Tyler's Take: The Tennessee Titans Should Give Jaelyn Duncan a Shot, Because Why Not?

The Tennessee Titans have trotted out multiple quarterbacks over the last 26 games. All of them, regardless of experience or talent, have been lambs to the slaughter behind what some could say is the worst offensive line in the NFL. While the offensive line has had many holes, the most important position on the line, left tackle, has been the biggest issue of them all.

In 2022, Dennis Daley manned the left tackle spot for most of the season and in that time he gave up the most pressures and most sacks of any offensive tackle in the NFL. So far this season, Andre Dillard leads all NFL offensive linemen in sacks and pressures allowed.

Somehow, Nicholas Petit-Frere and Dillon Radunz have looked as bad or worse at the spot when they have been given a chance. The pair accounted for four sacks and 18 pressures in their short stints. There is no option on the roster that can solve the problem right now.

If Will Levis isn't going to get better blocking from one of the more experienced options, then it is time to give the youngest guy of the bunch a shot. Enter sixth-round rookie offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan.

Duncan was considered an athletic freak coming into and out of Maryland. Great agility and body control with a frame that could add a ton of raw power. Duncan was expected to be a top-100 pick going into the 2023 NFL draft.

But Duncan fell all the way to the sixth round. There were some reports that Duncan wasn't a hard worker and there were examples on tape of Duncan maybe not finishing to the whistle like most coaches would like. That, along with some technique concerns, dropped Duncan to the Titans.

The truth is, no one should expect Duncan to be ready now. He fell on draft day because other teams knew he wouldn't be ready soon and was a bit of an athletic project, but with Dillard concussed and playing awfully, Petit-Frere on injured reserve and Radunz looking like no upgrade, what is the downside of getting the young tackle some work?

At worst, your quarterback is in the same amount of danger as he has been all season and at best, you unearth a gem that can be a part of you future plans. The only downside is something the team is already experiencing.

I know a lot of folks would love to see rookie Peter Skoronski play left tackle. He was a first-round pick because of multiple years of being a dominant college tackle, but the long-term plan is for Skoronski to be at guard, so the Titans are right to keep him there.

Moving Skoronski would stall his development at a position where he will actually be needed in the future so that you can salvage what is left of this season. It would be a mistake.

So, run Duncan out there and see if he can develop on the fly as it is the one option you have that could actually benefit you in the future. Right now, none of the options used so far present that upside.

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