George Walker IV/USA Today Sports
Taking Stock of Top Five Wide Receivers
NASHVILLE – When they parted ways with receivers A.J. Brown, Julio Jones and Chester Rogers during the offseason, the Tennessee Titans needed to replace the 124 catches, 1,604 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches those players provided in 2021.
As attention turns to the Sept. 11 season opener against the New York Giants, it appears that five receivers – Treylon Burks, Racey McMath, Kyle Philips, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Robert Woods – will carry the bulk of that responsibility.
Here’s a mini-evaluation on each of the five:
NICK WESTBROOK-IKHINE
• Plus: Who would have guessed two years ago that Westbrook-Ikhine – then an undrafted free-agent rookie dropping too many passes – would be the Titans’ most reliable option heading into the 2022 season? But that’s where we are. In Thursday’s final training-camp practice, Westbrook-Ikhine proved a productive target for quarterback Ryan Tannehill yet again – beating Roger McCreary in the back of the end zone for one touchdown pass, then catching two play-action passes over the middle from Tannehill in a four-play span during a later drill. Westbrook-Ikhine has been the Titans’ most reliable receiver since the start of the offseason, using his size (6-foot-2, 211 pounds) and his much-improved catching ability to offer Tannehill a reliable connection.
• Minus: There’s no real downside. He's versatile enough to play all three receiver positions and contribute on special teams. Expect him to improve on his 2021 totals of 38 catches, 476 yards and four touchdowns last season. But Westbrook-Ikhine does have a ceiling. He doesn’t have the kind of speed that will make him a deep threat, and it remains to be seen how he’ll handle going against higher-caliber defensive backs, now that Brown and Jones are gone.
• Quote: “A lot of versatility, a lot of toughness, he can play different positions, is willing to go in there and block,” coach Mike Vrabel said. “Just a lot of consistency from Nick. I think I have seen a lot of growth. I think he's healthy. I think he's just developing. He's gotten a lot more comfortable.”
ROBERT WOODS
• Plus: Woods has impressed many with his smooth and rapid return from ACL surgery last November as he’s hardly been impacted by the injury since the start of the offseason. The 30-year-old also has worked relentlessly to develop chemistry with Tannehill, taking countless extra snaps with his starting quarterback during training camp. Like Westbrook-Ikhine, Woods has the intelligence and ability to play all three receiver positions. He’d been highly productive prior in three seasons prior to the knee injury, making a combined 266 receptions in the Rams’ pass-happy offense.
• Minus: We know Woods played with many talented receivers during his Rams tenure – like Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, Odell Beckham Jr., Brandin Cooks and Sammy Watkins. How much space was created for Woods by those players? There were times in training camp Woods didn’t appear to create consistent separation, resulting in passes that were knocked away. So like Westbrook-Ikhine, he’ll need to prove he can handle the challenge of being the first or second option on Tannehill passes.
• Quote: “I’m feeling good,” Woods said. “I feel like I can put my foot in the ground, separate from guys, (show a) speed aspect. … (The knee injury) is not even a thought. I’m just out here trying to perfect my game as a receiver – honing my craft, footwork, hands and be ready to go and separate.”
KYLE PHILIPS
• Plus: It’s been a rapid rise during Philips’ first offseason. The fifth-round draft pick out of UCLA has quickly proven to be a tricky player to cover – especially in short-yardage and goalline situations. If he continues to progress, Philips should provide an excellent security blanket in the slot for Tannehill, making receptions that will extend drives.
• Minus: The 5-foot-11, 189-pound Philips is going to have to prove he can handle the physical play of NFL defenders. Safety Kevin Byard had some success manhandling him near the line of scrimmage during drills, a tactic some Arizona Cardinals defenders also took in practice last week. Philips also has a limited downfield range because he’s a smaller target.
• Quote: “More often than not, Kyle, coming in as a rookie, (has been) a really good route runner, polished, and giving guys a lot of trouble," Byard said.
RACEY McMATH
• Plus: After playing just 106 offensive snaps and catching two passes as a rookie, McMath began to flash big-play potential during offeason and training-camp work. A raw, sixth-round draft pick chosen primarily for his special-teams play in 2021, McMath started raising eyebrows in training camp when he got behind Titans defensive backs for long completions. As Titans coach Rob Moore said, “I think the biggest thing Racey has done is that he’s realized there’s not a bunch of 6-foot-3, (217)-pound wide receivers that can run a 4.3 like he can.”
• Minus: McMath still has to prove he can be a reliable target, something that was not always the case during training camp. Still learning to play the position, McMath cost himself a few long receptions in camp by not high-pointing the football, which allowed defenders to knock it away when he waited for it to fall to him. In addition, McMath dropped his share of passes, something that will no doubt stick in Tannehill’s mind.
• Quote: “(He needs to) trust himself, believe in himself, knowing that he can make the plays,” Woods said. “Don’t be anxious. Go out there and be himself, show what he can do. He’s a fast guy, so when he plays fast, he’s going to run past guys and make people miss.”
TREYLON BURKS
• Plus: Burks began training camp by seemingly bouncing back from the medical and conditioning concerns that kept him off the field for much of the offseason. He made a number of big plays in the first weeks of camp, the kind that reflected the potential the Titans saw in the 6-foot-2, 225-pound receiver when they selected him with the 18th overall pick. He’s not a burner, but Burks nonetheless has shown the ability to get behind defensive backs.
• Minus: Given the lack of offseason work, he needed to be on the field as much as possible during training camp – to familiarize himself with a far-different offense than the one he played at Arkansas, and to get reps at outside receiver after playing mostly slot for the Razorbacks. So, it was disappointing to see him miss more practice time over the past couple of weeks, apparently due to a lower-leg/calf injury. In addition, Burks played 67 offensive snaps in the first two preseason games, but totaled just one catch for four yards. Did that mean Burks wasn’t getting open, or did that mean quarterbacks weren’t throwing the ball to him when he was open?
• Quote: “I don't really try to get overly concerned,” Vrabel said of Burks’ absence at the end of training camp. “I try to coach and try to figure out who’s available each and every day ... We just put the next guy in. That's what we've always done. That's what we're going to continue to do. That's how it goes.”
