some believe Radunz is best suited to be a guard, and that may very well be true. However, he should be considered the favorite for the right tackle job if the Titans don’t make a big splash at the position in free agency and don’t plan on moving Radunz to guard.

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5 Titans who could get a contract extension in 2024

A look at five Titans who are under contract for 2024 that could get an extension this year.

The Tennessee Titans have a slew of free agents to make decisions on this offseason, but there are also some players who are under contract for 2024 that could become candidates for an extension at some point, either before or during the upcoming season.

While the Titans will re-sign some of those pending free agents, I wouldn’t exactly consider that an extension, thus none of the 27 players set to hit the open market in March will be included in this list.

With that in mind, here’s a look at five players who are under contract for 2024 that could be candidates for a contract extension at some point before they hit free agency in 2025.

Titans tied for most O-linemen drafted in Rounds 1-3 since 2019

The Titans are tied for the most offensive line picks in the first three rounds of drafts since 2019.

Only two teams in the NFL have drafted as many offensive lineman in the first three rounds of drafts as the Tennessee Titans have since 2019.

Ian Hartitz of Fantasy Life crunched the numbers and they show the Titans have taken a total of five offensive lineman from Rounds 1 to 3 over the previous five drafts.

That’s tied for the most in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants.

That’s significant because, despite the high number, the Titans have sported one of the worst offensive lines in the league for three years running.

Tennessee gave up 47 sacks in 2021 (seventh-most), 49 in 2022 (tied fifth-most) and 64 in 2023 (tied fourth-most). The Titans also gave up 56 sacks in 2019, the third-most in the league.

The five linemen Tennessee has drafted in the first three rounds in that span are Nate Davis (2019), Isaiah Wilson (2020), Dillon Radunz (2021), Nicholas Petit-Frere (2022) and Peter Skoronski (2023). Of course, Davis and Wilson are no longer with the team.

Davis was OK over his four years in Nashville but dealt with injury issues and it’s safe to say he didn’t pan exactly how Tennessee had hoped, and Wilson was one of the worst draft picks in NFL history.

After two rocky years that included a torn ACL in 2022, Radunz finally started showing he may be a starting-caliber player in his third season following a strong finish.

NPF had an up-and-down rookie season in 2022 before losing his starting job in 2023 following a gambling suspension, and then he suffered a season-ending injury after struggling in his limited opportunities.

Skoronski had his issues during his rookie campaign but it was a solid season nonetheless. It’s important to note that the Northwestern product was learning a new position and had to overcome an appendectomy that sapped his weight and strength. He managed to finish the season strong, though.

Former general manager Jon Robinson was an absolute disaster in the draft after an incredible 2019 class, but his misses along the offensive line were easily the most glaring.

There is still time, however, for NPF and Radunz to prove Robinson right.

Current general manager Ran Carthon looks to have hit on his first offensive line pick in the first three rounds (Skoronski) and there’s a chance he’ll get another crack at it this year with the Titans set to rebuild their offensive line.

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Titans offseason preview at OT: Pending free agents, biggest needs

In our latest offseason preview for the Titans, we take a look at the team’s offensive tackle situation

The Tennessee Titans are staring down the barrel of an offensive line rebuild in 2024 after the team was absolutely putrid in that area last season.

The Titans surrendered a total of 64 sacks in 2023, tied for the fourth-most in the NFL. It was also the third consecutive season in which Tennessee finished top seven in that category.

The weakest link was no doubt at left tackle, where the Titans saw veteran Andre Dillard give up 12 sacks and rookie Jaelyn Duncan surrender nine. Dillard’s 12 were tied for the most in the league, and Duncan was ranked fourth.

The right side wasn’t as bad thanks to Chris Hubbard and a late surge by Dillon Radunz, but both had their issues, also.

While left tackle is the biggest gaping hole upfront for the Titans, right tackle is also a question mark going into 2024. We’ll take a look at both spots in our latest offseason preview for Tennessee.

5 Titans who could have a bigger role in 2024

A look at five Titans players who could have a bigger role in 2024.

The Tennessee Titans’ quest to get out of the cellar of the AFC South will begin in earnest in March, when the team ventures into free agency loaded with a ton of cap space.

After that, the Titans will take to the 2024 NFL draft, where they’ll hope to find young players who can help them transition into the next chapter of the franchise and be long-term solutions.

