NASHVILLE — Nicholas Petit-Frere is just happy to be back at practice, his six-game suspension for gambling having been reduced by two games.
Peter Skoronski has been busy downing shakes and smoothies to add weight while recovering from an appendectomy.
Both offensive linemen practiced Wednesday with the Tennessee Titans for the first time in weeks. Skoronski, the team’s starting left guard, had surgery on Sept. 16, just before the second game of the regular season. Petit-Frere, who rejoined the Titans on Sept. 25, didn’t expect to practice again until the last week of October.
“I’ve been working my tail off as much as I can, conditioning, being in my pads, trying to find a way to get as close to being acclimated with the team as I can be,” said Petit-Frere, who as a rookie last season started every game at right tackle.
The Titans (2-2) have a roster exemption for Petit-Frere because his suspension began at the NFL’s final roster cut deadline Aug. 29.
And now head coach Mike Vrabel and his staff have options ahead of their first AFC South Division game, Sunday against the host Indianapolis Colts (2-2), when the importance of protecting the backfield and the ball could be magnified. The Colts, tied for fifth in the NFL with 14 sacks, lead the league with five strip-sacks and rank second with eight forced fumbles.
First, though, is Skoronski ready physically to reclaim his starting job at left guard? Second, is Petit-Frere ready after such a long break to help an offense that ranks 29th in the league by allowing 16 sacks?
“We’ll see where they both are, but Nic’s been able to kind of work through, even though he hasn’t been here,” Vrabel said before practice Wednesday. “Peter had a little bit of a break.”
The 11th pick overall out of Northwestern in April, Skoronski needed surgery when his appendix burst, though he was fortunate to be at the hospital already when that happened. Recovery affected his appetite and his weight, with the rookie — listed at 6-foot-4, 313 pounds on the roster — having to get cleared to lift weights and work out.
Skoronski said he remains on a day-to-day approach to his recovery, although watching the Titans beat the Cincinnati Bengals 27-3 on Sunday in Nashville has him eager to return.
“I think I’m getting back up there, so I’m progressing really well,” Skoronski said. “I don’t think I need to be exactly where I was on the dot weight-wise to where I was, but as long as I keep improving and get to a point where I feel comfortable strength-wise.”
Petit-Frere’s situation is very different because the NFL announced his suspension in June.
The Titans signed veteran Chris Hubbard, who has stepped in and started the first four games at right tackle. He got plenty of work alongside Daniel Brunskill, signed as a free agent to start at right guard.
Left tackle Andre Dillard, another top free-agent signee this offseason, has allowed six sacks. Three of those were by Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett on Sept. 24, where the Titans were held to 94 yards of offense in a 27-3 road loss, prompting Garrett to give Dillard some tips after the game.
Petit-Frere started every game in 2021 at left tackle for Ohio State. The 6-5, 316-pounder is just curious to see how he reacts after trying to mimic football work during three weeks spent training in Tampa, Florida.
His goal?
“Reacclimating as fast as I can,” he said, “and just be a part of the team however my role sees fit.”