Countdown to Kickoff: 55 Days

The countdown to kickoff continues.

The Tennessee Titans will open the 2020 regular season Sept. 14 at Denver. That is 55 days away. So, today we look at one way the number 55 figures into the team’s recent history.

The Tennessee Titans could not afford to pass on adding pass catchers in the 2005 NFL Draft.

So, they selected three. The only one ever to lead the team in receptions was Roydell Williams, when he caught 55 passes in 2007.

Williams was not targeted in the opener that year but caught at least one pass in each of the final 15 games, four or more in eight contests and a season-high six in the finale (ultimately, that was his career-high as well). His final tally left him tied with Justin Gage for the team lead, but Williams’ four touchdown catches were twice as many as anyone else on the roster.

In his first two NFL seasons, he caught just 29 passes with two touchdown receptions.

Williams was the last of Tennessee’ 2005 trio of receivers. He went in the fifth round after five years at Tulane, where he had one 1,000-yard campaign and two others in which he topped 800 receiving yards.

The first two were Courtney Roby and Brandon Jones, who were chosen 28 picks apart, both in the third round. Jones ended up with the most career receptions (113, all but one of which came with the Titans) and Roby had the longest career, 92 games over eight seasons with three teams.

Williams’ best, though, was better than that of those other two and as good as anyone else the Titans had in 2007.