But the Titans also have to evaluate their own players to see if they have some in-house solutions for some of their needs, whether those needs are starting or backup roles.

With that in mind, here’s a look at five Titans players under contract for 2024 who could see a bigger role with the team. Players on this list either showed flashes in 2023, played well all season long, or had a strong finish to the season.

Dillon Radunz vows to stop false starts in funny social media exchange

Titans OL Dillon Radunz showed he’s good at taking criticism during a funny social media exchange after the Week 14 win.

Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Dillon Radunz has had an up-and-down tenure since becoming a starting right tackle for this team.

His good reps are really impressive when he plays with good technique and balance. On the flip side, his bad reps can be ugly. The most frustrating part of Radunz’s game at the moment has to be how undisciplined he is when it comes to penalties.

According to Pro Football Focus, the North Dakota State product is tied for the third-most penalties in the league with 10, and he especially struggles with false starts.

Radunz often tries to anticipate the snap count, but he does a poor job of it, which leads to unacceptable and back-breaking penalties that push the offense back.

After more false starts in Week 14, Titans beat writer Paul Kuharsky called the former second-round pick a “terrible” draft pick, creating a funny exchange in which Radunz vowed to cut out his false starts while also showing how well he handles criticism.

There is certainly some truth to Kuharsky’s criticism, but it’s nice to at least see Radunz acknowledging his issues while also not letting it bother him too much. Football is a game where players must have a short memory, and if they let things linger in their mind, it’s only going to cause more issues.

It’s hard to envision Radunz being a long-term answer along the offensive line at this point, but he certainly can continue adding some much-needed depth to a unit that needs all the capable bodies it can get.

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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.

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Titans’ Dillon Radunz: More practice reps at LT should help

Titans OL Dillon Radunz is hopeful that more preparation at left tackle during the week will help improve his play.

After weeks of asking for Dillon Radunz to get a chance at left tackle, Tennessee Titans fans and media got their wish during the Week 10 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when Radunz replaced left tackle Andre Dillard, who exited early with a concussion.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as well as everyone had hoped, as Radunz struggled his way to seven pressures and a sack allowed, which drew a negative review from head coach Mike Vrabel.

“Dillon finished the game, and Dillon admittedly wasn’t up to the standard that we need,” Vrabel said on Monday, per Jim Wyatt.

With Dillard still in the concussion protocol on Wednesday, Vrabel said that the Titans would have Radunz and rookie Jaelyn Duncan getting practice reps at left tackle during the week.

But one would have to imagine that Radunz is the favorite to get the start, considering Duncan’s lack of experience (he’s only played three offensive snaps this season).

Radunz, who has previously said he’s most comfortable on the left side, says he’s excited to possibly get another crack at the position.

“That’s where I played my whole career in college, and that’s where I developed as an offensive lineman,” he said, according to Wyatt. “So, any opportunity I get, (I’m) excited to do that.”

While Radunz’s Week 10 performance doesn’t instill a lot of confidence for Week 11, there’s hope things can get better, seeing as how the North Dakota State product will get a week’s worth of practice reps at left tackle this time around, something he didn’t get last week after preparing to play right guard.

Radunz believes the increased preparation will help.

“Obviously you’re not in as much of a groove when you don’t work it all week,” Radunz explained. “Going from right guard to left tackle during the game is obviously a lot harder than just repping left tackle all week and then playing left tackle… I needed to be better out there at left tackle (in Tampa), there’s no doubt about that. But hopefully this week we’ll be able to make some corrections and get some technique down and we’ll be good to go.”

Vrabel agreed that the increased reps during the week could end up benefitting Radunz on Sunday.

“I’m sure there’s something to being able to have some work there consistently and not just limited snaps,” he said, per John Glennon of Nashville Post.

Radunz has managed to revive his career after serving as a versatile and dependable backup for Tennessee in 2023. But he can take that revival to another level if he can simply play competent at left tackle the rest of the way.

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Titans’ Dillon Radunz, Jaelyn Duncan to get practice reps at LT

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel revealed that Dillon Radunz and Jaelyn Duncan would get reps at left tackle in practice this week.

The Tennessee Titans have a left tackle problem going into Week 11 — stop me if you’ve heard that one before.

