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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