The most exciting position battle on the Tennessee Titans will occur at wide receiver
The Tennessee Titans recently kicked off their offseason program. Rookie minicamp is officially in the books. Cam Ward and the rookies were also briefly joined by the veterans for a voluntary portion of offseason workouts.
The Titans’ first day of organized team activities (OTAs) is scheduled for May 27. Six OTAs will take place between then and June 5. A three-day minicamp is set for June 10-12 before training camp eventually marks its arrival. Position battles may begin emerging, and none is more intriguing than the multi-man battle at “X” wide receiver.
The boundary receiver is an important one in Brian Callahan’s offense. He previously had Tee Higgins in that role when he was the offensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals. Entering 2024 with the Titans, DeAndre Hopkins was the ideal traditional fit for that spot.
The Titans are currently unsure who will command that position in 2025.
It was Nick Westbrook-Ikhine at “X” following Hopkins’ trade to the Kansas City Chiefs. Westbrook-Ikhine walked in free agency. The Titans signed Van Jefferson to replace him. Jefferson has been underwhelming in recent years, and it’s fair to question if he’s the best option to play in the starting lineup.
Jefferson is the most experienced option. Rookie fourth-round pick Elic Ayomanor projects as his biggest offseason challenger. Ayomanor has a prototypical frame to play “X” at 6-foot-2 and 206 pounds (verified measurements at the NFL Combine). The former Stanford standout routinely contorts his body mid-flight and makes acrobatic catches typical of a big-bodied boundary playmaker.
But Ayomanor won’t be handed the starting gig. The Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada native will have to earn it by proving he can quickly pick up the playbook and execute the concepts without making your typical rookie mistakes. Jefferson, now a seven-year pro, should make a quicker acclimation in training camp, though he lacks the physical upside of Ayomanor.
The wild-card is Treylon Burks. The 2022 first-round bust appears primed to receive one final opportunity to play himself into a meaningful role. Burks is entering a contract year after the Titans made the no-brainer decision to decline his fifth-year option.
The Titans can’t financially benefit from releasing Burks. The alternative is a trade. The Titans probably can’t realistically get more than a conditional sixth-or-seventh-round conditional pick in exchange for Burks. It still qualifies as a very realistic outcome at any point during the offseason, given his recurring failures in Nashville.
The Titans’ battle at “X” receiver comes down to Jefferson, Ayomanor, and Burks. You’d be hard-pressed to call any of them a straightforward favorite to start in Week 1. Veteran experience probably gives Jefferson a slight advantage.