The offseason is the time for unbridled optimism, but nobody told first-year head coach Brian Callahan. Former first-round pick Treylon Burks is coming off an atrocious season, and the latest comments from Callahan suggest the team will cut or trade him in the coming weeks. After showing some promise during an injury-plagued rookie season, Burks failed to break out in 2023. Appearing in 11 games, the wideout finished the season with an underwhelming 16 receptions for 221 yards and no touchdowns.
After firing Mike Vrabel, Tennessee trusted Callahan to rebuild the offense in his image, and Burks is not a part of the picture. The team spent big on free agents Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, giving the Arkansas product no clear path to the field. As if that wasn’t enough, the coach recently said that the wideout will need to carve out a role on special teams to earn playing time. Given this clear demotion, nobody should be surprised if the Titans cut or trade Treylon Burks before the start of the season.
Titans HC Brian Callahan says WR Treylon Burks is going to have to be a contributor on special teams to justify a game day roster spot.
Everybody who isn’t a starter needs to do that, he explains. Says guys like Burks should be a great impact on specials teams
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— Easton Freeze (@eastonfreeze) June 4, 2024
Brian Callahan’s Latest Comments Heavily Imply A Treylon Burks Cut or Trade
Maybe Treylon Burks isn’t good enough to play in the NFL, but some team should be willing to roll the dice on a low-risk trade or as a waiver claim if cut. While his 2023 season was one to forget, it’s worth remembering he had his moments as a rookie. While some players like N’Keal Harry never show anything, Burks had a few promising weeks early in his career. Midway through his rookie season, Burks had two straight dominant weeks and was on his way to a third strong performance before a concussion knocked him out of the game. He hasn’t been the same since, but perhaps a chance of scenery can bring out the best in him.
In today’s pass-happy NFL, every team in the league is looking for another reliable set of hands. With not enough proven pass catchers to go around, any one of these five teams could roll the dice on Treylon Burks, either through trade or after he’s cut.
Possible Destinations
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers should be interested in every wide receiver with a pulse. Los Angeles lacks a single proven option at the position, and rookie Ladd McConkey is the only player with reasonable upside. Treylon Burks might not be the long-term fix this team needs, but the cut candidate can’t make the situation any worse. If he can’t beat out Quentin Johnston, D.J. Chark, and a pair of seventh-round rookies, then this truly is the end of the road for the former first-round pick.
New England Patriots
Bill Belichick loved taking low-risk gambles on talented players who didn’t pan out with their first NFL teams. While the eight-time Super Bowl champion is no longer around, several prominent faces remain from his era with the team. Assuming Belichick’s philosophy still resides in some way, shape, or form, the Patriots could either try to trade for Treylon Burks or acquire him after the Titans cut him. Seeing as New England has one of the most underwhelming groups of receivers in the league, it won’t hurt to see what the Arkansas product brings to the table.
New Orleans Saints
New Orleans has two reliable receivers in Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. While some quarterbacks could produce elite results with that pairing, Derek Carr needs more help, especially with that subpar offensive line. Unfortunately, the Saints don’t have the cap space to go after a top weapon, so they might have to wait until the Titans cut Treylon Burks. A.T. Perry showed some flashes last year, but New Orleans could use a veteran like Burks to provide some competition for the former sixth-round pick.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers could trade one disappointing wide receiver bust for another. Reporters across the league expect Carolina to cut Terrace Marshall, and they could replace him with Treylon Burks. The Panthers have two decent starters in Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen along with a high-risk, high-reward first-round pick in Xavier Legette. This grouping should be fine if Legette hits the ground running, but Burks could provide some depth in case the South Carolina product needs time to adjust to the NFL.
Kansas City Chiefs
Andy Reid is the best in the game at scheming receivers into open space. With a great offensive mind and the best quarterback in the game, Treylon Burks could make the cut for a Chiefs team that could use another set of hands. Rashee Rice will face a lengthy suspension and Xavier Worthy is battling a hamstring injury, which means this team is dangerously close to putting Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore on the field. Maybe Burks will never justify his first-round draft capital, but he should be better than those two.
Main Photo: Andrew Nelles – USA Today Sports
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