Rookie quarterback Cam Ward has given the Tennessee Titans a reason for optimism. However, it may take them a couple seasons to become a legitimate threat to the Jacksonville Jaguars and the rest of the AFC South. They simply don't have enough talent to compete week in and week out. On top of that, the Titans find themselves trying to fix some of the mistakes they made in recent years.
A few days into training camp, Tennessee announced that it waived 2022 first-round pick Treylon Burks. His release came just days after he suffered a collarbone injury, and the timing couldn't have been worse.
Burks has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. And just days before he got hurt, he had claimed that he was looking to put injuries behind him and ready to show everyone the player he was. Unfortunately, the former Arkansas Razorback wasn't able to show what he was capable of doing and will now have to look for a new team.
Given his status as a former first-round selection, somebody will surely give Burks a chance. That said, he'll need to prove that he can stay healthy, something he's failed to do throughout his NFL career.
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Why Treylon Burks was a bust for the Tennessee Titans
Expectations for Treylon Burks were immensely high right off the bat. When the Tennessee Titans drafted him in 2018, general manager Jon Robinson had just traded 1,000-yard receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles.
It was obvious that Tennseee saw Burks as Brown's replacement. Unfortunately, things didn't play out the way Robinson envisioned. While Brown went on to become one of the top receivers in the NFL and a key cog on the Philadelphia offense, Burks was a non-factor for the Titans. The past three years, he logged a combined 53 receptions for 699 yards with one touchdown. That's not the kind of production you expect from a high-profile draft pick in a season, let alone three.
Then again, the writing had been on the wall for Burks for a while. Just last year, the Titans were trying him on special teams because they didn't know what to do with him. Fast forward to 2025, and they came to the conclusion that they don't have use for him.
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How does the Treylon Burks affect the Jaguars?
It doesn't. Even if Treylon Burks had somehow stuck around with the Tennessee Titans, he would've been a non-factor in 2025. He simply wasn't good enough. Heck, you could say that about virtually all their receiver corps, with the exception of Calvin Ridley, who is still pretty good.
Heck, you would hear more from Ridley if he played with a good quarterback. However, he suffered a dip in production last year because he was catching passes from Will Levis and Mason Rudolph. With Cam Ward behind center, the former Jaguars receiver will probably be better.
Circling back to Treylon Burks, the Titans could no longer justify keeping him around and at last chose to cut their losses. Releasing him isn't the kind of move that will have an impact in the AFC South next season, but it's one Jaguars fans certainly enjoyed watching.