With Treylon Burks underperforming and two Tennessee Titans wide receivers set to hit free agency, the team needs to find a wide receiver solution quickly.
The Tennessee Titans are coming off one of their worst seasons in a decade and have significant holes in their roster. Even after selecting offensive guard Peter Skoronski in the first round of last year’s draft, the Titans’ offensive line remains one of their most visible weaknesses. The Titans may select another offensive lineman in the first round to supplement Skoronski, but they also have significant problems at wide out entering the summer.
The Tennessee Titans Have A Wide Receiver Problem.
The Problem
The team’s wide receiver troubles emerged when they moved A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles, attempting to replace him with Treylon Burks, a 2022 first-round pick. During his collegiate career at the University of Arkansas, Burks demonstrated considerable promise with his dynamic play. However, his NCAA success has not translated well into the NFL over his first two seasons. Burks has suffered multiple injuries and has never played more than 11 games in a single season. He had over 400 receiving yards in his rookie year but performed significantly worse in 2023.
De’Andre Hopkins, who had over 1,000 receiving yards again this season, is a bright spot in the Titans’ wide receiver corps. The Titans have Hopkins under contract for another season, so the team only needs one or two more quality receivers to secure the position. Hopkins recorded twice as many receiving yards as tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo, the team’s second-leading receiver. The fact that nearly every Titans receiver had fewer yards than a tight end is troubling and should be addressed.
Ryan Tannehill’s and Will Levis’ erratic quarterback play may have contributed to the Titans’ wide receiver issues. Allowing Levis to start a complete season will help to alleviate the inconsistency, as Tannehill is unlikely to return to the squad in 2024.
Two Alternatives for the Tennessee Titans at Wide Receiver
The Titans’ first probable answer is to select a wide receiver in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is a top prospect and will most likely not be available when the Titans choose seventh overall. However, there will be a lot of good receivers on the board. Rome Odunze, a receiver at the University of Washington, is one of the top prospects. Odunze had over 1,600 receiving yards in his final collegiate season, leading the NCAA. Another great receiver is Louisiana State University’s Malik Nabers, who had nearly 1,600 yards.
If the Titans can snag one of those talents, they will have a strong wide receiver group in 2024. They could also pursue a later alternative, as Ladd McConkey did.
Another option is for the Titans to sign a high-profile free agent wide receiver this offseason. The main problem with this solution is that there aren’t enough elite receivers available during this free agency period. Mike Evans is one name that jumps out among the rest. Evans has outperformed other wide receivers in terms of consistency and productivity. Despite this, Gabe Davis and Tee Higgins are two names that could work well alongside Hopkins.
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