When the Tennessee Titans inked offensive tackle Andre Dillard to a three-year, $29 million deal, the specifics of which we do not have yet, the notion has been that he’s likely to assume the vacant left tackle spot.
And that’s exactly the job he’s eyeing as he arrives in Nashville. Dillard said his goal is to win the left tackle job with the Titans, but he did note he’s willing to do whatever the team needs of him.
“Left tackle is definitely what I have my eyes set on, that’s my goal,” Dillard said, according to ESPN’s Turron Davenport. “I’m going to compete and give everything I have to get that spot, but obviously I’m willing to do whatever is best for the team at the end of the day. But left tackle is definitely what I have my sights set on.”
Andre Dillard said he plans to compete primarily at left tackle but he's willing to do whatever the team asks him. #Titans pic.twitter.com/YYqqtVBpzl
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) March 20, 2023
Dillard is capable of playing in multiple spots, as he saw time at every spot but center during his days with the Philadelphia Eagles.
As far as why things didn’t pan out there for him as a starter after the Eagles used a first-round pick on him in 2019, Dillard mentioned his 2020 torn biceps injury as one of the causes.
“It’s interesting, I’ve never thought about that (why it didn’t pan out) at all, like (not) once,” he said, according to Paul Kuharsky. “So, I try not to think about “what if”, “woulda, coulda, shoulda” type things.
“I definitely know that my injury kind of derailed things, but everything kind of happens for a reason. I believe that, and I think that everything that has happened up to this point has built me to what I am now.”
During that missed 2020 season, fellow tackle Jordan Mailata emerged as a good player on the left side for Philly, and the team stuck with him upon Dillard’s return in 2021, relegating him to bench duty.
Whether or not the Titans add a left tackle in the 2023 NFL draft now that they have Dillard remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt he’s the favorite to land the job as things stand now.
