The Tennessee Titans have much to prove in 2024. The team is coming off a dismal 2023 season in which head coach Mike Vrabel was fired after going 6-11.
With a new head coach in town, the team did a fine job of adding talent to the roster. Wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd were added in free agency. Running back Tony Pollard was added to offset the loss of Derrick Henry. Corners L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie were also added to the secondary in free agency. Lloyd Cushenberry and Saahdiq Charles will help improve the offensive line.
Despite some high-profile additions, oddsmakers and many media members are not believers in the Titans, as evidenced by the team having one of the lowest projected win totals in the league (6.5).
Recently, Bleacher Report identified the biggest strength of each NFL team. For the Titans, the biggest strength was listed as the pass-catcher group. Ridley was listed as the most impactful addition while Treylon Burks was listed as a player to watch this summer.
Regarding the pass-catchers, the BR NFL Scouting Department said the following:
A year ago, the Titans had one of the worst receiver groups in the league. In the wake of the A.J. Brown trade, they didn’t have a No. 1 receiver or even a collection of secondary options that could cause problems for defenses.
Fast-forward to the present and they have put together an ensemble that should give Will Levis every chance to prove he can be the franchise quarterback.
Last season, DeAndre Hopkins ended with 75 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns. No other WR on the roster had even 30 catches or 450 yards. Luckily, that shouldn’t be the case going forward.
Here’s more from BR:
Calvin Ridley worked just fine as the Jaguars’ No. 1 receiver last year. However, his best fit is probably as a high-end second option. That’s exactly what he’ll be with the Titans after defecting from their division rival.
Chigoziem Okonkwo might have disappointed fantasy football managers, but he was the second-leading receiver in the Titans’ run-heavy offense last season.
New head coach Brian Callahan went to a familiar face to create a good receiving trio. The Titans signed Tyler Boyd to a one-year deal. He’ll give them a consistent veteran who can man the slot.
Whether the group can blossom will depend on the younger talent underneath the top three. This feels like a make-or-break season for Treylon Burks. Hopkins has publicly hyped Burks at OTAs already this offseason. His continued performance is a storyline to watch.
The BR NFL Scouting Department made the right call here. The wide receivers room is the deepest position group on the roster. What was arguably the biggest weakness in 2023 is now arguably the biggest strength.
If the pass-catcher group wasn’t the choice, it would have to be the secondary.
Sneed and Awuzie are welcome additions to a secondary that includes Roger McCreary, Amani Hooker, and Elijah Molden. However, not even that group of players has the ceiling that this group of pass-catchers has.
