Peter Skoronski was selected by the Tennessee Titans last year in the hopes of quickly plugging a leaky offensive line.
Instead, the first-round pick’s move to left guard went far from swimmingly.
Skoronski rarely got help, either, as the Titans’ offensive line was perhaps the worst in the NFL.
Though it didn’t end without promise, Skoronski’s first season had its tribulations, as he struggled at times on a losing squad, learned a new position and also missed three games due to an appendectomy.
“This time last year, I felt like I was all over the place,” Skoronski said this week at Titans voluntary organized team activities, via the team website’s Jim Wyatt. “I didn’t even know how to play guard, or get into a guard stance.”
Fourteen games, a new left tackle and a new offensive line coach later, Skoronski has a stance of optimism for 2024. It’s spring of course and optimism reigns, but experience is invaluable for the 2023 No. 11 overall pick, who is continuing to learn while also lending a helping hand to new left tackle JC Latham, the 2024 No. 7 overall pick.
“Definitely a similar situation coming into it,” Skoronski said of Latham. “I feel like now I have a little more perspective having gone through a year, so helping him any way I can in terms of whether that be on the field or off the field. He has been great so far. I think he is just ready to get out there and play ball. He is eager to learn, really eager to play. Making mistakes like everyone, but everyone does, and I sure as hell made a ton of mistakes. Just helping him learn and get better.”
Though Latham will certainly have some growing pains, he’s expected to be a major improvement from last season, when Andre Dillard and Jaelyn Duncan each struggled mightily at LT.
Dillard allowed 12 sacks in 10 starts, while Duncan gave up nine in five starts.
Skoronski was largely solid in pass pro, giving up six sacks in 14 starts. However, all but one of those sacks were relinquished in Weeks 14-17, as he sputtered down the stretch of the Titans’ 6-11 campaign.
The converted left tackle noted his hands and posture as areas of needed improvement. They’re areas he’s working on with new offensive line coach Bill Callahan, a much-ballyhooed addition to the Titans staff who came as part of the package with son and new head coach Brian Callahan.
“I feel like that’s something that kind of got away from me toward the end of the year last year,” Skoronski said. “So, I’ve definitely been trying to focus in a little more on that. Having Bill here, he’s been big on that too. We spend a lot of time doing that too, especially hands.”
Titans quarterbacks were sacked 63 times in 2023.
Improving on that number and keeping second-year quarterback Will Levis upright is paramount this season. Skoronski and Latham have the potential to be an outstanding left-side combination, but it’s a young work in progress.
Regardless of all the labor left ahead and experience to be gained, though, Skoronski’s far more comfortable as the Titans’ left guard this May than the last.
“My comfort level is night and day, comparing last year to this year,” he said. “A lot more comfortable in the position. I played (14) games at guard, so definitely night and day. Having a year in the league, for sure, (helps). But also having a year at guard and just having that overall comfort level where I’m not so nervous, I’m not a rookie any more.”
