Tag: Jaelyn Duncan

Titans’ T’Vondre Sweat may return to practice on Wednesday

When the Titans hit the field for their next open practice of OTAs on Wednesday, T’Vondre Sweat has a chance to be out there.

Tennessee Titans second-round pick and defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat was one of the more notable absences from the team’s first open practice of organized team activities last week.

After not taking part in the session, Sweat was revealed to be working with the “rehabbing group,” according to head coach Brian Callahan. It was later reported that Sweat’s injury is nothing serious.

There’s more good news on Sweat as the Titans prepare for their next open practice on Wednesday, with beat writer Paul Kuharsky reporting that Sweat may be able to return to practice.

Kuharsky also reports that offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan, who did not take part in last week’s session, either, is not expected to be back.

Both players are competing for a starting job in 2024, but Sweat has the better shot to earn one considering the lackluster options Tennessee has.

Duncan is in a position battle at right tackle that includes several players, so he can ill-afford to miss time this offseason.

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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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Titans’ Jaelyn Duncan talks getting emotional after Colts loss

Titans LT Jaelyn Duncan spoke about getting emotional following the loss to the Colts.

After the heartbreaking loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13, Tennessee Titans left tackle Jaelyn Duncan was seen with tears coming down his face following what was no doubt an emotional game for both teams.

Duncan made his second start at left tackle in the contest and no doubt took a step back after an impressive showing in his debut the week before. The Maryland product gave up three sacks in the losing effort.

Duncan admitted his desire to win and his individual performance played a factor in his emotional reaction to the disappointing defeat.

“To be honest, it’s kind of been like that ever since I started playing football,” he said, per Jim Wyatt. “I don’t really like losing; I don’t take losing lightly. I got a little emotional after the loss. Also, I could’ve performed a lot better. It’s being hard on myself, wishing I could take some plays back. It is what it is.”

Duncan, who noted that head coach Mike Vrabel told him the tears just mean he cares, said he feels he’s getting better every week.

“I feel like I get better every time I step out there,” he said. “I go ahead with great preparation, get ready for the week, and every time I step out there, the nerves and first-time jitters go away. This will be my third week out there so I’m just going to go out there and have some fun.”

One thing you can’t teach a player is the desire to win. Thankfully, that’s one quality Duncan isn’t lacking.

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Titans lead NFL in offensive snaps played by rookies since Week 8

Since Week 8, no team in the NFL has seen more offensive snaps from rookies than the Titans.

The Tennessee Titans have sneakily had one of the better and more productive rookie classes this season.

This has been a very encouraging development in Ran Carthon’s first year as general manager. Prior to his arrival, the Titans suffered through some truly horrendous draft classes in recent years, with the jury still being out on the 2022 class.

This year’s crop of rookies has been headlined by their first three picks, all of whom have shown the ability to be true building blocks for the future: left guard Peter Skoronski, quarterback Will Levis and running back Tyjae Spears.

You also have tight end Josh Whyle and offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan, who are raw players with loads of untapped potential in their own right.

The five of them have been the main rookie contributors, and they’re the reason why the Titans lead the NFL in most rookie snaps on offense since Week 8.

Over that span, the Titans’ first-year players have played a total of 862 snaps:

  • Levis: 282
  • Skoronski: 278
  • Spears: 144
  • Duncan: 78
  • Whyle: 69
  • WR Colton Dowell: 10
  • DB Matthew Jackson: 1

Jackson’s one snap is based on a technicality when the team ran a fake punt.

The Titans have produced 45 more rookie snaps than any other offense in the league, with the Chicago Bears (817), Green Bay Packers (740), Houston Texans (717) Carolina and Panthers (714) following behind them.

Not only are these young players getting valuable experience, but the Titans will have a good idea of how much they can depend on them as the team transitions into the future in 2024.

Barring any injuries, it’s a safe bet that the Titans will remain at or near the top of this list for the rest of the season.

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Titans rookies get a shoutout for Week 12 performance in Baldy’s Breakdowns

NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger highlighted three Titans rookies for their Week 12 performances.

