The Tennessee Titans have had one of the worst offensive lines in the sport the last three years, which will send them back to the drawing board in 2024 in the hopes they can improve things upfront for quarterback Will Levis.
Of last year’s starting group, only 2023 first-round pick and left guard Peter Skoronski is locked into a starting role.
The Titans will definitely make a change at left tackle, where Andre Dillard was the league’s worst in 2023, and starting center Aaron Brewer, who struggled in pass protection, is set to hit free agency.
The good news is, the Titans may have a pair of in-house solutions on the right side. Right guard Daniel Brunskill and right tackle Dillon Radunz are both under contract, but neither should be considered a lock to start, despite solid showings overall.
The Titans figure to add to their offensive line in the draft, with the almost universal hope among fans being the team can land Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt with the No. 7 overall pick to alleviate their biggest need.
But Tennessee will navigate free agency first, where they are also expected to add some help upfront.
Pro Football Focus’ Brad Spielberger recently speculated that the Titans are a potential landing spot for four free-agent linemen. Here’s a look at who they are and our thoughts on each:
G Robert Hunt, Miami Dolphins
What Spielberger said:
You’ll see Tennessee on this list quite a bit, and they should be in the mix for any quality offensive lineman they can get their hands on besides left guards, where first-round rookie Peter Skoronski had a strong first season. We’re going back to 49ers connections here, with Titans general manager Ran Carthon also able to connect with McDaniel to get a fuller picture of Hunt’s skills. In Tennessee, Hunt’s ability to potentially kick back out to right tackle — even if just in a reserve capacity — is also intriguing.
Hunt would be a solid addition for Tennessee after allowing just one sack and five pressures and posting good PFF grades of 74.5 in pass-blocking and 75.9 in run-blocking at right guard in 2023. He also has experience playing right tackle, although he hasn’t played there since his rookie season.
Based on the pressures, sacks and grades, Hunt would figure to provide an upgrade over Daniel Brunskill at right guardm, although I don’t think it would be a massive one.
The same could be projected for right tackle over Dillon Radunz, but that’s a bit more murky because Hunt has less experience at that position than he has at guard.
C Connor Williams, Miami Dolphins
What Spielberger said:
The Tennessee Titans are set to lose starting center Aaron Brewer to free agency, and perhaps they’ll be patient as they undergo a bit of a rebuild, allowing Williams time to get back up to full speed and rehab in the facility before returning to the starting lineup. That would pave the way for an extension and allow him to be the veteran center for Will Levis for years to come.
The Titans could definitely use an upgrade at center after Aaron Brewer had an up-and-down campaign. Brewer, who is set to be a free agent, was solid in run-blocking but his pass protection left a lot to be desired.
Williams would provide a boost in both areas after giving up one sack, 15 pressures and posting PFF grades of 71.7 in pass-blocking and 90.5 in run-blocking in nine games.
The risk with Williams is he suffered a torn ACL in Week 14 against the Titans and may not be ready for the start of the 2024 campaign. And, as we’ve seen with several players, Williams might not be himself upon returning.
But, as Spielberger points out, those concerns could drive down Williams’ price and lead to him being an absolute steal for Tennessee. Of the options from this list, Williams is probably the best when you consider what he’s done previously and the level of the Titans’ need at center.
OT Mekhi Becton, New York Jets
What Spielberger said:
The Tennessee Titans are now set to hire former Browns offensive line coach Bill Callahan, a legendary position coach who is the father of new Titans head coach Brian Callahan. Few coaches have helped launch or revitalize more offensive linemen’s careers than the elder Callahan. Tennessee also offers intriguing potential for Becton, with massive question marks at both tackle spots heading into 2024.
Becton could be an option at either right or left tackle, but his 2023 numbers don’t instill much confidence that he could improve either spot much, if at all.
The former first-round pick gave up 12 sacks in 2023, which was tied for the most in the NFL with Tennessee’s left tackle, Andre Dillard, who will likely be cut. Becton’s 50 pressures were tied for sixth-most.
It’s hard to say how Becton would translate to right tackle since he’s only played 101 snaps there there during his career.
But if his stats at left tackle are any indication, the Titans might be better off saving the money and rolling the dice on Dillon Radunz or Nicholas Petit-Frere for another year.
All that said, I can’t say I wouldn’t be intrigued at the idea of Becton coming in to learn under esteemed offensive line coach Bill Callahan, but I’m not sure it’s enough to actually want to pull the trigger on such a signing.
OT Josh Jones, Houston Texans
What Spielberger said:
All the above teams need either starting-caliber or quality upside swing tackles, and Jones fits the billing there to a tee. He got some run on the inside at guard with the Houston Texans in 2023, as well, so he’s a flexible, young option with the potential to develop into a solid starter across the formation. Houston traded for Jones before the season amid a bunch of injuries across the line, and other teams had cursory interest.
Interestingly enough, Spielberger’s free-agent comparison for Jones is Dillard, which already makes me hesitant to even consider him.
Jones only started in three of the 13 games he played in 2023 and saw most of his snaps at left tackle (150). He played at left guard (63 snaps) and right tackle (15 snaps), also.
He gave up one sack and nine pressures in those snaps and finished with PFF grades of 55.6 and 52.1 in pass-blocking and run-blocking, respectively.
Jones was OK as the Arizona Cardinals’ left tackle in 2022, when he had grades of 75.9 in pass-blocking and 74.0 in run-blocking, while also giving up four sacks and 27 pressures in 622 snaps played (610 at left tackle) over 17 games (nine starts).
Jones would be an excellent addition as a backup who can play multiple spots, but there’s just not enough here to make him a set-and-forget starting option for the Titans at any position upfront.
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