Ranking the Titans' 3 in-house options at RG to replace Saahdiq Charles
By Justin Melo
Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan admitted that the team was surprised by Saahdiq Charles' decision to retire when speaking with local media on Wednesday. Charles was entrenched in a very legitimate battle to be the starting right guard this season. Though nothing had been decided, some even considered him the in-house favorite to outright win the gig.
Brian Callahan on OL Saahdiq Charles retiring says “it was not an event.” Callahan said he was surprised by the news, “anytime someone says they are retiring middle of camp is surprising.”@FOXNashville #Titans @Titans
— Jill Jelnick (@JillJelnick) August 7, 2024
Brian and Bill Callahan are left with three in-house options at right guard in the wake of Charles' retirement. The competition should remain open and fluid throughout the remaining training camp practices and the preseason. We've ranked Tennessee's best options one through three.
1. Dillon Radunz
This arguably represents the biggest opportunity of Dillon Radunz's career as he prepares to enter a contract year. Radunz has been involved in training camp battles before, losing one previous competition to right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere. The pathway to a starting job in Week 1 has never been clearer.
Callahan: Dillon Radunz had been splitting reps with Radunz with the 1s at right guard before Charles decided to retire. There was no determination on who starter would be, it was a competition. Now Radunz gets big chance@Titans
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) August 7, 2024
Radunz began the 2023 season as a backup reserve linemen, but injuries and inconsistencies routinely elevated him into the lineup. The former second-round selection ended up being the Titans' third-most snapped linemen (and player) with 776 total snaps. The majority of Radunz's reps occurred at right tackle (504), but he did play nearly 200 snaps at guard, and nearly logged 300 plays as a guard in 2022.
Radunz has played for two general managers and coaching staffs in Tennessee, and both regimes agree that his primary position is guard. Radunz had been gaining momentum in the competition with Charles at guard even before the latter's retirement. The interior blocker ranks as the likely in-house solution.