Mike Keith names two sleepers who could be starters for the Titans

As the offseason wraps up and training camp begins for the Tennessee Titans, general manager Ran Carthon deserves praise for the job he did rebuilding the offensive line.

First-round pick J.C. Latham crushed the offseason by exceeding initial expectations, and will now attempt to establish himself as a foundational piece for the Titans. If the rookie blocker is as good as he has looked, the Titans could have a special trio at left tackle to center consisting of Latham, Peter Skoronski, and Lloyd Cushenberry.

That leaves right guard and right tackle, two positions that were the "strengths" of the offensive line last year. The expectation for that side of the line should be average to above average, which would all but guarantee the Titans' offensive line is one of the most improved units in the NFL.

For months, Titans fans have presumed that the starters at those positions will be Saahdiq Charles and Nicholas Petit-Frere respectively.

While both still have the inside track for those jobs, the Voice of the Tennessee Titans, Mike Keith, spent a lot of time talking about two sleepers who could be battling for those positions in training camp.

On the Official Titans Podcast, he mentioned John Ojukwu as a standout and a potential starter at right tackle. "John Ojukwu, who took a lot of the [reps with the starters] at right tackle through the offseason, I think Ojuwkwu may be the surprise," Keith said.

Normally, a second-year UDFA like Ojukwu wouldn't have a chance to compete for a starting job, but the new coaching staff is offering a blank slate. Furthermore, as Keith noted, Ojukwu earned a lot of first-team reps at OTAs and minicamp with both Petit-Frere and Jaelyn Duncan recovering from injuries.

If Ojukwu is up to speed while Petit-Frere and/or Duncan are lagging, he could continue receiving increased reps with the starters, which would open up a real opportunity for him. Petit-Frere was placed on short-term PUP on Tuesday, indicating Ojukwu could get first-team reps throughout the first few training camp practices.

The other name Keith mentioned is Dillon Radunz, who could be competing for the right guard spot. "Dillon Radunz played better football last year than he got credit for, I think. In the midst of what was a bad offensive line year, he did some nice stuff. Now that he is fully concentrating at guard, you just wonder," Keith said.

Jim Wyatt was Keith's guest on the podcast and also echoed the idea, agreeing with what Keith said about Radunz.

If Charles and Petit-Fere are healthy, they remain the favorites to be the starters to begin the season. However, both Charles and Petit-Frere have struggled to stay healthy, and the latter is still recovering from offseason surgery, so it's fair to be skeptical. If they can't stay healthy in camp, the coaching staff might prefer the dependability of other linemen.

If Charles and Petit-Frere make it to Week 1 healthy, that doesn't guarantee they won't miss time during the season. If Ojukwu and Radunz continue to impress the coaching staff, they could at least capture notable reserve roles.

Training camp is here and these battles are about to take place right in front of us, so sit back and stay informed on the lead-up to what should be one of the most exciting seasons in recent Tennessee Titans history.