Titans TE Named to Future Hit List

The addition of Gunnar Helm makes things interesting for Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo. Tennessee opted to draft a tight end with the No. 120 overall pick despite Okonkwo being a reliable target for the past three seasons.

Interestingly enough, both Helm and Okonkwo were selected in the 4th round. Helm has a slight advantage on the fourth-year TE who was taken No. 143 back in 2022. Entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, it's clear the team may be moving away from the 25-year-old.

That said, The Athletics' Jourdan Rodrigue named Okonkwo to the "NFL Future Hits List". Rodrigue was on a mission to name one player from every NFL team that "every true fan should know."

For a team that won just three games last season, true NFL fans probably don't expect much from this Titans offense. Cam Ward is the least talked about No. 1 overall pick in forever despite looking great in the preseason. Ultimately, Rodrigue believes he could be the key to unlock Okonkwo's full potential.

"Okonkwo flashes all the traits and potential of a true weapon at tight end, but Tennessee’s massive inconsistency at quarterback (and on offense overall) may have stunted his production over his first three seasons," Rodrigue wrote.

She added, "Pairing him with rookie No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward not only should help Ward, but may lead to the bona fide breakout season some have expected from Okonkwo for a while."

One of the best things about Okonkwo has been his availability. The Maryland graduate has played in all 17 games in each of his first three seasons. With 52 receptions last season, he recorded back to back years with 50+ catches.

Going from Will Levis to Cam Ward is a huge jump. The Titans offense showed little to nothing to get excited about last season, but now they've added a ton of new names. Helm could open things up for Okonkwo, especially if HC Brian Callahan operates under plenty of two tight-end sets.

From there, Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor are key rookie targets for Ward. With veterans like Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett, and Van Jefferson at wideout, defenses may have to respect this offense a little more.

Helm has been praised extensively this offseason. That may not bode well for a player like Okonkwo who's already showed signs of regression. If it weren't for a 70-yard reception, he'd have nowhere near an average of 9.2 yards per reception. That number has already dipped significantly from the 14.1 it was in '22.

It's worth keeping an eye on his fumbles as well. After not losing the ball once in his first two seasons, Okonkwo fumbled twice last year. Only one of those was recovered by the opposition, but it's still an alarming number as Tennessee cannot afford to gift their opposition any points.

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