The Tennessee Titans benched right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere in the second half of Sunday's embarrassing 30-14 Week 3 defeat to Malik Willis and the Green Bay Packers. Head coach Brian Callahan made the decision to sit Petit-Frere after one of the worst reps in pass protection you'll ever see. It led to a strip-sack of quarterback Will Levis, essentially ending Tennessee's come-from-behind hopes.
😤😤😤😤😤#GBvsTEN pic.twitter.com/adS0vSKtsL
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 22, 2024
Pro Football Focus obviously assigned blame to Petit-Frere for that sack. The former Ohio State blocker has been credited with forfeiting a sack in every appearance this season. Last Sunday, they credited him with allowing nine pressures, whereas Next Gen Stats was somehow less kind, blaming him for a whopping 13 pressures.
Petit-Frere was replaced in the lineup by sophomore tackle Jaelyn Duncan, who won the backup job this offseason ahead of Geron Christian, Leroy Watson, and John Ojukwu. Duncan didn't fare any better. The ex Maryland blocker allowed two pressures and had an even lower pass-blocking grade (36.9) than Petit-Frere (48.3) did.
Callahan has since claimed that the upcoming week of practice will decide whether Petit-Frere or Duncan earns the start at right tackle versus the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football in Week 4. The problem? The sad reality is neither struggling blocker will develop into an appropriate solution overnight.
Tennessee's roster doesn't possess an in-house solution. We've seen enough of Petit-Frere and Duncan to properly assess their abilities. If general manager Ran Carthon is willing to get a little creative, there's a familiar outsider that could help solve the Titans' woes at right tackle.
Reuniting with Chris Hubbard
Veteran right tackle Chris Hubbard began last season as the Titans' starting right tackle. He was brought in on an affordable one-year contract after Petit-Frere was suspended for violating the league's gambling policy, and JaMarco Jones was released after getting into multiple fights at practice. Hubbard played well all things considered.
Hubbard started nine games for the Titans before suffering a season-ending injury. PFF assigned him a reasonable pass-blocking grade of 67.8, far better than what they're currently getting from Petit-Frere and Duncan. Hubbard gave up just four sacks and 18 pressures.
Hubbard signed with the San Francisco 49ers earlier this offseason, but he’s currently on their practice squad. The Titans would simply have to offer him a promotion to the active roster to poach him from San Francisco.
If you're pushback is that Hubbard played for Mike Vrabel and the previous regime, consider this. Hubbard previously spent three seasons (2020-22) playing for offensive line coach Bill Callahan with the Cleveland Browns. In his first season under Callahan's tutelage, he posted a career-high pass-blocking grade of 78.3. Yes, that was in 2020, but his 2023 sample size with the Titans indicates he remains serviceable.
Serviceable would be a big-time upgrade compared to what the Titans are getting at right tackle right now.