NFL Cut Candidates to Watch for Titans at Wide Receiver

The Tennessee Titans neglected the wide receiver position in surprising fashion in the 2023 NFL draft, deciding not to select a player at the position until the last round. Now, the Titans will have to keep an eye on other people's trash in hopes it becomes their treasure.

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans desperately needed wide receiver help in the 2023 NFL draft and with all due respect to seventh rounder Colton Dowell, the need was not properly address. Now, the Titans will have to get creative if they intended to add reinforcements. One of the options they have is picking up players who will be released by their teams in the coming months.

This is a strategy hinted at by Mike Vrabel during the post-draft press conference when asked about his wide receiver group. Vrabel indicated the Titans could still players and trade for players and, as mentioned above, pick up guys who will be released. However, Vrabel did say a lot of players would be released on Monday after the draft and as noted in the tweet below by Titans' reporter Paul Kuharsky, that was not the case.

Mike Vrabel Saturday: “There will be players that are on other teams that will become available Monday. Take a look. It will be a real large waiver wire.”

Monday transaction report: Four players waived, two players terminated. No
wide receivers. #Titans

— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) May 1, 2023

At some point though, Vrabel will see his desired outcome and players will be released from other teams. Here are some options that could eventually hit the market.

Cleveland Browns

 Anthony Schwartz, Jakeem Grant, Jalen Darden

The Browns are a team to watch simply because of excess on the depth chart. The Browns have Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones and newly added Elijah Moore as a starting trio. They signed Marquise Goodwin in free agency and drafted David Bell then Cedric Tillman in the 2022 and 2023 draft, respectively. All three of the players named, Schwartz, Grant and Darden are not even projected in the top six on the depth chart.

Maybe one or two of them actually makes it, which would make the players listed ahead of them options as well, but odds are two of these names become available at some point during the summer. Schwartz has deep speed, Grant is electric in open field and as a returner, Darden has run-after-catch ability in spades. All three could be options for a Titans team with very few on the roster.

Las Vegas Raiders

Keelan Cole, Phillip Dorsett, Deandre Carter

The Raiders has a solid top six at wide receiver and most teams don't carry many more than six at the position. Someone must be let go out of the trio named. Cole is a quick veteran with experience and production, Dorsett has fantastic speed and Carter can play in the slot with quickness. 

Again, there is no guarantee the Raiders release any of them, but at the end of the day it is a numbers game and a team is only going to carry so many. These may not be fantastic options, but the Titans' malpractice at receiver has left in them in a spot where unappetizing options taste gourmet.

New York Giants

Jamison Crowder, Sterling Shepard

This is probably the best group of the three. The Giants may find a way to keep both of these players, but the depth chart is crowded. New York has last year's breakout player Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton, Wandale Robinson, newly-signed Parris Campbell and Jalin Hyatt who they just got in the draft. 

Maybe they keep one of Shepard and Crowder. The Titans should instantly be looking at whoever gets the cut. If both somehow get cut the Titans should be first in line with Shepard, even with the injury issues. What is the risk at this point?

Of course, a name like Corey Davis could become available soon and that would far exceed the options on this list. Worth mentioning though that Davis hasn't been released up to this point and there is no guarantee he would want to come back to Tennessee considering the state of their offense. Davis may be worried about his next pay day and worried being locked away in the Titans' offense could hurt his earning potential. 

So, even though it may not seem exciting, one of the names on this list could be the Titans only hope for some help. Even then, it may not be enough to save them. 

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