Tag: Nicholas Petit-Frere

WATCH: Titans OL Nicholas Petit-Frere returns to practice

Petit-Frere will compete for the RT job

The Tennessee Titans were back on the practice field at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park on Saturday morning, and they have a familiar face returning to the mix.

Offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere, who was activated from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Friday, practiced with his teammates for the first time since last season.

Titans head coach Brian Callahan indicated that the coaching staff will ease him back into things.

Petit-Frere missed the start of the 2023 NFL season after being suspended for violating the NFL’s policy on gambling. He lost his job in the process but returned for three games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. Petit-Frere missed all of the Titans’ offseason team activities rehabbing the shoulder and undergoing cleanup knee surgery.

The 24-year-old will look to win the right tackle starting job, up against the likes of John Ojukwu, Jaelyn Duncan, and Leroy Watson, among others.

Here are some highlights of his return:

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Where Titans offensive line lands in new rankings

The 33rd Team recently published its list of offensive line power rankings, and the Tennessee Titans checked in at No. 26 overall.

The Tennessee Titans offensive line was arguably the biggest positional need going into the offseason. They finished the 2023 NFL season tied with the New York Jets for the fourth-most sacks allowed (64). Only the Carolina Panthers (65), Washington Commanders (65), and New York Giants (85) gave up more.

As such, Tennessee took measurable steps toward improving the offensive line, with free-agent signings center Lloyd Cushenberry and guard Saahdiq Charles. The Titans also took Alabama tackle JC Latham with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

However, one outlet is unconvinced that the acquisitions will yield positive results. The 33rd Team recently published its Offensive Line Power Rankings, and the Titans checked in at No. 26 overall.

Otherwise stated, the seventh-worst in the NFL.

It’s fair to expect Latham to endure the typical rookie-growing pains. However, the upside is enormous for a player responsible for just two sacks allowed during his college career. The addition of offensive line coach Bill Callahan should also provide a significant boost to the group.

The right side of the offensive line is the most questionable at this point of training camp. However, with Nicholas Petit-Frere recently activated from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, the Titans have to be hopeful that the 24-year-old is motivated to improve upon his disappointing 2023 season.

Petit-Frere will be competing for the starting job against undrafted free agent John Ojukwu, 2023 NFL draft pick Jaelyn Duncan, and Leroy Watson, who was acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Browns, among others.

Tennessee will almost certainly utilize the preseason to fine-tune the offensive line, which will be vital to keeping second-year quarterback Will Levis upright more often this coming season.

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Titans’ OL Nicholas Petit-Frere activated from PUP list

Petit-Frere can begin practicing immediately.

The Tennessee Titans have activated offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. The 24-year-old passed his physical exam and can begin practicing immediately.

Petit-Frere has not practiced with his teammates since suffering a season-ending shoulder injury on Nov. 2, last year, against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The former Ohio State standout was limited to just three games, including two starts, during the 2023 season. Petit-Frere was suspended for violating the NFL’s gambling policy to begin the year, lost his job in the process, and briefly returned before undergoing shoulder surgery.

Petit-Frere missed all of the Titans’ offseason activities rehabbing his shoulder and cleanup knee surgery. He was placed on the Active-PUP list before the start of training camp.

Petit-Frere will look to solidify the right side of the offensive line, a group that has been a weak spot in camp thus far. The Titans will resume training camp practices on Saturday.

Which under-the-radar player could shape the Titans’ 2024 season?

Which Tennessee player could help shape the 2024 season?

How good can the Tennessee Titans be in Brian Callahan’s first season as head coach?

The Titans had a busy offseason that began with a new coaching staff. They were busy in free agency, signing receivers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd and center Lloyd Cushenberry. In addition to signing Cushenberry, the Titans spent a top-10 pick on an offensive lineman (JC Latham) for the second consecutive year.

Tennessee’s moves appear to indicate that it is going all-in on second-year quarterback Will Levis.

While the Titans’ success or failure depends heavily on Levis, another player could significantly impact the season.

CBS Sports recently named 50 under-the-radar NFL players who could shape the 2024 season, and Titans right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere cracked the list.

23. Nicholas Petit-Frere (RT), Titans: Last year, the Titans signed Andre Dillard to a three-year deal, but he allowed 13 sacks — most in the NFL — and Tennessee ate nearly $8 million in dead cap to move on from him. In comes Petit-Frere, who struggled as a rookie and hardly played last year. The Titans have improved nearly all parts of Will Levis’ supporting cast: Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd at receiver, Tony Pollard at running back, first-round pick JC Latham at left tackle and Lloyd Cushenberry III at center. Petit-Frere needs to hold down the right side to help Levis’ development under new coach Brian Callahan.

