Marquise Brown in action for the Arizona Cardinals
The Tennessee Titans are undergoing significant changes this 2024 NFL offseason. After six seasons, head coach Mike Vrabel has been replaced by Brian Callahan, former offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals. This signals a potential shift in offensive strategy and personnel.
Callahan inherits an offense likely to look very different from recent years. Running back Derrick Henry, a cornerstone of the Titans’ offense, may be moving on. The same could be said for veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who was benched in favor of Will Levis last season and is now a free agent.
Bringing in Callahan, with his offensive background and experience with the Bengals’ high-powered offense, makes sense if the Titans want Levis to develop. However, Levis needs more offensive weapons to succeed.
The Titans’ wide receiver corps, while boasting veteran DeAndre Hopkins, lacked consistent production last season. Hopkins led the team with impressive numbers: 75 receptions, 1,057 yards, and seven touchdowns. However, the drop-off to the next leading receiver was significant, with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine managing only 28 receptions and Chris Moore totaling 528 receiving yards. Westbrook-Ikhine also trailed Hopkins in touchdowns with only three.
The team needs more from 2022 first-round draft pick Treylon Burks. Acquired with the pick received from the Philadelphia Eagles in the A.J. Brown trade, Burks has struggled to make an impact, playing in only 11 games in each of his first two seasons.
To bolster the offense, General Manager Ran Carthon needs to acquire proven talent at the wide receiver position. One potential target is Marquise Brown, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals.
Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus suggests that Brown could be an excellent fit for the Titans. He notes that while the Titans have DeAndre Hopkins, known for his contested catches, and Treylon Burks, a physical receiver with deep threat potential, Brown offers a different skillset. Hopkins is entering a contract year, making Brown a potential long-term solution for the Titans as they rebuild.
Adding Brown would inject much-needed speed and big-play ability into the Titans’ offense, providing a legitimate deep threat. However, Brown’s injury history, with missed games in the past two seasons, presents a risk.
Despite the injury concerns, Brown would give the Titans a reliable veteran presence at wide receiver, especially with Hopkins’ contract expiring after this season. Moreover, Brown’s arrival could alleviate pressure on Burks, allowing him to develop more comfortably in his crucial third year.
