Latest news with #TennesseeTitans'
USA Today
09-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tennessee Titans named potential dark-horse landing spot for Terry McLaurin
The Tennessee Titans' receiving corps will have the vital task of helping rookie quarterback Cam Ward develop as quickly as possible. Though other factors will go into Ward's development and ascension, having a stable and productive group of receivers can go a long way for a young quarterback. With Calvin Ridley set to lead the room yet again in 2025, is there room for another big name? There could be, apparently, as the Titans were named among the dark-horse candidates to land Washington Commanders star Terry McLaurin in a trade, says Bleacher Report's Alex Kay. If the Titans want to go all-in with Ward and orchestrate a worst-to-first turnaround like the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals have done in recent years, the front office shouldn't hesitate to offer up a good bit of Day 2 capital along with a failed prospect who needs a change of scenery in Treylon Burks to sweeten the pot. What it would take to bring McLaurin to Nashville remains to be seen, but the Titans would have to cough up draft capital along with a new contract. The latter is the entire reason McLaurin may even be available on the block. While there's no denying McLaurin's talent, as he showed in 2024, there is the risk of overpaying for an aging player coming off a career season. McLaurin will turn 30 years old at the start of the 2025 regular season, but he's also coming off the best season of his career after posting 82 receptions for 1,092 yards and 13 touchdowns. Given their need to add more talent to the receiving corps, the Titans are likely to be linked to McLaurin as a potential suitor until the situation is resolved one way or another.
USA Today
22-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL analyst sees shades of Steve McNair in Tennessee Titans' Cam Ward
Every season, a new class of rookies enters the NFL and immediately is met with comparisons and expectations. The exercise isn't just done by fans, as analysts pore through years of notes to come up with the perfect match. This season is no different, and of course, the Tennessee Titans' selection of Cam Ward is no exception. And many comparisons have been made. But for some analysts, his leadership style and work ethic bring back memories of one of Tennessee's all-time greats. Rob Rang of Fox Sports recently completed this comparison exercise and believes that Ward has the potential to lead the Titans into rarified air, with similarities to Steve McNair. Tennessee Titans: QB Cam Ward — Steve McNair It goes without saying that as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, the Titans are expecting Ward to become a star and perhaps someday guide this team back to the Super Bowl, in much the same way that the late McNair did for this franchise. Ward isn't the bulldozing runner McNair was, but he's fantastically slippery in the pocket and possesses both the downfield vision and deep ball accuracy to light a fire under a dormant fan base. Ward and McNair may have different skill sets, but both were known for their work ethic and leadership traits entering their NFL careers. While McNair's impact on Nashville will never be duplicated, Ward does have the ability to help the Titans transcend mediocrity and become viable contenders. Like McNair, Ward does bring a sense of excitement and hope to the franchise, and all signs have been positive to this point. Yes, there is still a long way to go before this comparison can become a reality, but the foundation is already being laid with hard work and intangibles that cannot be duplicated.
USA Today
20-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Analyst tabs Tennessee Titans' Treylon Burks as a bust candidate
Analyst tabs Tennessee Titans' Treylon Burks as a bust candidate One of the best stories to come out of Phase 3 of the Tennessee Titans' OTAs was the return of wide receiver Treylon Burks to the field in a limited capacity. Burks, who is recovering from an ACL injury that cost him most of the 2024 season, was not expected back until the start of the regular season. However, he did return to the field for positional drills over the last three weeks of practice. Although he was unable to participate in team drills, this was an essential step in his recovery process. Burks' struggles in Nashville have been well documented, so it's no surprise Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports mentioned his name in his article featuring nine potential first-round busts heading into the 2025 season. After being selected No. 18 in the 2022 NFL draft, Burks has been plagued by bad luck and has not been able to live up to the expectations that were set by his selection. Treylon Burks - Tennessee Titans The minute the Tennessee Titans made Burks their first-round pick, the Arkansas product faced unfair expectations, literally entering with the selection acquired in the club's trade of star wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles. Things have only gone downhill since then, with Burks missing a combined 25 games due to various injuries, including a torn ACL, over his first three seasons. His best bet for 2025 is quietly building chemistry with new quarterback Cam Ward as the team's No. 3 pass catcher. Why he will bust: There's hardly a role for him anymore, with Tyler Lockett added as a Calvin Ridley complement. Why he won't: Both Ridley and Lockett are over 30, and Ward could be a major upgrade distributing the rock. Our prediction: Will bust Burks faces an uphill climb heading into training camp. Not only did the Titans add significant competition to the wide receiver room, but he is still rehabbing his ACL injury and has not been cleared for team activities. A physical receiver, Burks does have a skill set that could still allow him to carve out a role if he is healthy. Unfortunately, his health and injury history have hindered his development since the Titans drafted him. Will he be on the roster at the start of the 2025 NFL season? No one can tell at this point, but Brian Callahan and the Titans' staff will give him every opportunity IF he is healthy.
