Titans’ Calvin Ridley on Treylon Burks ‘This dude is a freak’

Titans WR Calvin Ridley is a big fan of Treylon Burks and compared him to some top wide receivers.

When Tennessee Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks was coming out of college, he was often compared to A.J. Brown and other big, physical receivers who have been in the league over the years.

Despite not being able to find his footing over his first two years in the NFL, he’s still drawing that comparison, at least from one of his teammates.

Following the Titans’ second open practice of organized team activities on Wednesday, fellow wide receiver Calvin Ridley compared Burks to Brown, Julio Jones and Terrell Owens.

“This dude is a freak. Like, seriously, bro,” Ridley said. “He’s gonna be a stud… He’s like Julio, AJ Brown, he’s like (Terrell Owens). Dude that big, that fast, man? He’s a stud, man. You don’t have to worry about him. He’s just got to learn, slow the game down. He’s going to be alright.”

Burks also spoke to reporters after practice and revealed that his confidence is “out of the roof” going into Year 3, echoing comments he made ahead of last season.

“Out of the roof, I’m real confident,” Burks said. “I’m having fun and healthy and I can’t be more blessed.”

While Burks possesses the traits of all of those guys Ridley mentioned, we simply haven’t seen it at this level yet. Hopefully that changes in 2024.

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What is the Titans’ biggest strength going into 2024 season?

Bleacher Report identifies the Titans’ biggest strength going into 2024, but did they choose the right one?

The Tennessee Titans have much to prove in 2024. The team is coming off a dismal 2023 season in which head coach Mike Vrabel was fired after going 6-11.

With a new head coach in town, the team did a fine job of adding talent to the roster. Wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd were added in free agency. Running back Tony Pollard was added to offset the loss of Derrick Henry. Corners L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie were also added to the secondary in free agency. Lloyd Cushenberry and Saahdiq Charles will help improve the offensive line.

Despite some high-profile additions, oddsmakers and many media members are not believers in the Titans, as evidenced by the team having one of the lowest projected win totals in the league (6.5).

Recently, Bleacher Report identified the biggest strength of each NFL team. For the Titans, the biggest strength was listed as the pass-catcher group. Ridley was listed as the most impactful addition while Treylon Burks was listed as a player to watch this summer.

Regarding the pass-catchers, the BR NFL Scouting Department said the following:

A year ago, the Titans had one of the worst receiver groups in the league. In the wake of the A.J. Brown trade, they didn’t have a No. 1 receiver or even a collection of secondary options that could cause problems for defenses.

Fast-forward to the present and they have put together an ensemble that should give Will Levis every chance to prove he can be the franchise quarterback.

Last season, DeAndre Hopkins ended with 75 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns. No other WR on the roster had even 30 catches or 450 yards. Luckily, that shouldn’t be the case going forward.

Here’s more from BR:

Calvin Ridley worked just fine as the Jaguars’ No. 1 receiver last year. However, his best fit is probably as a high-end second option. That’s exactly what he’ll be with the Titans after defecting from their division rival.

Chigoziem Okonkwo might have disappointed fantasy football managers, but he was the second-leading receiver in the Titans’ run-heavy offense last season.

New head coach Brian Callahan went to a familiar face to create a good receiving trio. The Titans signed Tyler Boyd to a one-year deal. He’ll give them a consistent veteran who can man the slot.

Whether the group can blossom will depend on the younger talent underneath the top three. This feels like a make-or-break season for Treylon Burks. Hopkins has publicly hyped Burks at OTAs already this offseason. His continued performance is a storyline to watch.

The BR NFL Scouting Department made the right call here. The wide receivers room is the deepest position group on the roster. What was arguably the biggest weakness in 2023 is now arguably the biggest strength.

If the pass-catcher group wasn’t the choice, it would have to be the secondary.