Bill Callahan, Brian’s father, is arguably the NFL’s best offensive line coach. Petit-Frere, a 2022 third-round pick from Ohio State, has a chance to lock down the right tackle position for the foreseeable future. In his first two seasons, Petit-Frere has played in 19 games with 18 starts.

Unfortunately, he began this training camp on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list. The good news is he shouldn’t be out too long.

Titans place two players on PUP list on first day of training camp

Some injury-related news at the start of camp.

The Tennessee Titans officially opened up training camp on Tuesday, which is usually met with excitement about a fresh slate. However, the Titans placed two players on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

Offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere and wide receiver Colton Dowell will not participate when the team takes the field for practice on Wednesday. However, Petit-Frere could only be out for a brief time.

“(Petit-Frere) will be on the Active-PUP, which will be a couple of days as we start,” Callahan said via AtoZ Sports Nashville. “His injury is not related to his shoulder. His shoulder has been cleared. He had a clean-up surgery in the offseason after the first couple weeks of our offseason program.”

Petit-Frere will look to bounce back after an uneven 2023 campaign. The former 2022 third-rounder was suspended for the first five games of the season, lost his starting job, and logged three games before the shoulder injury in Week 9 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Dowell suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in Week 17’s matchup against the Houston Texans. The 2023 seventh-round draft pick finished his rookie season with one reception for three years in ten games, including one start.

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 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 place Nicholas Petit-Frere on IR among 5 moves

The Titans announced five roster moves on Saturday.

The Tennessee Titans announced a total of five moves on Saturday in advance of their Week 10 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The biggest of the bunch is the placement of offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere on injured reserve. Petit-Frere, who is dealing with a shoulder injury, will miss at least the next four games.

However, it will reportedly be longer than that, as Titans beat writer Paul Kuharsky reported earlier in the week that NPF’s shoulder injury would require surgery and he’s likely to miss the remainder of the season.

The team has yet to confirm that, though.

With NPF out, the Titans will need to fill the void at left tackle. There’s also a void at right guard this week, as Daniel Brunskill has been ruled out with an ankle injury.

Fans rightly want to see Dillon Radunz get the next crack at left tackle with the team unwilling to move Peter Skoronski over from left guard.

But as much as fans don’t want to hear it, chances are the Titans will deploy Andre Dillard in NPF’s stead and Radunz in place of Brunskill. Both players were spotted practicing at those positions during the week.

Now, a look at the rest of the moves the Titans made ahead of Sunday.

Report: Titans’ Nicholas Petit-Frere likely out for season

Titans offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere is reportedly likely out for the season.

Tennessee Titans offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere suffered a shoulder injury during the Week 9 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers that is reportedly likely to end his season.

According to Titans beat writer Paul Kuharsky, NPF is set to have surgery on his injured shoulder that will “most likely” sideline him for the remainder of the 2023 campaign.

A 2022 third-round pick, Petit-Frere missed the first four games of the season due to a suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy and ended up losing the starting right tackle job to Chris Hubbard in the process.

NPF saw his first action in Week 6, when he replaced a struggling Andre Dillard at left tackle.

The Ohio State product then moved back to right tackle in Week 8 after Hubbard exited with an injury that forced him to miss Week 9, also. NPF played just 17 snaps before leaving the Steelers game.

In 65 pass-block snaps between left and right tackle, NPF surrendered 11 pressures and three sacks, according to Pro Football Focus.

Assuming Hubbard returns in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Titans could deploy either Dillon Radunz or Dillard at left tackle.

There’s no question the choice should be Radunz, as he’s been good when given opportunities this season and Dillard has been an absolute disaster throughout.

If Hubbard doesn’t return, that would open the door wider for Dillard to play, but I’d prefer giving rookie Jaelyn Duncan a shot at either spot instead, and preferably at right tackle with Radunz on the left side.

Of course, we would love to see left guard Peter Skoronski get a shot at the position first, with Radunz playing left guard, but past comments by head coach Mike Vrabel make that seem unlikely.

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

Tennessee has more options on the practice squad in tackles Andrew Rupcich and John Ojukwu, one of whom will likely be promoted if the Titans don’t add from free agency.

Whatever the Titans decide to do, it shouldn’t include Dillard getting another chance.

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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.