The Tennessee Titans came into the new year with three clear needs at premium positions: WR, CB, and EDGE. They proceeded to add C and RG to that list of needs by cutting C Lloyd Cushenberry and failing to bring back RG Kevin Zeitler (at least so far). They let TE Chig Okonkwo walk in free agency, opening up a potential spot at TE. And the more we’ve learned about Robert Saleh’s defense, the more apparent it has become that this team needs another linebacker.

It’s a crowded shopping list! And we could keep adding to it from here. This has made me less and less optimistic the Titans will address WR meaningfully. But some developments at the buzzer have me thinking we might be back. It poses just one important question for Mike Borgonzi.

Titans seem interested in adding WR after all

Free Agency did a lot to alleviate the flashing red lights on the Titans’ roster dashboard at CB and WR. They spent big on Alontae Taylor and Cor’Dale Flott to stabilize the defensive back-end, and then they signed Wan’Dale Robinson and brought Calvin Ridley back (which was a big question mark) to stabilize the WR room.

But these still aren’t complete rooms, nor are they adequate fixes beyond the next year or two in all likelihood. So it lessens the severity of the need without erasing it.

The fact that this WR room is in a place that is fine enough to roll into the season with if needed is a big part of why I’m skeptical this team will address the position before Day 3 of the draft (just like they did in 2025). The only WR on the board at 4 is Carnell Tate, who they seem to have all-but ruled out. If they go with RB Jeremiyah Love or LB Sonny Styles at that pick, it still leaves three big fat trench needs on the board. Speed end, center, and right guard are still glaring. And knowing Mike Borgonzi, it won’t surprise me one bit to see him prioritize the trenches over everything else. It’s where you win football games!

So where does WR come into the picture? Well, Borgonzi’s own comments at his Thursday pre-draft press conference made it sound like the Titans could be more interested in the position that I fear. “I think it’s a deep receiving class,” he began, going out of his way to add, “and I think the top end is really good. I feel good about the
options that we have up there in Day 1, and even 2 and 3. I think there’s some really good options there.”

The Titans’ willingness to hear out any trade-down offers has been pretty well established at this point. The emphasis on Day 1 options and the strength of the prosects at the top of this class points directly to this idea, and brings both a trade-down and a trade-up into question.

The Titans were one of the teams reportedly in attendance to see Arizona St. WR Jordyn Tyson’s private workout on Friday, which more than half the league went to see for themselves. Tyson’s hamstring issue has kept him from doing any of the drills or testing throughout the pre-draft process so far. For what it’s worth, Borgonzi said at his presser that Tyson’s extensive (and for at least some teams, prohibitive) injury history isn’t a concern for them. If you ask me, that was the biggest lie of the entire press conference. I completely understand why he said it, but I believe it 0%. Do with that information what you will.

A Jordyn Tyson pick would only come from a trade-down, hypothetically. Another Titans-WR mention came this week when it was reported Texas A&M WR KC Conception went on a 30 visit to Nashville. The odds of him falling to pick 35 in the Second Round are close to zero, so perhaps they’d consider trading back up into the end of the first round to grab him! He’d have to be a pretty special player in their eyes to make this conservative front office spend the draft capital. They want more bites at the apple right now, not less. But a visit is enough to raise my eyebrows anyways.

So keep your head on a swivel for WR after all, I suppos. I’m going to remain cautiously pessimistic about the idea until further notice, but I’d be very pleased to be wrong. Here is the big question Borgonzi will have to answer, though, especially if he takes a WR or two on Day 3: when and where are these guys finding snaps?

The WR room is a bit crowded with questionable/lower-tier talent. Is a Day 3 pick getting playing time over Calvin Ridley or Wan’Dale Robinson? No. Are they jumping ahead of Chimere Dike or Elic Ayomanor quickly? Pretty doubtful. And then you have to ask about special teams ability at that point. Will they beat out Bryce Oliver in that department? I doubt that too!

So the Titans need WR help, but they really need starting WR help. They need a boundary threat. They need a true WR1. Where is that guy coming from? If it’s not in the first 35 picks, I’m not sure what the answer is.