NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Things are incomplete on the Titans' offensive line. But the addition of Dan Moore fills left tackle and bumps JC Latham to right tackle.
Considering where this franchise is, I'm in prove-it mode on everything it does.
And with all its invested in its offensive line, they get an offseason and a camp to put it together. When things start to count, I'm not interested in hearing about how they need time to gel.
The line has been a mess for three years running, featuring players like Aaron Brewer, Dennis Daley, Nicholas Petit-Frere and Andre Dillard.
While sack avoidance hasn't been a strong skill for their quarterbacks, the line has played a significant part in the signal-callers going down 49, 64 and 52 times. That's 165 times in all, 3.2 times a game.
Let's run through the group and investments:
LT Dan Moore (pictured above): Currently the sixth-highest average per year (APY) based on reports of the contract he will sign with the Titans. The newest deals rank people closer to the head of the line, or course. But this is a significant investment with a reported $50 million guarantee. We don’t know the particulars of that, but if it stands up it’ll be tied for the second-highest for a left tackle at the time of this writing, trailing just Andrew Thomas and the same as Laremy Tunsil. The Titans clearly believe a player coming off his best season is ready to peak.
LG Peter Skoronski: The 11th pick overall from the 2023 draft, who was tabbed as a guard immediately by Ran Carthon and Mike Vrabel. His position was never reconsidered by coach Brian Callahan and his father and offensive line coach Bill Callahan when they took over.
C Lloyd Cushenberry: The fourth-highest APY for a center in the league at $12.5 million, he was a significant investment in 2024 free agency. His first season in Tennessee was cut short by a torn Achilles suffered in the team’s eighth game.
RG unknown: Dillon Radunz is the incumbent and is about to be an unrestricted free agent. The Titans see him as a backup at best and I imagine the 2021 second-rounder will get a starting opportunity elsewhere.
RT JC Latham: Drafted seventh overall. The Titans moved him from right tackle at Alabama to left tackle as a rookie. He will now move back.
Aside: Asked Bill Callahan at one point:
Do you have any doubts about JC Latham’s ability to make the transition to left tackle?
His response: "I don’t."
That is two high first-round picks heading into their second and third years, a highly paid free-agent center heading into his second year (coming off injury who may not be ready at the start) and a newly signed left tackle.
That's not premium value out of No. 11 in 2024 and No. 7 in 2025.
I think Skoronski is getting better and can be a very solid guard, but he's not going to be an All-Pro caliber one. If you draft a guard that high, that's what he should be.
It's early for Latham and maybe he is that caliber of right tackle. But if you're spending a pick that high on an offensive lineman he needs to be a lock-down, needs-no-help left tackle unless you already have one.
Even before they address right guard, who can be the weakest player of the starting five, there is a great deal invested in that group.
I know they have concerns about Cushenberry’s readiness for opening day. A typical timetable for recovery is about 10 months. He suffered the injury on Nov. 3, 2024, and the Titans' season will start on Sept. 7, 2025, which is almost exactly 10 months.
Even if they have to plug in a replacement at center for a time, the expectation is this line will be better. And it’s got the spring and camp to come together.
Beyond that?
Bill Callahan gets a pass for the Year 1 failures. He probably overestimated some of what he had to work with, thinking he could make more of Petit-Frere and Jaelyn Duncan than he ultimately could. Ran Carthon should have known better what those players were and given the elder Callahan more.
Now, Bill Callahan has had a hand in choosing the two starting tackles and the starting center and he will also chime in on the right guard.
We need to see whoever the quarterback is protected better from the first snap of the regular season and we need to see consistent run blocking for Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears and whoever else might get touches out of the backfield.
Sure, it should get better from Week One to Week Four and all along the way.
But it’ll be time for fewer excuses. Moore isn’t a kid sliding in from college, he’s not changing positions.
If there is a rookie in the lineup at right guard, he will be surrounded by two veterans. Skoronski and Latham both spoke of how much better they expect to be in their second year with their position coach. This thing where guys are getting used to Bill Callahan and the system can't be a thing.
I’m not expecting the Titans to go from terrible to great in one year. I am expecting immediate improvement from the offensive line, no excuses. Dollars plus draft picks need to equal some results.
