Tennessee Titans first-round pick and wide receiver Treylon Burks had a roller coaster of a rookie year in 2022.
Whenever Burks was on the field, it was glaringly obvious that he has legitimate star potential. Unfortunately, being on the field was half the battle.
The Titans’ wideout was sidelined for multiple weeks on two occasions after suffering a toe injury in Week 4 and a concussion in Week 13. The Arkansas product only played in nine full games, along with the two others he left prematurely.
The rookie finished the seasno catching 33 passes for 444 yards and two touchdowns (one receiving, one fumble recovery).
This likely wasn’t the rookie year the former Razorback envisioned for himself, but it was a learning experience that he won’t soon forget.
“It’s been a rookie year that I’ll remember,” Burks said, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. “I’m grateful for every opportunity that I got. Now [I need to] take this offseason like I know how and come back and get better.”
The Titans’ first-round wideout knows he left a lot of meat on the bone, and he’s seemingly eager to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
To do so, he has to take a better approach to his offseason work to avoid any disastrous setbacks come OTAs, similar to the one he faced last offseason.
As many probably remember, Burks got off to a terrible start after being drafted, coming in out of shape, which inevitably caused a severe overreaction by the fanbase that instantly declared him lazy.
Titans head coach Mike Vrabel emphasized that he reminded Burks of all this, including that being a professional football player is a year-long commitment regardless if you’re in the building or not.
“It is just to understand that it is not a six-month deal, it is a year-round deal,” Vrabel said of his advice to Burks. “I think he realizes what he can do if he is in shape, ready to go, big and healthy. He worked his tail off. He had some unfortunate injuries. He hurt the toe, had the concussion, but I’m excited to work with him. I’m excited for him and his future. It probably got off to a slow start and that is how you learn sometimes, is by going through it.”
Only time will tell whether or not this message resonates with Burks this offseason, but he definitely seems to have the right approach right now.
Tennessee’s top receiver said he plans to work on every facet of his game, stating that he wants to:
“[Make] sure that I stay on top of my details and everything just to be a great player,” he said. “I want to make sure to be the best version of myself. Come back, take advantage of every opportunity.”
One thing is for sure, a healthy Burks positively impacts the offense in a major way.
Amount of games in which Tannehill has thrown for at least 250 yards:
• With Treylon Burks: 5
• Without Treylon Burks: 1
The #Titans desperately need their WR1 back
— Shaun Calderon (@ShaunMichaels31) December 19, 2022
The Arkansas legend could be poised for a monstrous breakout campaign if he’s healthy, in shape, and hits the ground running next season.
“Not taking anything for granted,” Burks said. “Go out there and approach every day like it’s your last day, be thankful four your teammates, coaches, family. Soak all of it in and just have fun.”