USA Today
10-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jeffery Simmons returns; no L'Jarius Sneed at Tennessee Titans' minicamp
Jeffery Simmons returns; no L'Jarius Sneed at Tennessee Titans' minicamp The Tennessee Titans are starting their final mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, and have kicked off the sessions with head coach Brian Callahan addressing the media. While he outlined the goals for the three-day session, he also passed on some interesting nuggets. One of the first topics he addressed was one that should make the Titans beat writers in Nashville happy: defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons will practice with the team after skipping out on the voluntary portion of Phase 3 activities. From the outset, Callahan stated his absence was a non-issue, but as happens in media circles, the story grew legs and blossomed into more than it should have. Not only will Simmons be back in the fold, but some of the older veterans on the roster will see an increase in reps during this final set of practices. Veteran free agent acquisitions Kevin Zeitler and Tyler Lockett were specifically mentioned during the media availability and will likely see more reps once the team moves to team periods. One person who will not be participating in the minicamp is cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, who is still nursing the calf/knee injury that forced him to miss most of the 2024 campaign. Callahan stated that the Titans are optimistic that Sneed will be ready to go for training camp and will let the rehab guide him. Other than Sneed, all other members of the Titans should see the field in some capacity during minicamp. These are big steps forward for Treylon Burks, Lloyd Cushenberry, Kalel Mullings, and Kevin Winston Jr., who have all been recovering from injuries throughout the offseason. That's especially important for Cushenberry, who has been working his way back from tearing his Achilles during the 2024 season. Tennessee is counting on him to be ready for the season to anchor their new-look offensive line. Check back for more coverage of the Titans' final minicamp, as Titans Wire continues to break down all of the news and topics coming out of Nashville.
USA Today
09-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
5 things to watch during Tennessee Titans' mandatory minicamp
5 things to watch during Tennessee Titans' mandatory minicamp The Tennessee Titans will be wrapping up their offseason program this week with a three-day mandatory minicamp at the team facility in Nashville. These sessions will be the culmination of all of the work the team has put in as they attempt to climb out of the NFL basement. The Titans have made some significant changes during the offseason and are moving in a positive direction. This period will give the coaching staff and front office a final look at their roster heading into training camp, helping them decide if any further additions or changes are necessary. With minicamp scheduled to start on Tuesday, here are five things to keep an eye on in the coming days. Where is Jeffery Simmons? Simmons did not take part during the initial stages of Phase 3 OTAs. While the star defensive tackle has posted workouts on social media, he was not seen at the facility for the voluntary sessions. While head coach Brian Callahan did not seem concerned about his absence, the media ran with it and called out the team leader. With this minicamp being mandatory, Simmons should be in the facility practicing with his teammates, but if he isn't, it could speak to a larger issue. Odds are, Simmons will be there, but it is still something worth monitoring. Quarterback reps There have been reports that Tennessee will ramp up the amount of first-team reps for first-overall selection Cam Ward moving forward, and this is the final set of practices before training camp. Callahan said at the beginning of Phase 3 that the number and order of reps doesn't mean anything in the big picture, but heading into this week, that approach should start to change. The organization has been clear that Ward is battling Will Levis for the starting job, and it will be interesting to watch how they distribute the first-team reps between the two young signal callers during this final minicamp. If it is genuinely a quarterback competition, the reps should be equal, but if some of the reports are right, that will not be the case. Cornerback battles Quietly, Tennessee acquired a lot of cornerbacks during the offseason between the draft, undrafted rookie free agents and the waiver wire. After entering the 2024 season with only four on the roster, it appears they want to go in a different direction this season and will have some interesting battles ahead. With L'Jarius Sneed still rehabbing, monitoring the reps to see how the team handles the position could be a strong indication of what to expect during training camp. With Sneed, Jarvis Brownlee, and Roger McCreary likely locks for the roster, there is a wide-open battle behind them. Wide receivers Much like at cornerback, the wide receiver room is crowded, and the Titans did a great job at retooling the unit by bringing in multiple receivers with different skill sets. The Titans need better production from the unit outside of Calvin Ridley and have a lot of new bodies competing to carve out a role. Van Jefferson and Tyler Lockett should be on solid footing, but they could face some challenges from a young crop of wideouts. Rookies Chimere Dike, Epic Ayomanor, and Xavier Restrepo flashed during the opening sessions of Phase 3. Monitoring how these young receivers progress and where they are positioned could give insight into how the room will look heading into training camp and whether fans can expect more production in 2025. Injury Updates Tennessee has a few players still working their way back from injury, and there should be some final updates prior to the start of training camp. Looking at the veterans, wide receiver Treylon Burks was seen doing individual work, although he has not been cleared for team drills. Veterans L'Jarius Sneed and Lloyd Cushenberry did not participate in the OTAs as they were rehabbing. This week will likely continue the rehab process for these three, and head coach Brian Callahan will likely update their status at some point. Rookies Kevin Winston and Kalel Mullings were both seen during OTAs but have been limited as they recover from injury. Winston likely won't be ready until training camp as he recovers from his ACL injury, but Mullings may be close to seeing some action. Any work these two can get will be a huge positive heading into camp.