Sneed and Awuzie are welcome additions to a secondary that includes Roger McCreary, Amani Hooker, and Elijah Molden. However, not even that group of players has the ceiling that this group of pass-catchers has.

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Calvin Ridley named Titans’ most dangerous new addition

The Titans’ signing of Calvin Ridley was recently named the team’s most dangerous new addition of the offseason.

The Tennessee Titans swooped in at the last minute and signed wide receiver Calvin Ridley earlier this offseason. Not only did that bolster their own wide receiving corps., it also hurt the Jacksonville Jaguars, who looked primed to bring Ridley back.

In an article naming every team’s most dangerous offseason addition, Ridley was the choice for the Titans in the eyes of Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler.

Here are his thoughts on the signing before we get to why we wholeheartedly agree with Fowler’s pick:

Two years after trading wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Titans also signed wide receiver Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92 million deal. The explosive perimeter threat will now pair with DeAndre Hopkins, Treylon Burks and Tyler Boyd to make life easier on second-year quarterback Will Levis.

The Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars currently look to be the favorites in the AFC South. However, keep an eye on Tennessee if Levis makes a jump in his second season.

Tennessee desperately needed to add at least one impact wide receiver this offseason, and they did just that by signing the best-available player at the position.

The Titans now have one of the better one-two punches with Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins, which is huge for the development of Will Levis, who had nobody but Hopkins in 2023. As if Ridley wasn’t enough, Tennessee has since added a top slot receiver in Tyler Boyd, who will only help more.

Ridley can really do it all and adds another element to Tennessee’s passing attack. Not only is he a fantastic route-runner and a menace in the short-to-intermediate areas, he can also take the top off the defense and help make Tennessee’s offense more explosive.

Levis will be happy with that last part, in particular, as he loves to throw it deep. Hopefully the protection will be good enough for him to do that often.

The national media can clutch its pearls all it wants in regard to the money the Titans are paying the veteran wideout, but the simple fact of the matter is, it was a move the Titans had to make to help put their young quarterback in the best position possible to succeed ahead of what is a huge year for him.

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DeAndre Hopkins has high praise for Titans’ revamped WRs room

Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins had high praise for the team’s new-look receiving corps.

The Tennessee Titans’ receiving corps. is going to look a lot different this year after the signings of Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, both of whom provide major upgrades over what the team had last year.

What did the team have last year? Well, it was pretty much DeAndre Hopkins and nobody else, which allowed defenses to key in on him, making his job more difficult.

Despite the extra attention, Hopkins still managed to put up 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns and serve as Will Levis’ top target. He also put to bed the idea that he’s washed.

Hopkins recently touched on the Titans’ revamped receiving corps., saying the group is one of the best he’s ever been a part of, at least on paper.

“I think this is one of the best wide receiver groups I’ve had the chance to play with on paper,” Hopkins said, according to Jim Wyatt. “Obviously, I could come up here and say a bunch, but we haven’t played a game yet. So, we’ll see how it goes once we hit the field.

“(We’re) just taking it day by day. Tyler Boyd has been in this program for a while. A lot of us are still learning how things go. Just coming out practicing.”

While Boyd is the newest member of the team, he already has a great familiarity with the offense, as he played under head coach Brian Callahan during his days as the Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator.

But for Hopkins, it’s back to square one this year as he tries to learn a new offense after having familiarity with last year’s system under offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, who he played under in Houston.

“This is an offense I have never played in,” Hopkins said. “There’s a lot of things I can do to help this offense, so trying to execute and be perfect. I am a perfectionist, and I’ve definitely made some mistakes already. Just come in the next day and not make those mistakes.”

Hopkins isn’t lacking motivation ahead of his 12th season in the NFL and, in fact, the Titans bringing in more help has motivated him even more.

“I am always competing,” Hopkins said. “Any time we get anyone who is a No.1 receiver, my mindset is to go out and outcompete them, outdo them. I’ve always had that mindset, Kobe Bryant being my favorite athlete of all time.

