My, how quickly things can change in a single NFL preseason. We went from asking who the starting right tackle was going to be earlier in the summer to reading the tea leaves that Dillon Radunz was clearly going to be the guy. And now, we’re all the way full circle back to “wait, who’s the right tackle going to be again?” I was in the camp saying “they’re clearly high on Radunz – let’s see what he’s got,” but that was before some bad preseason snaps and seeing rookie Nicholas Petit-Frere get more meaningful reps at tackle, and with the 1s. It looks like between Radunz’s subpar performances and NPF’s emergence, this has turned into one of the few true position battles in training camp for the Tennessee Titans.
Now, the Radunz optimism has given way to doubt. Fans and analysts alike are pretty divided on the guy – some saying he wasn’t that bad, others saying that NPF has clearly taken the right tackle spot. To me, it’s not so much about Radunz vs. NPF. It’s the fact that we’re even having this discussion with just a little over two weeks to go before the New York Giants come to Nashville for the season opener that concerns me. It doesn’t seem ideal, and it feels like the competition is ripping open some scars among the Titans fan base. Some are calling Radunz a bust – here’s a guy who was drafted to help patch up the mistake of the Isaiah Wilson drafting. He didn’t even play the covid year, and when he did play, he was a left tackle. Folks are wondering why the Titans seem bent on playing him at right tackle. They’re having ‘Nam flashbacks to the Panda era. Meanwhile, others are saying we should play the patient game and cut him some slack for all the musical chairs he’s been playing along the offensive line. Will Lomas put together a hell of a detailed thread on Twitter about how Radunz wasn’t actually as bad as folks are saying.
Where this unsettled ground feels discouraging for Radunz, it is absolutely encouraging for NPF, who has surprised this summer. The rookie third rounder out of Ohio State was lauded for his talent, athleticism, and quickness in pass protection heading into the 2022 NFL Draft, but once he was selected by the Titans, questions about his power (or perceived lack thereof) and how he’d fit in with the road-grading Titans run game arose. It was supposed to take some time for him to develop – this wasn’t a move for 2022, but a potential move for 2023 and beyond. However, things seem to have progressed quicker than expected. Now, those concerns seem to be long behind him – after Saturday’s game, NPF has been taking the first team reps at right tackle while Radunz is in the mix at guard (though Mike Vrabel swears this is just to shuffle guys around to see what they have).
We’ll have to see where this battle goes as the Titans practice with the Arizona Cardinals ahead of this weekend’s preseason finale. Regardless, the mood around Radunz seems to have changed since we were all laughing at the “if he starts” jokes earlier in the summer.
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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