NFL Scouting Combine: Deep Draft for Wide Receivers, but Titans Still Believe in Treylon Burks
INDIANAPOLIS — Treylon Burks' first two years in the NFL haven't gone according to plan. Injuries have hindered the early career of the former first-round pick out of Arkansas, but Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon still believes the wide receiver has the ability to make a difference.
Carthon spoke highly of Burks on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. Now that the wide receiver enters an offseason with a clean bill of health, the Titans general manager believes some progress can be made.
"I do know Treylon is off this season training with (DeAndre Hopkins) and some others from around the league," Carthon said. "Which I think will be good for him to see how other pros prepare and get ready for the season so he can add that to his game. I've seen a couple clips of him running routes and doing stuff in the offseason.
"And for him, it's an offseason where he's not trying to get healthy. He can work on perfecting his craft as opposed to trying to get healthy."
Last season, Burks totaled just 221 yards on 16 catches. As a rookie in 2022, he caught 33 passes for 444 yards and a touchdown.
That lack of production from a former first-round pick is a huge reason why the Titans are in desperate need of a wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft. Both Carthon and coach Brian Callahan talked about adding "playmakers" to the roster.
But Carthon isn't ready to give up on Burks, saying that injury issues have played a big role in Burks' struggles on the field.
"Well, I think the injury thing, the concussion thing was a real deal. I think we all saw that from the Pittsburgh game," he said. "Those are the type of things you can't really prevent."
As Burks enters his third season with Tennessee, the franchise needs to start seeing better production, and quickly. Maybe a fully-healthy offseason will help the receiver live up to the first-round potential.
Related Titans stories
- WHAT CALLAHAN LIKES AT QB: Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan has mentored some of the best quarterbacks the NFL has seen — Peyton Manning, Joe Burrow, and Matthew Stafford, to name a few. What does he look for when scouting the position? He named three things. CLICK HERE
- RUNNING BACKS REDEFINED: Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan doesn't believe the running back position is being "devalued" in the NFL; he says there's just better distribution of responsibilities. Whether Derrick Henry returns or not, it sounds like Callahan wants plenty of backs on the roster. CLICK HERE
- TITANS WILL SPEND WISELY: $72 million is "a lot of cap space," says Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon. "But we have to spend wisely. You don't want just to load up and go spend money. ... We want to build a long-term consistent winner, and you can't do that by spending all your money upfront." CLICK HERE
- TITANS WILL LISTEN TO OFFERS: The Tennessee Titans are projected to take a offensive lineman — Notre Dame's Joe Alt or Penn State's Olu Fashanu — with their No. 1 pick. But general manager Ran Carthon also will remain open to trade conversations. CLICK HERE
- CARTHON, CALLAHAN LOOKING FOR PLAYMAKERS: Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon and coach Brian Callahan raved about the depth in the 2024 NFL Draft class, particularly at wide receiver and offensive line. They're also scouting "playmakers" while in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine. CLICK HERE
- HOW TO FOLLOW THE COMBINE: The NFL Scouting Combine gets underway at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis this week. Here's the complete guide to the schedule of events, as well as specific coverage pertaining to the Tennessee Titans. CLICK HERE
