New OL Justin Murray Benefiting From Years of Experience in Learning New Offense
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans knew the first thing that had to be fixed in the offseason was their offensive line, which was gnashed and gashed week after week a year ago, especially during the ugly seven-game losing streak to end the season.
It's been a work in progress for several months, and it looks like it's going to be an ongoing process, too, especially since there are still issues on the right side after Nicholas Petit-Frere's six-game gambling suspension and Jamarco Jones' self-induced departure for being a practice disruption last week.
The Titans have signed three more linemen in the past week, guard Chris Hubbard, center/guard Jimmy Murray and guard/tackle Justin Murray.
Murray was released by the Las Vegas Raiders on Aug. 1. He signed with the Titans on Friday, his eighth team since coming into the NFL in 2016 as an undrafted free agent with the Denver Broncos. He played his college ball at Cincinnati
Murray bounced around a bit during practice Monday, but was mostly at right guard. He said it was a good day, and that he's catching on quickly.
"I've been mostly on the right side, but just give me some time on the left, too, and I'll be ready for anything,'' Murray said. "Yeah (Monday was right), that's what it is, but I'm ready for anything.''
Murray said there are some similarities in the Titans' playbook that he's seen at other spots, which has helped his learning curve.
"There's a little bit of carryover from a couple of teams that I've been on. Like I said, this is my eighth team or whatever, so it comes a little quicker,'' Murray said. "You just try to erase everything that you learned before and get this terminology down. Everybody runs the same scheme, they just call it something different.
"I'm just trying to hammer into the playbook and learn the techniques they like here. I've been around, so I've practiced all sorts of technique, but I've just got to lock in on what we're doing here and buy in and just stack some good days.''
Murray spent the entire offseason with the Raiders and the first week of training camp before being let go to make room on the roster for quarterback Chase Garbers and linebacker Darius Harris. It came as a surprise to him
"It sucks because it was the day before pads, but I've been around the block a few times to know those things can happen,'' Murray said. ''It is what it is.''
Center Aaron Brewer is the only real holdover on the Titans' offensive line. The left side seems pretty settled, with first-round pick Peter Skoronski getting most of the work at left guard and Andre Dillard at left tackle. The right side is wide open, though, with no one really stepping up yet. Daniel Brunskill (guard) and Hubbard (tackle) are listed as starters on the Titans' first unofficial depth chart.
Petit-Frere started all but one game last year at right tackle, so he'll be missed the first six weeks or the season. Jamarco Jones seemed to be the leader in the clubhouse for that right tackle spot, but he got into a skirmish with Jeffery Simmons early in the week and then made a cheap block on Thursday and got thrown out of practice for a second time in a week.
He was cut a few hours later.
“I think you have to just know how to practice,” Vrabel said. “We talk all the time about being competitive and going to that line, and certainly not going to do anything that hurts the team. We don’t want to see that.”
Taylor Lewan anchored the Titans' line at left tackle for nearly a decade before knee injuries ended his career. Skoronski was an All-American left tackle at Northwestern, but the Titans like him better at guard. They're really hoping Dillard can be the answer at left tackle.
He was a first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019, and played in all 16 games as a rookie, starting four. He missed all of 2020 with a biceps injury, and couldn't work himself back into the starting lineup — possibly the best offensive line in the game right now — as a regular.
Philadelphia declined his fifth-year option, and in March, the Titans signed him to a three-year, $29 million contract.
He's critical to the success of the Titans' offense this season, and he knows it, both in the run game and the passing game.
"I wanted a new opportunity, and to have that and be more of a leader is a great thing,'' Dillard said. "Put the weight on my shoulders and the guys next to me, and just be the best that I can be. At the end of the day, it's just football, and I'm just trying to get better every day.
"We've just got to go and do it now. We go against a great defense every day. Arden (Key) is a really good player, and it's a war out there but I really appreciate it. He's making me better and I'm making him better. What I want to get out of camp is just to know that I'm getting better every day. I focus on that, and focus on the details.''
The Titans aren't settled on a starting lineup, with the ultimate goal of being set and ready to go for the Sept. 10 opener at New Orleans. Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who got roughed up often last year, has liked what he's seen from this group so far.
"The sooner the better, obviously, for (getting the best five together as a group), but as long as we're ready to go at New Orleans, I'm fine with that,'' Tannehill said last week. "We've got some good people up there, and we're doing a lot of good things. And we'll keep getting better every day.''
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