Nearly a 12 months in the past to at the present time, the Titans claimed they had been “glad” with their group of huge receivers heading into the 2023 season. Two months later, the staff determined to reinforce the group with the acquisition of veteran free agent DeAndre Hopkins. Nonetheless, the staff completed twenty ninth within the NFL in passing yards final 12 months, resulting in numerous funding in a brand new huge receiving corps.
Hopkins did his job. In 17 video games, he led the staff in all receiving classes with 75 catches for 1,057 yards and 7 touchdowns. He didn’t have a lot assist, although, as his 137 targets had been greater than 3 times larger than the following most focused wideout, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (45), however tight finish Chigoziem Okonkwo (77) and operating again Tyjae Spears (70) acquired their fair proportion of targets.
The remainder of the huge receiving corps offered nothing greater than auxiliary numbers. After Hopkins, the following main receivers had been 30-year-old Chris Moore (22 receptions/424 yards/zero touchdowns), the undrafted Westbrook-Ihkine (28/370/3) and, lastly, former first-round decide Treylon Burks (16/221/0).
Burks skilled a little bit of sophomore droop in 2023, even after placing up middling stats (33/444/1) in his rookie season. In each seasons, Burks has missed six contests with harm. His rookie 12 months, turf toe landed him on injured reserve. This previous season, an LCL sprain precipitated him to overlook much more time.
Burks alternative to show issues round in 2024 can be tough in Tennessee. Though Moore has departed in free company, Hopkins and Westbrook-Ikhine return subsequent season. Moreover, the Titans invested huge capital in signing free brokers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd. Not solely is that this group an enormous enchancment over final 12 months’s, however Hopkins additionally claims this is among the greatest huge receiving corps he’s ever been part of, per Michael David Smith of NBC Sports activities. That’s massive reward for somebody who shared the sector with Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk.
With Ridley, Hopkins and Boyd manning the first-team offense and Westbrook-Ikhine exhibiting extra reliability in 2023 than Burks, the 24-year-old out of Arkansas will battle to see a lot of the sector this 12 months. Even when he does get some snaps, he’s going to must earn targets over these 4, as nicely. It’s beginning to appear that if Burks goes to show issues round, it’ll require a change of surroundings.
Earlier than final 12 months’s commerce deadline, the Titans made it clear that operating again Derrick Henry and Hopkins weren’t accessible. They had been extra receptive to listening to affords on Burks however weren’t essentially inclined to maneuver a younger, former Day 1 decide. One has to think about that, with the additions of Ridley and Boyd, their stances could have modified.
Tennessee is probably going not going to fetch a first-round worth out of Burks like what Baltimore acquired out of Marquise Brown a few years in the past, however some groups should see the potential worth in buying the sixth receiver off the board within the 2022 NFL Draft. Even when they aren’t fairly glad with the affords they obtain for Burks, his worth is probably going solely going to say no in 2024, barring a surprising breakout season.
As for groups with huge receiver wants following the draft and free company, the Ravens, Payments, Chargers, Steelers and Jets may all stand to take a swing. The Payments and Chargers in all probability home the most important want. With Buffalo dropping each Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis this offseason, Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel and rookie second-round decide Keon Coleman lead their room. After dropping star veterans Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, Los Angeles is relying on Josh Palmer, final 12 months’s first-round decide Quentin Johnston and second-round rookie Ladd McConkey in 2024.
The Steelers (George Pickens, Van Jefferson, Roman Wilson) and Jets (Garrett Wilson, Williams, Malachi Corley) are every counting on a dynamic, younger expertise, an intriguing free agent and a third-round rookie, whereas Baltimore could possibly be wanting so as to add one other pass-catcher to interchange Odell Beckham Jr.‘s manufacturing from final 12 months.
The Titans ought to have some choices in the event that they really feel the necessity to transfer Burks or if he desires to request a change of surroundings. Both means, it’s laborious to see a state of affairs during which Burks finds great success as WR4 or WR5 on a Tennessee offense quarterbacked by Will Levis. If Burks desires to show his profession round and if the staff desires to maximise his worth, a transfer could be vital this offseason or earlier than the following commerce deadline.
