A Look at the Titans' Options for Left Tackle
The Tennessee Titans have a decision to make. They need to find someone to protect quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s blindside.
Three-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Taylor Lewan will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL sustained during Sunday’s victory over Houston. The Titans have a handful of capable in-house replacements, but it is not yet clear who that will be.
“By Wednesday when it's time to practice,” coach Mike Vrabel said. “I'm confident that we'll have five guys [on the offensive line] that will be comfortable where they're at and try to learn the gameplan and be ready, and have some guys that are available in a backup role that have some versatility and that can play more than one position.”
AllTitans breaks down each of Lewan’s potential replacements:
Ty Sambrailo: This is the most likely scenario. Lewan had missed action due to injuries in three consecutive games, and four of the first five contests overall this season. Sambrailo (pictured) replaced him each time, and the Titans have been satisfied with the six-year veteran’s play thus far.
Sambrailo agreed to a one-year deal with the Titans this past April. He spent each of the last three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons after the Broncos traded him in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick at the beginning of the 2017 season. With the Falcons, Sambrailo played 44 games and made six starts. In total, Sambrailo has played 62 games with 13 starts in his career.
Dennis Kelly: Dennis Kelly has been the starting right tackle in all five contests this season. Last season, he started the first four games at left tackle while Lewan served a suspension after a positive offseason test for a banned substance. If the Titans decide to move Kelly, they would have to insert Sambrailo or Isiah Wilson at right tackle. Wilson, who missed time during training camp, is one of three first-round picks in this year’s draft class who has yet to appear in an NFL game. The other two are quarterbacks. The 6-foot-6, 350-pounder was expected to compete to be the Titans’ starting right tackle, but he spent more than a month on the COVID-19 reserve list and was charged with a DUI just before the season start of the season.
Rodger Saffold: A free agent addition last year, he has started every game at left guard since the start of the 2019 season. While he is predominantly a guard, Saffold has played a fair amount of left tackle in his career. A second-round selection by the St. Louis Rams in 2010, he started his career at that spot and has made 35 career starts there, all with the Rams. Although Saffold, who is 6-foot-5, 323 pounds, is a logical choice, it would require a replacement at left guard, which would mean the line would have different starters at two spots instead of one.
David Quessenberry: Quessenberry has bounced on an off of the Titans’ practice squad since 2018. He has appeared in five career games with Tennessee, including Sunday against the Texans. At San Jose State University, he started 37 games at left tackle. Regardless of what the Titans decide, it’s likely that Quessenberry remains on the active roster for depth purposes.
Sign a free agent: Even if the Titans don’t bring in an outside option, they will presumably do their due diligence. Veteran tackle Cordy Glenn is the best available option on the market. Glenn spent his first six NFL seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He appeared in 78 games (77 starts) at left tackle. In March 2018, the Bills traded Glenn Cincinnati Bengals, where he made 18 starts at left tackle in 19 games. The Bengals cut Glenn in March.
