Treylon Burks Shakes off Injury, Scores
NASHVILLE – Treylon Burks got off to a good start.
Then, he walked off the field in a moment that caused everyone involved with the Tennessee Titans to hold their breath.
The first-round pick in this year’s draft (18th overall) left the field at Nissan Stadium and headed to the locker room accompanied by a trainer during the final minute of the first quarter of Saturday’s preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals. Moments earlier, he came to the sideline with what appeared to be an injury to his right arm.
Burks eventually returned to action with just under three minutes to play in the first half and scored his first touchdown of the preseason on a 14-yard reception with 35 seconds to play to go before intermission. His score gave the Titans a 13-7 lead.
"He wanted to play," coach Mike Vrabel said following the contest. "And that was exciting. I looked at him and said, 'Can you do your job?' He was cleared and he wanted to play.
"He went in there, and I watched him ... do all the things that we ask him to do."
Burks did not play – and was not on the sideline – after halftime. Still, he finished with three receptions (tied for the team lead) for a team-high 33 yards.
"Like Coach Vrabel always says, when your opportunity comes just take advantage of it," Burks said. "And that's just what I did. My opportunity came in and just wanted to go make a play.
"... Just to get the first (touchdown), it just – words can't explain it. We’ll just come back Monday and just build on it."
When Burks initially went to the locker room, the team announced that his return was questionable due to a wrist injury. He was back on the sideline a short time later with his helmet and no apparent wrap or support on his wrist.
At the time he got hurt, the wide receiver out of Arkansas was Tennessee’s leading receiver at the time with two receptions for 19 yards. He caught a pass from quarterback Malik Willis for a 6-yard gain on the opening snap of the contest. On the play before he was hurt, he had a 13-yard reception for a first down at the Tennessee 34.
Burks had just one reception for four yards in the first two preseason games.
The surprising lack of production was the latest element of a disappointing offseason in which he missed much or all of many organized team activities (OTA) and minicamp practices due to issues with asthma and conditioning. Several times during training camp, he left practices with what appeared to be a leg injury.
Most recently, he failed to finish Wednesday's joint workout with the Cardinals.
“I try to coach and try to figure out whose available each and every day,” Vrabel said recently when asked about Burks’ physical issues. “We've been through a lot. It's a long season. Whether it's Trelon (Burks) … go right on down the list of guys that may or may not be there. We just put the next guy in.”
In this case, the next guy eventually came back out for a time.
