Re-evaluating the Tennessee Titans need at wide receiver
If you caught my previous article on the Tennessee Titans’ receiver situation, you would see that we predicted the Titans drafting Treylon Burks.
What we didn’t predict was the departure of A.J. Brown in the process, which means the Tennessee Titans still have a question at the receiver position, even if Treylon Burks is penciled in as a starter.
We still trust Jon Robinson, and I still trust him to see that the best teams in the league all have at least three legitimate receiving threats.
It is hard to say just how important a third receiver is to Jon Robinson and Mike Vrabel given the run-first mentality that the Titans have, but the team has been hinting at an addition at wide receiver even right after the 2022 NFL Draft concluded.
Excluding Julio Jones for obvious reasons and Odell Beckham Jr. because of his timetable, that leaves a handful of potential additions the Tennessee Titans could add via trade, waivers, free agents, and even in-house options.
After looking over all of the options, these are the six players that make the most sense ranked by least likely to most likely.
6 receivers that the Tennessee Titans could chase
1. Trade for DK Metcalf/Deebo Samuel
These are two receivers who have been mentioned over and over as potential trade targets and while they are incredibly unlikely, there is a good chance that one or both is on another team before the start of the season.
DK is the closest thing (physically) to Megatron and Seattle is probably going through a rebuild whether they know it or not. Deebo Samuel is a great prospect and it would be a weird sort of irony if he ended up in Tennessee after he was a big reason why A.J. Brown decided to chase money elsewhere.
2. Trade for Micheal Thomas
He is a certified chain mover and his yearly salary is closer to the Titans’ highest offer to Brown. The drawback here is his injury history but the Saints are last in cap room which presents an opportunity here and the Titans don’t have to change who he is. There are plenty of slant routes to go around in Nashville.
3. Sign Will Fuller
Even with names like Julio Jones and Odell Beckham out there, a healthy Will Fuller would be the best receiver on the market by far. He would add speed and experience instantly and teams can never have enough speed and experience. Obviously, you worry about his injuries, but it would be a good gamble at this point in the offseason.
4. Kyle Phillips
Yes, he fell to the 5th round of the draft, and yes he only ran a 4.58, but he passes the eye test and has plenty of positive feedback from the people who watched him on the west coast. Phillips is stick-and-move personified and is quickly becoming known for his footwork.
I can’t help but see him in the light of Cooper Kupp (Super Bowl MVP).
5. Dez Fitzpatrick
As a returning 4th-round pick, Dez has overcome being waived among other obstacles as a rookie. He seems to be earning the respect of the front office and the team. Standing at 6’2, 208 lbs, he is one of two sleepers on this list.
6. Racey McMath
McMath is the other sleeper I mentioned and rounds out the list. Much like Fitzpatrick, McMath was a rookie last year and was not able to break through as a regular on offense. With great size (6’3/215), speed (4.39), and potential, he is the freakiest of Tennessee Titans’ wide receivers.