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Titans WR Makes Final Roster Case With Electric TD

The Tennessee Titans may have settled their wide receiver debate.
Jeremy Brener|
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Van Jefferson puts his gloves on before stretching during training camp practice.
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Van Jefferson puts his gloves on before stretching during training camp practice. | Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Tennessee Titans

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Van Jefferson has been competing for a starting job during training camp and the preseason.

He has some tough competition in veteran Tyler Lockett and rising rookies, but he may have set himself apart in the second quarter of Tennessee's preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings. Jefferson scored a touchdown on a 65-yard pass from backup quarterback Brandon Allen.

On 3rd-and-10 with 5:25 left in the second quarter, Jefferson catches the ball five yards from the line of scrimmage and takes advantage when a Vikings defender slips in an attempt to make a tackle.

Jefferson then takes the ball and runs it 60 more yards all the way to the end zone to extend Tennessee's lead.

Jefferson was signed by the Titans on a one-year deal earlier in the offseason to be a reliable veteran for Cam Ward in the passing game and he's proving that he could be that here in the preseason.

While this touchdown pass didn't come from Ward, it shows the kind of impact Jefferson can have. He caught the ball on a quick five-yard pass just to get the drive going. The Titans certainly get lucky here with the slip from the defender, but it's a sign that Jefferson can be what the team wants him to be.

Jefferson comes to the Titans hoping to fill in the role Tyler Boyd had last season. Boyd was the No. 3 wide receiver who caught 39 passes for 390 yards. That number is slightly higher than what Jefferson has been able to produce in his past three seasons.

His best year came in 2021 when the Rams made it all the way to the Super Bowl and hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, catching 50 passes for 802 yards and two touchdowns. He might not be that kind of player anymore, but he can still contribute for the Titans in a strong capacity.

It will be intriguing to see the approach the Titans have between playing Jefferson versus rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, but the veteran is building a case to see the field.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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