Latest injury setback to spell unfortunate end for Titans' first-round bust

The Tennessee Titans entered the 2024 season willing to give wide receiver Treylon Burks a fresh start. Recurring injuries and inconsistent play had prevented the No. 18 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft from meeting expectations. New head coach Brian Callahan spearheaded efforts to add Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd to the wide receiver room in the offseason, showing a wise unwillingness to be reliant on a Burks breakout, but being open to one nonetheless.

With DeAndre Hopkins nursing an offseason injury during the early portion of the regular-season campaign, Burks played a healthy 44 snaps in Week 1, just 10 off Ridley for the position-lead (54). The Titans were even playing Burks ahead of Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. That decision looks downright ridiculous now, with the latter having scored an NFL-fourth-best eight receiving touchdowns.

As per usual, Burks failed to take advantage of his early-season opportunity. In Tennessee's opening four games. Burks converted seven targets into three receptions for 24 forgettable receiving yards. He ran routes on nearly 100 percent of his snaps and was afforded a few deep-ball opportunities. He was credited with one drop.

After another lackluster showing versus the Indianapolis Colts in Week 6, Burks suffered a knee injury in practice and was ruled out of Week 7. He was later placed on IR, with a to-be-determined recovery timeline. On Wednesday, Callahan confirmed that Burks underwent surgery on his knee and won't return this season.

This likely spells the end for Treylon Burks in Tennessee

Burks won't return to the Titans in 2024 and that guarantees his third-straight disappointing season. Next year represents the fourth and final year of Burks' rookie contract. The Titans will undoubtedly deny his fifth-year option.

This offseason also represents the first time the Titans could release Burks from his contract without inheriting sizable financial penalties. There are no cap savings for cutting Burks, but the penalty is a manageable $4.5 million, according to Over The Cap. Trading Burks would be GM Ran Carthon's preferred outcome.

Trading Burks would create an additional $2.6 million in financial flexibility with $1.9 million in dead-cap charges. There may not be a competitive market for Burks, but organizations are typically willing to take a chance on a former first-round pick. Carthon would likely accept anything in return, including a future seventh-round conditional selection.

Ridley is the only proven Titans receiver under contract through 2025. The team should possess interest in re-signing Westbrook-Ikhine, and they'll have to add an instant contributor (or two) at receiver. Burks has likely played his final down in Nashville.