Nicholas

Petit-Frere

Petit-Frere was placed on the PUP list before the start of camp while rehabbing a knee injury. The 2022 third-rounder is expected to compete for the Titans’ starting right tackle job, a position he manned for all 16 games he appeared in as a rookie. An injury and suspension limited Petit-Frere to just three games last season, but he started in two of the three games he appeared in, with both starts coming at right tackle. Fourth-year tackle Dillon Radunz figures to have the inside edge on Petit-Frere at this time, but there’s still plenty of camp left to go.

Nicholas Petit-Frere had been filling in at right tackle for Hubbard over the past two weeks. He suffered an injury of his own last week and will miss Week 10, though that isn’t as big of an issue with Hubbard back in the lineup. Right guard Daniel Brunskill is out for Week 10 as well.

Petit-Frere was one of a handful of players suspended for violating the league’s gambling policy, and he, like Jameson Williams, had his suspension reduced earlier in the season. However, now the 2022 third-round pick is battling a shoulder injury suffered in Week 9. He has another couple of days to work back onto the field, but his absence would be a slight boost for the Bucs defense.

In an unexpected turn of events, the league revised it’s gambling policy on Friday, shortening the suspension for first time offenders caught betting on non-NFL games from inside team facilities from six games to two games. This was the exact violation that saw Williams get suspended for six games earlier this offseason, but the revision has resulted in the league opting to reinstate Williams early. Players who bet on NFL games will now receive a one-year suspension. Betting on your own team is a two-year suspension and match-fixing is a lifetime ban. Williams can now rejoin the 3-1 Lions who currently rank eighth in points per game (26.5) and seventh in passing yards ahead of the team’s Week 5 matchup against the Panthers. Titans OT Nicholas Petit-Frere, also suspended for gambling, had the remainder of his suspension nixed by the league as well.

Petit-Frere was one of the handful of players expected to be hit with suspensions for violating the league’s gambling policy. The 2022 third-round pick was found to have been betting on non-NFL games from the Titans’ facilities, which is a violation of league rules, as we learned from Jameson Williams’ six-game suspension earlier this offseason. Petit-Frere’s suspension makes for a significant blow to the Titans’ offensive line. He started 16 games at right tackle as a rookie last season, and is expected to start again in 2023. Andrew Rupcich, who signed with the team as a UDFA last season, will have a chance to step up in Petit-Frere’s absence.

Petit-Frere (6’5/315) was a consensus five-star prospect coming out of high school. After redshirting in 2018, he served as a swing tackle in 2019 before winning the starting right tackle job before the 2020 season. He earned second-team All-Big 10 honors in 2020 and followed it up with a first-team All-Big 10 and second-team All-American honors in 2021. A really good athlete for the position, Petit-Frere has excellent lateral foot quickness which shows in his pass sets. He struggles with play strength with too many reps on tape where he got outmatched. He offers intriguing upside as either a left or right tackle on day two.

According to Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball, many NFL teams are projecting Petit-Frere than the general media. Most outlets don’t have Petit-Frere in the first considering his up-down-season last year, but his size-athleticism combo is enticing. Three different franchises said they have him early second with the ability to rise into the late first, especially with a strong Combine.

With Harry Miller not traveling with the team, freshman Luke Wypler makes his debut. The starting linemen tonight will be Nicholas Petit-Frere, Thayer Mumford, Luke Wypler, Paris Johnson and Dawand Jones.

This was pegged as a position battle to watch in Columbus even before the Big Ten decided to postpone the season, and nothing has changed as the Buckeyes prepare for their October 24 season opener vs. Nebraska. Petit-Frere (6'6/305) is the leader at this point in his competition with Paris Johnson for the starting right tackle job, but Day said during his press conference on Tuesday that both will see action this season. Petit-Frere appeared in all 14 games for the Buckeyes last season, backing up Branden Bowen.

Petite-Frere was a five-star recruit that signed on with the Buckeyes in 2018, and he appeared in all 14 games for Ohio State in 2019 in his redshirt freshman campaign. “I think that this is Nick’s time,” offensive line coach Greg Studrawa told Landis. “I think he’s finally got his weight and strength up to where it needs to be.” Now listed at 6-foot-6, 305-pounds, Petit-Frere will still have to compete with Dawand Jones, and could see some competition from Desmond Johnson as well; a player many considered the top tackle in the 2020 recruiting class. That being said, this certainly seems to be Petit-Frere’s job to lose, and if he continues to add strength, he’s a potential NFL draft pick in a couple of seasons.