Titans Not Sweating Burks' Conditioning
NASHVILLE – One of the most significant questions hanging over the start of Tennessee Titans training camp appears to have been answered – at least for the moment.
Coach Mike Vrabel said Tuesday he expects first-round pick Treylon Burks to be on the field and practicing Wednesday when the team has its first full training-camp practice.
No limitations?
“(Not) as of now,” Vrabel said. “Every day is a new day, but every day is something different with each guy. We’ll approach those and handle those how we can. I don’t foresee anything. But things can always come up.”
It was a dramatic offseason for Burks, a wide receiver the Titans chose with the 18th overall selection – just moments after trading Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles.
He had trouble finishing some of the very first drills he went through at rookie camp, and eventually missed large chunks of the offseason – including all of minicamp – as a result of asthma and conditioning issues.
Burks’ former coach at Arkansas, Sam Pittman, said recently that Burks dealt with conditioning issues while he played for the Razorbacks. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound receiver posted 66 catches last season, totaling 1,104 yards (16.7-yard average) and 11 touchdowns.
Titans general manager Jon Robinson said Burks was open with the team about some of those issues prior to the NFL Draft.
“I think Treylon was pretty transparent with us when we brought him here and talked to him,” Robinson said. “He admitted he had some stuff he had in college that he felt he needed to be better at.
“I would say he’s attacked the time he’s been here and gotten himself ready to go out and perform. And it certainly showed, the work he’s put in over the last two days he’s been here early, that he’s ready to roll.”
Burks has been working with other rookies as well as injured players prior to the formal start of training camp.
“He’s made good progress (since minicamp),” Vrabel said. “He’s put together a couple good days with the rookies and some of the injured guys. Hopefully he can build on that as we get back out there tomorrow with everybody.”
Added Robinson: “I think he did a nice job in the conditioning test. He’s been out here for a couple days and has been running around well, made a couple plays, so certainly excited with the trajectory he’s on. We’ll take it day by day. Bumps and bruises happen in training camp. Hopefully we won’t have too many.”
Burks will almost certainly need to be a significant part of a Titans passing attack that struggled last year – prior to losing Brown and Julio Jones.
One of his first challenges will be making up for the on-field learning and chemistry he wasn’t able to gain during the offseason.
“I define (progress) as just making sure you’re doing the little things – that you understand where to go as we continue to add installation,” Vrabel said. “There’s a lot of information that we give him. That you can come out and compete.
“The biggest thing for training camp is earning the trust of teammates and coaches -- not only developing and trying to improve and all the things we’re going to need throughout the season, but it’s also about trust and being where you’re supposed to be for the quarterback. Doing those things day in and day out with some consistency.”
Is it fair to expect Burks to replace Brown, who topped the 1,000-yard mark in two of his first three seasons?
Robinson wants to keep Burks' goals more simple and straightforward.
“Treylon’s got to get open, catch and block,” Robinson said. “He’s going to line up at receiver, get open, catch and block. When we throw it to him, try to run with it as far as he can run until somebody tackles him.”
Setting foot on the practice field Wednesday will be a step in the right direction.