NFL analyst and former offensive lineman Brian Baldinger had rave reviews for some of the Tennessee Titans’ rookies after their respective performances in Week 12.

Tennessee trotted out a rookie left side last Sunday with Jaelyn Duncan making his first career start at left tackle next to left guard Peter Skoronski.

This could’ve been a disaster when facing a Carolina Panthers front seven that includes Brian Burns, Derrick Brown, and Frankie Luvu.

But instead, the Titans’ rookies held their own. It wasn’t always pretty, but the line as a whole looked much better with them two holding down the left side of the offensive line.

In a separate video, Baldinger also praised rookie quarterback Will Levis for his incredible arm strength. This play highlighted below was one of Duncan’s lowest moments of the day, but he was bailed out by Levis’ big arm and ability to get the ball out quickly.

The Kentucky product was drilled right as he was releasing the ball, yet the pass still got to his target, Chig Okonkwo, which set the Titans up for an eventual touchdown.

The Titans’ 2023 season might not have many realistic hope going forward, but a lot of the rookies they brought in last offseason could end up being major building blocks going forward.

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Titans’ PFF grades and OL, coverage, pass-rush stats from Week 12

The Titans’ OFF grades and offensive line, coverage and pass-rush stats from Week 12.

With the Week 12 game against the Carolina Panthers in the books, it’s time to take a look at the Pro Football Focus grades and offensive line, coverage and pass-rush stats from Week 12.

Tennessee’s highest-graded player on either side of the ball was outside linebacker Arden Key, who notched a 90.3. Key had the biggest play of the day with his strip sack that the Titans recovered and eventually turned into six.

On offense, running back Derrick Henry was the Titans’ highest-graded player with an 82.3. The Alabama product found the end zone twice and finished with 76 yards on 18 carries.

What Titans fans are likely to be most interested in are the pass-block stats from rookie Jaelyn Duncan, who made his first career start at left tackle last week. Duncan got off to a bit of a shaky start with a pair of pressures allowed early on, but he settled in nicely after that.

Now, a look at how Duncan fared and much more from Week 12.

Biggest takeaways from Titans’ Week 12 win over Panthers

The biggest takeaways from the Titans’ Week 12 win over the Panthers.

The Tennessee Titans finally put one in the win column in Week 12 after beating the Carolina Panthers, 17-10. The victory was Tennessee’s first and only in the month of November.

The Titans also improved their record at Nissan Stadium this season to 4-0, although this was no doubt their ugliest win at home this season, especially considering the opponent.

It looked like the Titans would run away with the game after a strong first half, but the offense stalled from there, with rookie quarterback Will Levis having a bad second half that reminded us he still has a ways to go before Tennessee can crown him “the guy” for years to come.

Thankfully, the pass-rush finally showed up and led the way on a day when the Titans needed every bit of a great effort from the defense to overcome their woes on offense.

We’ll talk about Levis, the pass-rush and much more as we go through the biggest takeaways from Week 12.

Titans LT Jaelyn Duncan evaluates Week 12 performance

Titans LT Jaelyn Duncan gave an accurate assessment of his performance in Week 12.

One of the positives coming out of the Tennessee Titans’ ugly Week 12 win over the Carolina Panthers was the performance of rookie offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan, who made his first career start at left tackle.

Duncan wasn’t perfect by any means and certainly showed some of the flaws you’d expect out of a rookie making his first start. However, the Maryland product held his own throughout the contest and was certainly better than anything we’ve seen out of Andre Dillard this season.

The rookie accounted for at least two pressures, one against Brian Burns and another when he failed to pick up a blitz out of the slot. Thankfully, rookie signal-caller Will Levis was able to get the ball out fast enough to avoid sacks on those two reps.

Duncan also committed a false start penalty that turned a third-and-short into a third-and-long.

Other than those three plays, we didn’t hear much more about Duncan, which is always a good thing for an offensive lineman. Overall, it’s safe to say his first start was a success and he deserves another opportunity next week.

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Duncan rightly classified his play as “pretty good” but noted there’s room for him to be better.

