NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As Nicholas Petit-Frere stepped back into the Titans’ offensive line, the guy he’ll likely line up next to if he wins back the right tackle job was out.
Saahdiq Charles missed Saturday’s practice for personal reasons.
If he’s back Sunday we’ll see what I still consider to be the most likely right side of the starting line, with Charles at guard and Petit-Frere at tackle after a knee injury, arthroscopic surgery and recovery kept him out of spring work and the first five practices of training camp.
“Obviously injuries suck, nobody wants them,” said Dillon Radunz, who stepped up for Charles. “It’s been cool to see (Petit-Frere) grow through the process. I mean he’s been grinding all offseason and whatnot. Having him back, having some new energy mixed in the group – obviously we’re in the dog days of camp trying to bring each other up – having some new blood in there was pretty cool to see. I was excited to have him back.”
Last season was a mess for Petit-Frere.
The league handed down a six-game suspension during the offseason for a violation of the gambling policy, and he had a poor camp working further down the depth chart. The suspension was eventually reduced to four games and he returned for the team’s fifth, playing off the bench. Then he started one game at left tackle and one at right in which he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.
Saturday was his first time in a helmet since October.
He said nothing is guaranteed, every year is a chance to win a job and to compete, particularly in a situation where there is a new coaching staff.
The Titans’ line is working under Bill Callahan, the highly-regarded position coach who’s giving them detailed focus.
“It’s all about working your hands, it’s about making sure you play with a great base, we’re going to be fast off the ball, we’re going to be physical, we’re going to be tough,” NPF said. “Those are the key tenants that he talks about. These are the things that we work hard at on a day-to-day basis. Those are the things that I’ve been grinding at trying to learn and trying to do.
“And also the technical side and the mental side of football. Being able to understand plays, understanding the playbook in and out and then understanding the opponents we’re going up against.”
Once Charles is back, Bill Callahan will finally have his full stable.
Petit-Frere did get some work with the first team at his first practice back, which certain bodes well for his chances of competing against John Ojukwu, who’s been at the front of the line for the bulk of the time while NPF has been out.
Bill Callahan said before Petit-Frere’s return that he didn’t know if he viewed the third-year, third-rounder out of Ohio State as the guy at the head of the line at right tackle.
“(Most) importantly it’s getting him back into a groove where he can communicate, and get into his pass sets and get that timing down,” Bill Callahan said. “In honesty and fairness to everybody, I’ve reserved all my comments on the evaluation process until we see them in pads, see them obviously in a preseason game and interact with them on the bench, and see them make adjustments and see how they handle the pressure of game day.”
NPF said multiple times he’s blessed to be in his situation.
He came back from the suspension, from the shoulder injury and now from the knee injury.
What’s he learned through that?
“Just how resilient I can be,” he said, hitting on one of Brian Callahan’s two big buzz words, along with relentless. “That’s something we talk about here, that’s one of our key tenants about this new team, resiliency and being able to be resilient through adversity. There’s been a lot of adversity I’ve faced. So, it just kind of shows the type of place this is, that’s been able to get me to where I am today. I’m the type of person that’s going to fight every day.
“Whatever happens, I will have done my best, tried my hardest, and my only goal… is to compete to try to find a way to win and for me to help the team win.”