The Tennessee Titans entered their first preseason game with massive questions surrounding who the team's swing offensive tackle should be. Veteran free-agent signing Austin Deculus once possessed the inside track due to his status, but a lackluster performance against the San Francisco 49ers has him trending in the wrong direction.
Meanwhile, sophomore undrafted free agent Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson is starting to emerge as a hopeful option.
Crenshaw-Dickson had been primarily working at right tackle behind starter JC Latham in practice. In the preseason game versus the 49ers, he took all 29 snaps at that position. But after Deculus struggled on the blindside, Crenshaw-Dickson saw considerable work at left tackle during Tuesday's practice, per A to Z Sports' Easton Freeze.
The Titans desperately need a solution to the swing tackle question behind starters Latham and Dan Moore Jr. It's strongly looking like Deculus isn't the solution. Crenshaw-Dickson might answer the Titans' prayers.
Tennessee Titans sophomore OT Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson is emerging as a potential answer to the swing tackle conundrum
Deculus was downright brutal versus the 49ers. Pro Football Focus credited him with allowing two sacks on just 10 snaps in pass protection. He earned an unfathomable pass-pro grade of 19.0 for his performance. The Titans signed him to a one-year contract worth $1.2 million earlier this offseason.
Crenshaw-Dickson was significantly more impactful by comparison. The former Florida Gators standout did not allow any pressures in pass protection. He scored an 81.1 for the job he did protecting the quarterback, the Titans' second-best pass pro grade of any participating lineman (rookie Fernando Carmona scored a team-high 83.9).
The Titans were intrigued by Crenshaw-Dickson's developmental potential when they signed him in undrafted free agency last offseason. He was a surprise inclusion in the Titans' initial 53-man roster. That was done to protect him from being exposed to waivers. It worked, as general manager Mike Borgonzi has managed to hold onto him the entire time.
The Titans did not execute a good offseason plan at swing tackle. They downgraded in free agency when they replaced the departing Oli Udoh with Deculus. It could still be a full-blown disaster for the offense (and Cam Ward) if Latham or Moore are sidelined with injury.
Borgonzi should still consider signing a swing tackle like Jack Conklin, Taylor Decker, or Cam Robinson. For now, Crenshaw-Dickson is providing hope that he may be capable of addressing a major roster problem. With cutdown day looming, Crenshaw-Dickson continues trending in a positive direction.
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