“I think it went pretty good,” Duncan said, according to Paul Kuharsky. “Of course, there’s a lot of room for improvement. A couple of pressures but it’s the game, you’re going to make a mistake, but like I said, I think it went pretty good.”

When you consider the circumstances and what the Titans have gotten out of the left tackle position in 2023, Duncan’s performance was just about as good as anyone could’ve hoped for.

Now, it’s all about stacking good games, something Duncan will look to do when the Titans host the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13.

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Reviewing Titans LT Jaelyn Duncan’s first career start

Shaun Calderon takes a look at Titans rookie left tackle Jaelyn Duncan’s first career start against the Panthers.

Tennessee Titans rookie Jaelyn Duncan made his first career start at left tackle on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers and performed admirably.

It was a bit of a mixed bag, with some good plays along with some forgettable moments, which is to be expected for any rookie left tackle, let alone someone who was a sixth-round pick.

During the pre-draft process, Duncan was my ranked as my ninth-best tackle due to his athleticism and long-term upside that could be realized as long as whoever drafted him was patient in his development.

He showcased his fantastic movement skills several times in his debut, with the Maryland product reaching his man with ease a handful of times and sealing the edge.

He did a fantastic job of it on Derrick Henry’s second touchdown of the day.

He also had several impressive reps in pass protection against Brian Burns in which he stonewalled him at the point of attack.

It definitely wasn’t perfect, though. Duncan had a handful of rookie moments he undoubtedly would like back. There were a few occasions where the rookie struggled to anchor down and would get pushed into the backfield.

Duncan also got beat around the edge a few times, with one of those instances coming against Burns, resulting in a quarterback hit. Thankfully, Levis bailed him out by getting the ball out to Chig Okonkwo quickly.

There was another low moment where Levis audibly told the offensive line to watch out for cornerback Troy Hill, who was coming on a blitz, yet Duncan still got beat around the edge by Hill, which ended with a tackle for loss.

The Maryland product also had an unacceptable false start after the Panthers’ linebacker tried to time the snap count. Had Duncan been disciplined enough to wait a half-second longer, it would’ve been an offsides penalty and a free first down. Instead, the offense was pushed back into a third-and-long.

Overall, it was a solid game for the rookie offensive lineman, who I think earned the right to be the starter going forward over Andre Dillard.

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Titans’ Jaelyn Duncan talks starting at left tackle in Week 12

Titans left tackle Jaelyn Duncan talks about getting the opportunity to start in Week 12.

The Tennessee Titans have decided to go with yet another left tackle in Week 12, with the team set to start rookie Jaelyn Duncan at the position against the Carolina Panthers.

This is the right move for Tennessee when you consider their other option was veteran Andre Dillard, who has been a total disaster this season. Also, Duncan at least has a chance to be part of the team’s long-term plans, something Dillard absolutely does not.

Duncan has played just 28 snaps on offense this season, with 25 of them coming at right tackle last week after veteran Chris Hubbard exited early because of injury.

The Maryland product previously played three snaps at left tackle against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In his 28 snaps, Duncan hasn’t allowed a pressure or sack and has garnered an impressive pass-blocking grade of 80.9, per Pro Football Focus.

“I am really excited — it’s my first start as a rookie,” Duncan said after head coach Mike Vrabel made it official, per Jim Wyatt. “I just want to go out there, with no MAs (missed assignments), and go out there and play football.”

While he’s obviously taking on a different role this week after being a backup over the first 10 games, Duncan said he’s always taken the approach of preparing to be a starter, so things are no different ahead of his first start.

“They just told me to come in here every day and prepare like a starter — make sure you take a lot of notes, and make sure you take care of your body,” he said. “I have just been getting ready, preparing like I’ve always been, like I’m a starter, and I am starting now. I am just going to go out there and play ball, try not to overthink things, not get in my head about anything, and just ball out.”

Duncan has no doubt been impressive in a small sample size, but in reality he’s a total wild card until he gets through a full game’s worth of snaps.

If he struggles, it’ll be back to the drawing board at left tackle. But if Duncan proves he’s capable of handling the position in Week 12 and over the rest of the season, the Titans might be able to cross a major need off their list for 2024.

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