Updating Treylon Burks’ injury status for Week 1 vs. New Orleans
NASHVILLE — The health of wide receiver Treylon Burks remains a major variable in the Tennessee Titans’ Week 1 matchup with the New Orleans Saints. Burks sprained his left LCL in joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings a few weeks back, but made a surprising early return to practice at the end of August. That […]
NASHVILLE — The health of wide receiver Treylon Burks remains a major variable in the Tennessee Titans’ Week 1 matchup with the New Orleans Saints.
Burks sprained his left LCL in joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings a few weeks back, but made a surprising early return to practice at the end of August. That however, does not guarantee Burks’ status for the game on Sunday afternoon.
That being said, the Titans listing Burks as a full participant in practice for both Wednesday and Thursday could indicate that Burks will see some action in the game.
Burks has avoided putting any timeline on his recovery or return. “Ehh…You just wait to see,” said the 23-year-old receiver on Wednesday when asked by Titans media if he was optimistic he could play in New Orleans.
“It’s been going good,” Burks said of his recovery. “Just doing exactly what I can to get out there and play Sunday. I’m going at a pretty good pace, so we’ll see where I am by Sunday.”
The initial diagnosis of Burks’ LCL sprain said he could return in "a few weeks." It will have been 25 days since the injury when the Titans’ kickoff the 2023 season against Saints.
My guess, based solely on gut instinct and the injury report, is that Burks will play in New Orleans. It’s rare for a player to be listed as a full participant for an entire week of practice and not active for the game.
The real question for me is how much can Burks comfortably do? Jumping, straight-line speed, and long-developing routes shouldn’t be an issue. But often in LCL recovery, athletes struggle with opening up their knee and cutting from side-to-side. Even a limited Treylon Burks is valuable for the Titans, but the closer to 100 percent the second-year wide receiver is, the easier things will be for Tennessee's offense.
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