Former first-round pick has been nothing but wasted time for Titans offense

The Tennessee Titans entered the 2024 season with an intriguing trio at wide receiver featuring DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley, and Tyler Boyd. Head coach Brian Callahan had a clear agenda behind his top three wideouts. To develop first-round bust Treylon Burks into a usable player.

Burks played 69 percent of available snaps in Week 1, trailing just Ridley and Boyd in that department. Hopkins was still rehabbing from a preseason knee injury. In Weeks 2 through 4, Burks played at least 48 percent of offensive snaps, surpassing 50 percent twice.

Burks turned those opportunities into three receptions for 24 receiving yards on seven targets. Drops and recurring mental mistakes were constantly present. And after recent developments, it's been proven that the Titans were wasting their time with Burks.

The Titans wasted time playing Treylon Burks ahead of Nick Westbrook

Burks was placed on IR with a knee injury on October 19th, one day prior to Tennessee's Week 7 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Hopkins has since been traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, creating room for another "X" receiver in the offense. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has wholeheartedly seized that opportunity.

Westbrook-Ikhine recorded his first reception (and touchdown) of the campaign against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 6. The former Indiana standout barely out-snapped Burks in that game 13-9. Since then, Westbrook-Ikhine has proven he should have been receiving Burks' early-season snaps.

Without Burks available, Westbrook-Ikhine earned 34 snaps against the Bills in Week 7. He scored a touchdown for a second consecutive contest. With Hopkins since leaving the team, in addition to Burks' being placed on IR, Westbrook-Ikhine played a season-high 70 snaps (92%) against the Lions.

Westbrook-Ikhine accumulated two catches on four targets for 39 receiving yards and a touchdown. That marked three consecutive games with an end-zone visit for Tennessee's longest-tenured receiver. Westbrook-Ikhine had a 34-yard reception, the Titans' second-longest passing completion of the afternoon. It was an impressive contested catch in one-versus-one coverage, the type Burks has consistently struggled to make throughout his career.

Westbrook-Ikhine is currently on a one-year contract. Ridley is the only receiver signed through next season that will definitely have a role on the 2025 Titans. Burks will be entering a contract year. The Titans need to add receiver(s) in the offseason, but if they're smart, they re-sign Westbrook-Ikhine to a reasonable contract and consistently play him ahead of Burks next season.