The Tennessee Titans were aggressive in the free-agent wide receiver market last offseason, signing Calvin Ridley to a four-year contract worth $92 million. The jury remains out on that decision, as Ridley inconsistently crawled his way to a 1,017-yard, four touchdown season. It certainly doesn't qualify as a mistake yet, but it wasn't a home-run acquisition, either.
Because Ridley isn't a legitimate high-end No. 1 wideout, the Titans, under first-year general manager Mike Borgonzi, find themselves in the receiver market again. With Ridley on a bloated contract, the Titans are likely to draft a supporting receiver, and/or re-sign Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. This year's crop of free-agent receivers is as lackluster as any class in recent memory, and Tennessee can't afford to make a mistake.
Brian Callahan's offense also needs veteran pass-catching help, but the Titans should avoid these four free-agent receivers at all costs.
DeAndre Hopkins
DeAndre Hopkins started with the Titans last season and was traded midseason by former general manager Ran Carthon to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a fifth-round pick. It was one of few wise moves made by Carthon prior to his firing. Hopkins struggled in KC despite playing in an Andy Reid coached offense quarterbacked by Patrick Mahomes, recording 40 receiving yards or less in 10 of his 13 appearances, postseason included. D-Hop was a fan favorite in Tennessee, but his best football is behind him.
Stefon Diggs
The Houston Texans made the bold decision to acquire Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills last season. The four-time Pro Bowl wideout agreed to wipe out the remaining three years of his existing contract, making 2024 a contract year. Diggs failed to meet expectations, and now hits the market as a 31-year-old receiver coming off a disappointing 496 yard campaign.
Keenan Allen
Callahan needs a slot receiver to replace Tyler Boyd in his offense, and Keenan Allen has long been one of the league's expert slot pass catchers. The 32-year-old Allen showed signs of decline with the Chicago Bears in 2024, struggling with injury en route to the fewest receiving yards (744) since 2015, an injury-shortened 2016 season notwithstanding. Allen's timeline doesn't align with Tennessee's.
Chris Godwin
Chris Godwin may be the most in-demand receiver on the market after the Cincinnati Bengals franchise tagged Tee Higgins. Godwin is younger and more impactful than the other receivers on this list, but he is coming off a serious season-ending ankle injury. Godwin turns 30 next February, and his contract will come with a buyer beware tag.