Tennessee Titans fans have spent the last two seasons watching Dennis Daley and Andre Dillard fall on their face at left tackle. Rookie blocker J.C. Latham has looked capable of being a standout solution at a position of weakness.
Unfortunately, opposing pressure has simply slid from one side to the other with the right tackle being a big-time struggle spot.
Looking at PFF's pass-blocking stats, this is where the Titans offensive linemen stack up against the rest of their position groups in terms of pressures allowed through three games.
J.C. Latham: 4 pressures allowed (22nd out of 55)
Peter Skoronski: 6 pressures allowed (49th out of 57)
Lloyd Cushenberry: 4 pressures allowed (20th out of 31)
Dillon Radunz: 6 pressures allowed (49th out of 57)
Nicholas Petit-Frere: 9 pressured allowed (55th out of 55)
Latham deserves a lot of credit for what he has done this season. He is one of only four rookie offensive tackles to start every game this and he has been great after a dud in the season opener against the Chicago Bears.
However, you might have noticed that Petit-Frere has "struggled" at right tackle, and I use "struggled" in the same way that I would say that a fish would "struggle" if you take it out of the bowl.
This has caused some Titans fans to wonder whether a change at tackle is possible. The problem is the backup right tackle is Jaelyn Duncan, and he is even worse than Petit-Frere. To go back to the fish analogy, if Petit-Frere is a fish out of water, Duncan has been a fish in lava.
Portions of the fan base are convinced that Skoronski should be the Titans' new right tackle. After all, he played every snap in college at offensive tackle as one of college football's most decorated offensive linemen.
If not Skoronski, then how about Radunz? Radunz was the starting right tackle to end last season, and in the final five games of 2023, he only allowed five pressures, which is much better than what Petit-Frere has done this season.
In theory, it is fair to assume that Skoronski or Radunz would be better at right tackle than what they currently have, but it isn't going to happen.
Brian Callahan has stated several times that Skoronski is a guard and both he and Radunz practiced exclusively at guard during training camp. Moving them to tackle now would hamper their development and it would cause more chaos and confusion. Plus, they already have their hands full trying to establish themselves as above league-average guards, a goal they've struggled with through three weeks.
Listen to Skoronski give his opinion on the idea of changing positions:
Peter Skoronski on any talk of him at LT. #Titans pic.twitter.com/zavTDNcDk2
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) September 25, 2024
The Titans right tackle for 2025 and beyond isn't on the roster right now, but if Radunz develops into a solution at right guard, then the other four positions on the offensive line could be.
Like everyone else on the team this year, there has been good and bad from the other four linemen, but they need more time under offensive line guru Bill Callahan. Let them all spend a full season working on their craft and refining their technique, then let Bill Callahan vet the 2025 NFL Draft and put his stamp of approval on someone like he did with Latham last year.
Patience and perspective are important. The Titans can either find a stopgap player to fill the role on a practice squad or on the waiver wire, or they can coach around Petit-Frere's weakness. But moving a starter from guard to tackle is the wrong answer.