Titans '23 first-round pick Peter Skoronski's 'comfort level is night and day' from last year to now

Peter Skoronski was selected by the Tennessee Titans last year in the hopes of quickly plugging a leaky offensive line.

Instead, the transition of the first-round pick to left guard was far from smooth.

Skoronski seldom received assistance, with the Titans’ offensive line potentially being the worst in the NFL.

Skoronski’s first season was marked by challenges, including struggling on a losing team, learning a new position, and missing three games due to an appendectomy. Despite these tribulations, it ended with promise.

“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.

“Coming into it, the situation is certainly similar,” Skoronski commented about Latham. “Now that I’ve been through a year, I feel I have a bit more insight and I’m trying to assist him in any way possible, whether that’s on or off the field. He’s been doing well so far. I believe he’s just prepared to hit the field and start playing. He’s keen to learn and extremely eager to play. He’s making mistakes, as we all do. I’ve certainly made a lot of mistakes myself. My aim is to help him learn and improve.”

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.

In 10 starts, Dillard permitted 12 sacks, whereas Duncan surrendered nine in five starts.

Skoronski performed quite well in pass protection, allowing only six sacks in 14 starts. However, with the exception of one, all these sacks occurred in Weeks 14-17, indicating his performance faltered towards the end of the Titans’ 6-11 season.

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.

“Towards the end of last year, I felt like I lost grip on certain things,” admitted Skoronski. “So, I’ve been making a concerted effort to refocus. Bill’s presence has been beneficial in this regard. He emphasizes this aspect a lot. We allocate considerable time to it, especially hand exercises.”

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.

Despite the remaining work and experience to be gained, Skoronski feels much more comfortable in his role as the Titans’ left guard this May compared to the previous one.

“He said, “Comparing my comfort level from last year to this year, it’s like night and day. I feel much more at ease in my position. Having played 14 games as a guard, the difference is definitely like night and day. Having spent a year in the league certainly helps, but so does having a year’s experience as a guard. Overall, my comfort level has increased significantly; I’m not as nervous, and I’m no longer a rookie.”