Tennessee Titans starting quarterback Will Levis likely holds the fate of the 2024 season in his hands. The Titans will go as far as their sophomore signal caller will take them. He's entering a new campaign aiming to earn the league's respect while proving he's a long-term solution in Tennessee.
Second-year guard Peter Skoronski is an ascending Titans player that can reach that status before the conclusion of the 2024 season. Expectations are high for Skoronski in Year Two. A positive start against the Chicago Bears in this weekend's Week 1 matchup would have everyone ready to claim they knew he was going to take a step forward this season.
When the Titans drafted Skoronski, fans initially wondered if he'd get a shot a left tackle, where he was an All-American and three-time All-Big-Ten player at Northwestern. Physical limitations (arm length) instead forced the Titans to kick him inside to left guard.
In Dane Brugler's 2023 NFL Draft guide, he summed up Skoronski like this, "Though he should get a chance to stay outside in the NFL, he is an immediate NFL starter inside at guard/center with a Pro Bowl ceiling."
Things started out strong for Skoronski last year with a good outing against the New Orleans Saints, but shortly after that, he suffered an appendectomy injury that essentially derailed or limited the rest of his rookie season.
Going into this year, Skoronski has added considerable weight to adjust to his new role as a guard in a predominantly man-blocking scheme, and his power and strength is noticeably different. Look no further than the preseason where he and rookie left tackle JC Latham consistently displaced defensive tackles in the run game.
JC Latham (#55)/Peter Skoronski (#77) double-teams have me cackling pic.twitter.com/9Ht4y5o3Ri
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) August 26, 2024
Last year, Skoronski was the most talented player on the Titans' offensive line, but he didn't get any help from one of the worst left tackles in the NFL, and a center who was too small to start.
Those are valid excuses, but he had his own flaws as well that stemmed from the fact that he was an underweight rookie (he lost a ton of weight in-season as the result of the appendix situation) playing a new position. Skoronski was inconsistent and sometimes overwhelmed by defensive linemen in a way that technique couldn't immediately make up for.
Now, Skoronski looks like a guard, he is being coached by the best offensive line coach in the NFL, and he looked sharp in the preseason. Skoronski is in the middle of a LT-LG-C trio that includes a top-10 draft pick and prized free-agent signing Lloyd Cushenberry.
Everything is set up for him to succeed, and he has the supporting cast and the talent to be one of the better guards in the NFL. On Sunday, he will go against a Bears defense that is built around EDGE Montez Sweat and their cornerbacks, so the Titans have to be able to trust their offensive line to create holes in the running game.
If Skoronski puts forth a standout performance, fans will latch on to him as one of their foundational pieces brought in by GM Ran Carthon. If he struggles, there will be even more talk about the Titans spending a high first-round pick on a guard who hasn't lived up to the hype.
After Week 1, Skoronski has to face Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, Calais Campbell, and DeForest Buckner on the immediate schedule, so he must get off on the right foot against the Bears. If not, the Titans could be in for a bumpy ride during the first six games of this crucial season.