There is a financial shift taking place in the NFL, and Peter Skoronski has become its poster child. Franchises are putting a much heavier emphasis on the interior of both the offensive and defensive lines, seeking out guards, centers, and defensive tackles more aggressively than in recent years.
The Tennessee Titans recently inked Skoronski to a four-year, $100 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid guard in football. As valuable as guards are in the modern NFL, the deal was met with some criticism.
Skoronski's spot in Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus's guard rankings is just one piece of evidence in his favor. The Titans' lineman ranked sixth among all guards, helping justify his monster extension.
Titans G Peter Skoronski is worth every penny of his $100 million contract
Joe Thuney, Quinn Meinerz, Quenton Nelson, Chris Lindstrom, and Kevin Dotson were the only guards ranked ahead of Skoronski. All five players have been in the NFL for at least two years longer than the Titans' guard and are already well beyond their rookie contracts.
As Wasserman said, "Skoronski is a budding star and already the anchor of Tennessee‘s offensive line heading into his fourth NFL season."
Skoronski has already solidified himself as a top-ten guard, and he's still not close to realizing his full potential. The 25-year-old has reduced his number of sacks allowed and pressures allowed in each of the last two seasons, allowing pressure on just 1.9% of his pass-blocking snaps last season.
He's growing as a run blocker, too, earning a career-best PFF run blocking grade of 73.2 in 2025. Moving defenders in the run game might not be his biggest strength, but he has become a quality piece in that area.
Skoronski is the bright spot of what is still considered to be one of the worst offensive lines in football. If the Titans are going to build a competent unit to protect quarterback Cam Ward, it starts with their $100 million man.
Before Skoronski signed his deal, Atlanta Falcons guard Matthew Bergeron was the joint-highest-paid player at the position. Bergeron's deal, signed earlier this offseason, is worth a total of $96 million over four years.
Bergeron placed 16th in Wasserman's rankings. He's an above-average starter at guard, but he's nowhere near elite territory. For just $1 million more per year, the Titans locked down one of the best guards in the sport for the long haul.
The deal already looks like a win for Tennessee. If Skoronski takes another step forward under offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, this will emerge as one of the best moves of Mike Borgonzi's young Titans tenure.
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