The deal includes $88 million in guaranteed money, according to a person familiar with the terms who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. ESPN and NFL Network first reported the figures. The Titans announced the extension Friday night after a scrimmage at Nissan Stadium but did not publicly disclose financial details.
Skoronski Resets the Guard Market
Skoronski, the 11th overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Northwestern, finished fourth in All-Pro voting at left guard for the 2025 season. He just turned 25 and has started 47 consecutive games — the longest active streak on the Titans roster and a franchise best for any player under 25 since 1999.
“That’s always a good thing to help the market along and help other guys along too,” Skoronski said of resetting the pay scale. “I think that’s a positive thing. But yeah, there’s a reason because we have a tough job, and I think defenses now key on that too that the interior line is where the pocket starts.”
The extension caps an aggressive spending push by Tennessee. The Titans were the NFL’s biggest spenders in free agency this past March, and in late June they signed defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to his own extension that made him the highest-paid player at his position. Keeping both interior pillars was clearly the priority for a franchise rebuilding under new head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Mike Borgonzi.
Practice Battles Against Simmons Built the Case
Skoronski’s value is tested daily in practice against Simmons, an All-Pro defensive tackle coming off a career-high 11 sacks last season. Skoronski pointed to that matchup as proof that interior linemen deserve top dollar.
“You can’t tell me the guys that have to block that guy aren’t important too,” Skoronski said.
Simmons endorsed the payday, crediting their practice battles for sharpening his own game. “To be able to battle against Pete these last couple years at practice have helped me,” Simmons said.
Borgonzi framed the extension as part of a broader cultural shift in Nashville. The Titans had failed to retain nearly any of their 2020, 2021, or 2022 draft classes — only tight end Chig Okonkwo remained from those groups last season, and he left in free agency. Skoronski represents a reversal of that trend.
“Peter is certainly that for us,” Borgonzi said of the cornerstone label. “He has the work ethic to match his talent and a perpetual desire to win that we want permeating throughout our building. We’re excited to enter the season knowing he and his family will remain Titans for years to come.”
Skoronski missed three of his first four games as a rookie but has not missed an offensive snap in either of the past two seasons. He called the extension “a tremendous blessing” and thanked controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk, Borgonzi, and Saleh for believing in him.
What Happens Next
The Skoronski deal sets a new ceiling for interior offensive linemen and will ripple through upcoming negotiations for elite guards elsewhere — including players like Philadelphia’s Landon Dickerson and Indianapolis’s Quentin Nelson, whose contracts now sit below the new benchmark. Agents for pending free-agent guards will use the $25 million average annual value as their floor.
For the Titans, the focus shifts to training camp continuity. With both Simmons and Skoronski locked in, Tennessee’s interior on both sides of the ball is settled for the foreseeable future. Saleh can now build his defensive and rushing schemes around two anchors who have proven they can dominate the line of scrimmage together. Watch for the Titans to continue spending on perimeter pieces as they attempt to climb out of the AFC South basement with a roster suddenly built around its trench players.
— James Okafor, sports desk, AXO News