It can be hard for football fans to discern true meaning when it comes to quotes from players and coaches throughout OTAs and training camp. Every year it seems that coaches highlight the good and downplay the bad, so much so that it can be hard to tell each oft-generic quote apart from one another.

At Titans minicamp camp and OTAs this year that has certainly been the case. Perhaps the best illustration as to the confusion camp quotes can create rests with two players who have vastly different expectations set for them by fans and the team in 2024: quarterback Will Levis and wide receiver Treylon Burks.

Will Levis was largely been talked up by coaches throughout minicamp despite struggling for much of Tuesday and Wednesday this week. The team still believes he'll continue progressing in the new offensive system as the season approaches. Conversely, Treylon Burks is expected to be relegated to backup wide receiver duty and special teams this year, yet he continues to receive praise as well. So, what does it all mean?

Let's play a little game to see if you can tell which player Titans coaches and coordinators are talking about in the six quotes below. Will Levis or Treylon Burks?

Quotes on Will Levis or Treylon Burks?

Quote 1

"That kid is an ultimate pro. The way he's handled everything from day one…He's got all the attributes to be a good football player."

Quote 2

We've been with him a couple months…Everything we've seen from a growth standpoint from day one to today has been awesome…Everybody wants to see growth…You're either getting better or you're not…and they're going to find somebody to replace you that way, but he's been doing great."

Quote 3

"We've been going through those things, like 'When the big plays are there, you've got to make them.' But he's done an excellent job for us. He's really been versatile."

Quote 4

"I would say it's been excellent. He's been awesome. Attitude and effort would be an A+ from us."

Quote 5

"You know it might have been the first or second time he might have repped a particular play…the hope is that you point it out the first time and you say, 'This is the the timing you need to be at'…and then you keep working on that. You keep pushing that timing."

Quote 6

"The fun part is, he sees it and he understands it when it's not exactly right. And he usually makes an adjustment the next time out…So you take a red zone play for example, the first time he runs it, maybe it's not great…and then we've repped it four, five, six more times before the season starts and he starts to…feel it and see it. It's a rep thing It's an experience process. That part's fun. That's the coaching part for me. That's what I enjoy."

Any guesses? If you think it's hard to tell which player the coaches are talking about you aren't alone (answers can be found at the end of this article)

So, if most of these camp quotes sound similar, what are fans supposed to take away from all the noise at OTAs and minicamp? The answer is probably "very little". However, we can learn a lot from how players actually perform on the field. And given what we saw this week, here's what we should expect from Will Levis and Treylon Burks moving forward.

Will Levis & Treylon Burks Expectations

While it's true that Will Levis struggled at times in minicamp, throwing interceptions or missing receivers just enough to force a difficult catch, we need to remember a few key things:

• He's learning a completely new scheme with mostly new wide receivers
• Levis is intentionally making adjustments to his mechanics right now
• The coaching staff (Callahan specifically) encourages his QBs to take a few more shots and experiment during 7-on-7 periods

Levis may not be looking "perfect" right now, but that's partly by design. He is just engaging in the preparation process so that he's where he needs to be by training camp and week one.

Burks, on the other hand, is just not going to have a huge role on offense this year. That's all there is to it. He's an incredible athlete, and thus will be utilized in some form on special teams this season. He'll see some offensive snaps for sure, but he simply has not done enough throughout OTAs and minicamp to earn a significant role in 2024. Hopefully he can grow into something more in future seasons as he learns from veteran wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley, and Tyler Boyd.

Answers Key for Quotes

• Quote 1 – Colt Anderson, Special Teams Coordinator on Treylon Burks
• Quote 2 – Nick Holz, Offensive Coordinator on Will Levis
• Quote 3 – Nick Holz, Offensive Coordinator on Treylon Burks
• Quote 4 – Nick Holz, Offensive Coordinator on Treylon Burks
• Quote 5 – Brian Callahan, Head Coach on Will Levis
• Quote 6 – Brian Callahan, Head Coach on Will Levis

---

Be looking for more Tennessee Titans coverage here at A to Z Sports all year long! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!