Not only has Andre Dillard been awful, his status for the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars is up in the air after exiting the Week 10 contest early due to a concussion.

Head coach Mike Vrabel provided an update on Dillard on Wednesday, saying the veteran was in concussion protocol and wouldn’t practice.

Knowing that, Vrabel revealed that offensive lineman Dillon Radunz would see reps at left tackle during practice this week, along with rookie Jaeyln Duncan.

Radunz took Dillard’s place versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and gave up seven pressures and one sack, which led to a less-than ideal review from Vrabel, who said Radunz didn’t meet the standard they are looking for.

“Dillon finished the game, and Dillon admittedly wasn’t up to the standard that we need,” Vrabel said on Monday, per Jim Wyatt.

In fairness to Radunz, he didn’t get practice reps at the position all week leading up to the game, so hopefully getting some work there during the week will help him if he starts on Sunday.

I’m not sure the Titans can expect much more from Duncan, who has seen just three offensive snaps this season, all of which came at left tackle in Week 8 when Tennessee’s linemen were dropping like flies.

Duncan didn’t give up a pressure or sack in two pass-block snaps, but that’s not even close to a big enough sample size to know how it’ll go with him should he get the nod.

Tennessee is once again avoiding the approach of putting left guard Peter Skoronski in that spot, which is a mistake considering he’s the only hope the Titans have of finding a long-term, in-house solution before heading into the 2024 offseason, where left tackle will be a top priority.

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Mike Vrabel ‘very confident’ Titans can fix their protection issues

Vrabel also hinted the Titans could take a look at someone else at left tackle moving forward.

The Week 10 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was more of the same for the Tennessee Titans’ offense: the offensive line was overmatched and that led to no semblance of a passing or rushing attack.

More importantly, quarterback Will Levis was constantly getting hit, with the Bucs tallying four sacks, 13 QB hits and 21 pressures overall.

The Titans were missing two starters in Nicholas Petit-Frere and Daniel Brunskill, the latter of whom has been one of the team’s best offensive linemen this season.

Tennessee replaced NPF with Andre Dillard and Brunskill with Dillon Radunz, but Radunz ended up moving to left tackle after Dillard exited early, which paved the way for Andrew Rupcich to get some action at right guard.

Titans fans (myself included) have been yearning for Radunz to get a shot on the left side, but things didn’t go the way anyone had hoped they would, with the North Dakota State product playing poorly en route to a team-high seven pressures and one sack allowed.

On Monday, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel rightly said Radunz’s showing was not up to snuff and hinted the team could take a look at other players there, including rookie Jaelyn Duncan.

“Dillon (Radunz) finished the game (and left tackle), and Dillon admittedly wasn’t up to the standard that we need,” Vrabel said, per Jim Wyatt. “He’s played some good snaps for us. Jaelyn Duncan is available to potentially play, or compete for an opportunity, and a couple of guys on the practice squad.”

The one positive to take away from Levis performance was that he wasn’t afraid to stand in the pocket and continue to try and make plays despite everything going on around him.

Vrabel credited the rookie signal-caller’s toughness, although he says the Titans are challenging that too much with poor pass protection.

“We believe in Will’s toughness and we also believe we don’t need to challenge it as much as we have,” Vrabel said, while also pointing out the obvious that Tennessee has to “continue to protect him, and develop him, and have him help us.”

The chances of the Titans fixing their pass protection issues with the players they currently have are slim and none, but Vrabel remains optimistic that Tennessee will turn things around.

“I’m very confident,” Vrabel said, per Paul Kuharsky. “That’s what our job is here. We’re here to fix problems and none of us have been good enough at any position, at any level. That’s our job, that’s what I’m going to do and I know that’s what our team is going to do. We’ll give ourselves a chance, we’ll get a plan together and get back to work.”

While I appreciate Vrabel’s optimism, there is no way the pass protection will get fixed in 2023, barring a miracle turnaround. The Titans DO NOT have the players on the current roster to fix their woes, with the possible exception of Peter Skoronski at left tackle.

It’s going to take a successful 2024 offseason to fix all of their issues. Until then, the concern is that this awful offensive line is going to get the Titans’ young quarterback hurt and/or stunt his development.

It would be a major victory if Levis can continue to show improvement and finish the year in one piece.

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