It was NFL Draft day back in 2022. News broke that the Tennessee Titans were trading away their best wide receiver in A.J. Brown. Minutes after, they would draft Treylon Burks with the 18th overall pick to replace him. In his debut season with Derrick Henry as a teammate, Burks failed to establish himself, but then, it’s been tough for him to bounce back. Now, the Arkansas alumn is ready to roll.
Speaking during the team’s mandatory minicamp, the Titans receiver said, “I am not going out to prove nobody wrong, I am going out to prove myself right.“ Burks went on to say that he is ahead of schedule in his recovery, which was also confirmed by head coach Brian Callahan.
Even if the injuries have stopped Burks growth, he was also underperforming for a first-round pick. He went from A.J. Brown‘s replacement to a special team’s player last year prior to the ACL injury.
Burks has the chance of redemption in his hands
Entering his fourth season, Burks has failed to make an impact on his team. His best numbers were on his rookie year and they aren’t quite show-stopping. He had 444 yards and only one touchdown. Another worry has been his 57.6 catching percentage. He is not a safe target by any means.
However, the Titans are rebuilding and if Burks can show glimpses of talent, he has a great horizon ahead of him in terms of snaps played. While the Titans have Calvin Ridley as his first option, snaps are up for grabs. Yes, they brought Tyler Lockett from Seattle but he is a veteran who won’t be in Tennessee for that many years to come.
This means that if Burks can be a reliable third option this year, he could put himself in prime position to climb on the depth chart. The fact is that Tennessee won’t be contending anytime soon and that also buys time for Burks to rebuild his career.
The Titans also have way more problems than Burks
First and foremost, they must see what no.1 overall pick Cam Ward has in his bag. The Titans bet on him as the quarterback of the present and future. Also, Brian Callahan is not a coach the Titans are certain about, he also must prove himself.
By having plenty of their offense and coaching staff in a do-or-die season, Burks knows there is a sense of urgency for many to ball out. Having Houston, Jacksonville, and Indianapolis as their divisional rivals, they should not need plenty of stuff to compete in the AFC South, but sure need to have steps in the right direction.