Treylon Burks could have two new roles for the Titans in 2024
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks has been a lightning rod this offseason as many fans hope head coach Brian Callahan's arrival can jumpstart the career of the 2022 first-round pick. Callahan has praised Burks at every opportunity when speaking with the media. But while the head coach's words certainly serve as positive reinforcement for […]
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks has been a lightning rod this offseason as many fans hope head coach Brian Callahan's arrival can jumpstart the career of the 2022 first-round pick.
Callahan has praised Burks at every opportunity when speaking with the media. But while the head coach's words certainly serve as positive reinforcement for Burks, the team's actions indicate that the Arkansas product is going to be more of a role player in 2024.
The Titans have heavily invested in the wide receiver position over the last two off-seasons. DeAndre Hopkins proved to be worth every penny in his first season with Tennessee while newcomers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd have vaulted the position group into the discussion of one of the NFL's most dangerous trios.
That leaves Burks' role in the offense as a bit of a mystery in the upcoming season. Though Burks won't be handling a lion's share of snaps at wide receiver, Callahan plans to incorporate his talents on special teams.
The NFL's new kickoff rules present unique opportunities for backup options across the league to make their mark in the return game. For the Titans who don't have a clear direction in the return game as of yet, Callahan is open to using Burks' talents back deep.
"Absolutely," Callahan said on the possibility of Burks serving as the return man on kickoffs. "(He's) big and strong and fast. [If] there's a chance that we can get more reps and see him do it, then there's certainly an opportunity there for him."
While it's certainly an interesting idea, Callahan clearly wants to maximize Burks' unique athleticism. Burks returned 11 kickoffs at Arkansas for an average of 20.5 yards per return. He also has experience returning punts with 13 returns under his belt for an average of 10.3 yards per return for the Razorbacks.
"We don't know yet," Callahan told reporters when asked about his early thoughts on the return game. "That's the hard part, there's a lot of unknowns. I think there will be a little bit of chaos in the preseason with it in terms of everybody trying different things. So there's a lot of different lineups and personnel (groups) that you can mess around with and see what might work."
Whether Burks is back deep as a return man or lined up out wide as a gunner on the punt team, Callahan expects the wideout to contribute on special teams.
"Absolutely he's gonna have to contribute (on special teams). You only get so many hats on game day, so if he's one of those guys on game day then we're gonna have to find a place for him. Guys like him should be great special teams players just because of the size and speed. The gunner thing is something I think he's very capable of doing. There might be some more roles for him in the other phases as well. Anytime you're not a full-time starter you're gonna have to contribute somewhere on game day. I think Trey's attitude and approach to special teams has been fantastic, so I'm excited to see what he can do for (special teams coordinator Colt Anderson). I think he's an asset on special teams."
How Burks will be deployed on special teams remains to be seen. Other wide receivers such as Nick Westrbook-Ikhine and Colton Dowell have added value as gunners in the past while Kyle Philips and Mason Kinsey have been asked to contribute in the return game.
It's a new role for Burks who is entering a make-or-break season with the Titans. Perhaps making plays on special teams is what he needs in order to get his career back on track and gain the trust of Callahan's staff in 2024.
