Tennessee Titans banking on a known wide receiver commodity in 2023
The Tennessee Titans desperately need talent upgrades in their wide receiver room
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans have a stated mission of getting faster as an offense in 2023, among other things. The wide receiver position has been a significant point of contention in that department.
For obvious reasons, of course.
As of Sunday evening, Tennessee general manager Ran Carthon had not acquired a pass catcher among the six players the team signed in the initial wave of free agency. Two off-ball linebackers, a pair of offensive lineman, a corner and a pass rusher are what currently make up the class. What Carthon has done thus far is to bring back veteran receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on a one-year contract.
While that move may not ring out as inspiring, it does serve a critical need for the Titans.
Westbrook-Ikhine serves a team best as the fourth wide out on a depth chart.
Signing with Tennessee as an undrafted free agent ahead of the 2020 season, Westbrook-Ikhine has done well to carve out an NFL career for himself. The 26-year old appeared in all 17 games last season as roster attrition ran rampant around him, but with precious little results. Westbrook-Ikhine finished with only 25 receptions for 397 yards and three touchdowns on the year.
Among qualified pass catchers (min. 45 targets), Westbrook-Ikhine graded out as the ninth-worst player in average yards of separation (2.1), per Next Gen Stats.
The Indiana product's struggles further compounded problems that the Titans offense was already experiencing. One of several goals for Carthon to try and restore some of this franchise's competitiveness in the course of an offseason is to acquire better skill position players. Finding complimentary pieces to put with existing assets like former first-round pick Treylon Burks is critical.
Bringing Westbrook-Ikhine does not accomplish that goal, but it does offer the veteran presence for a young position group in Tennessee that figures to add even more youth in the draft.
Burks, Kyle Philips and Racey McMath are all only 23-years old. In Westbrook-Ikhine, Tennessee has a player that the coaching staff trusts and that knows all three positions within their offense. Just because a player has an obvious ceiling does not mean the trust equity he has earned with teammates and coaches should be taken for granted.
The Titans need better options in 2023 than Westbrook-Ikhine. The club also needs a player like him to help oversee a meeting room that needs to hit the ground running by the season opener.
Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.
