Tennessee Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks has the ability to continue growing as a pure pass-catcher in 2024 despite suffering some hindrances due to injury, but that's not the only area he can make an impact in.

Burks also has potential to be.a big special teams playmaker in the eyes of former Titans wideout and returner Marc Mariani. 

"I want to see number 16, Treylon Burks, returning kickoffs for the Tennessee Titans," Mariani said.

The kickoff rules within the NFL have changed as of late, leaving room for other players like Burks to make more of a difference on that front. Mariani seems to think he fits well with that.

The rule change is described by NFL Football Operations below:

• The ball is kicked from the A35 yard line (same as current rule)
• Safety kicks would be from A20 yard line (same as current rule)

ALIGNMENT

• All kicking team players other than the kicker will line up with one foot on the receiving team’s B40 yard line
  • Kicker cannot cross the 50-yard line until ball touches the ground or player in landing zone or end zone
  • The 10 kicking team players cannot move until the ball hits the ground or player in the landing zone or the end zone
• The receiving team will line up as follows:
  • Setup Zone – a 5-yard area from the B35 to the B30 yard line where at least 9 receiving team players must line up
    • At least 7 players with foot on the B35 yard line (restraining line) with alignment requirements (outside numbers, numbers to hashes, and inside hashes)
    • Players not on the restraining line must be lined up in setup zone outside the hash marks
    • All players in the setup zone cannot move until the kick has hit the ground or a player in the landing zone or the end zone
  • A maximum of 2 returners may line up in the landing zone and can move at any time prior to, or during, the kick

LANDING ZONE

• Landing zone is the area between the receiving team’s goal line and its 20-yard line.
• Any kick that hits short of the landing zone – treated like kickoff out of bounds and ball spotted at B40 yard line; play would be blown dead as soon as kick lands short of the landing zone
• Any kick that hits in the landing zone – must be returned
• Any kick that hits in the landing zone and then goes into the end zone – must be returned or downed by receiving team – if downed then touchback to B20 yard line
• Kick hits in end zone, stays inbounds – returned or downed – if downed then touchback to B30 yard line
• Any kick that goes out of the back of the end zone (in the air or bounces) – touchback to B30 yard line

MISCELLANEOUS

• No fair catch or signal is allowed. Officials will blow the play dead
• If conditions cause ball to fall off tee twice, then kicker will be allowed to use kicking stick to keep the ball in place. The closest covering official will pick up the stick immediately after the kick
• Onside kick:
  • 4th quarter begins, the team trailing has the opportunity to declare an onside kick to the officials
  • Current onside kickoff rules would apply. If onside kick goes beyond the setup zone untouched, kicking team penalized for UNS; return team would start the drive at the A20 yard line
• Penalties:
  • The setup zone and landing zone will not change with any penalties that carry over to kickoffs. Alignment of 10 kickoff team players and all receiving team players would not change – only the spot of the kick would move
  • Penalties on scoring plays will not carry over and will be taken on the Try
  • Penalties on the Try may carry over, and if they do, only the placement of the kicker will change
• Safety Kick:
  • The kick will be from the 20-yard line, and the kicker will have the option to use a tee; the setup zone and the landing zone will not change
• Approved Rulings: The special teams working group will continue to work with the Officiating department to examine any necessary approved rulings and/or additional language that may be necessary to support this new rule. This language will be vetted with the clubs, circulated for comment to all the clubs, and finalized by the May meeting for the membership

"My initial thought is (that I'm) very, very happy," Mariani said of the new changes. "Because for a little bit there, it felt like it was all going away. I thought if the kick return game goes away, you're taking away two of the four phases. You're taking away 50 percent of the special teams' games. That also means, indirectly, that you're taking away roster spots for pure special teams guys."

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And with the injuries to Burks that have caused him some problems to this point, Mariani relates with some of his own past experiences.

"What Treylon and other guys have been going through is that when you're in that training room, especially when you're in that situation where I knew my season was over… It's just a lonely, miserable place, man. You are so removed and you are not included."

As Burks fights to impress the Titans and any other NFL teams who may consider him if things are not to work out in Nashville, there's no question there is raw potential. Mariani sees that within him,

"Treylon Burks, he has had so much expectation on his shoulders and the injuries didn't help him get to where he needed to be and elevate his performance and all of that has been weighing on him. Now, it's like… he's not going to be expected to be that every down guy," Mariani said. "They're going to have a package for him and he is an absolute freak of nature… all you have to do is see one practice, one drill and you can see that he's different."