“Any time I get a chance to compete against anyone I am trying to outcompete them, trying to outdo them. And that’s only going to make the team better.”

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Titans’ updated WR depth chart after Tyler Boyd signing

Bryce Lazenby breaks down the Titans’ current situation at wide receiver and makes a prediction for how things will ultimately shake out.

The Tennessee Titans made another addition to the wide receiver room on Tuesday, officially agreeing to terms with veteran Tyler Boyd.

This news comes after the Titans met with fellow receiver Zay Jones on Monday. Boyd originally visited with the Titans last week, so it looks like the team wanted to meet with Jones before making a decision.

Boyd comes to Nashville after eight seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. Since 2017, Boyd has had at least 55 catches and 660 yards in each season. Boyd eclipsed the 1000-yard mark in both 2017 and 2018. The former Bengal is not a burner, but he’s a reliable route-runner with sure hands.

The Titans made their first notable addition to the WR room by signing Calvin Ridley shortly after the beginning of free agency. Boyd and Ridley join DeAndre Hopkins, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and Treylon Burks, among others, in a revamped receiver room.

With these new additions, let’s take a look at the current Titans wide receiver depth chart.

Position Starter Backup Backup Backup
WR1 DeAndre Hopkins Treylon Burks Colton Dowell Tre’Shaun Harrison
WR2 Calvin Ridley Nick Westbrook-Ikhine Kearis Jackson Mason Kinsey
WR3 Tyler Boyd Kyle Philips Jha’Quan Jackson

This group is much improved over the 2023 iteration. In fact, this could be the most talented wide receiver group the Titans have ever fielded.

Hopkins and Ridley are a perfect complement to one another. Hopkins is one of the best contested-catch receivers in the league and Ridley is a burner who can be a weapon on deep balls. Boyd adds another distinct element as a possession receiver who is a savvy route-runner.

Behind that top three, the Titans have to be hoping for former first-round pick Treylon Burks to finally play up to his draft pedigree. The addition of Boyd could be seen as insurance in case Burks continues to struggle. I believe Burks will get one season with the new staff before any decisions are made about his future.

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was brought back this offseason and should make the team as a reliable depth option. The team also rosters several speedy receivers who will battle for the return job in Mason Kinsey, Kearis Jackson, and 2024 draft pick, Jha’Quan Jackson.

Ultimately, I believed the final depth chart will look something like this:

Position Starter Backup
WR1 DeAndre Hopkins Treylon Burks
WR2 Calvin Ridley Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
WR3 Tyler Boyd Jha’Quan Jackson

I have the rookie Jackson making the team for now, but a sixth-round pick is not guaranteed a spot. Kearis Jackson impressed before getting injured in 2023, so either he or Philips could realistically win the final roster spot over the Tulane product.

This is a much more competitive group than it was a year ago. It will be fascinating to watch these guys battle for spots this summer.

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Analyzing the Jaguars’ 2024 wide receiver room reconstruction

Out with the old and in with the new: Analyzing the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2024 wide receiver room makeover.

In a somewhat unsurprising move following two free agency additions and first-round NFL draft selection to bolster the position this offseason, Jacksonville released wide receiver Zay Jones on Tuesday, after two seasons together.

His exit is the second of significance from Jacksonville’s receiver room this offseason, after fellow 2023 starter Calvin Ridley secured a massive payday from AFC South rival Tennessee, roughly an hour into free agency.

Ridley was believed to be preparing to re-sign with the Jaguars, the team he logged 1,016 receiving yards with last year after more than a season out of football, before the Titans made their contract offer.

Return specialist and depth pass-catcher Jamal Agnew hit free agency, too, not retained by the club.

Yet while Jacksonville lost its No. 1 wide receiver from 2023 just over a month ago, it appears confident in the investments it made at the position to compensate, enough to move on from the seven-year veteran Jones and pocket roughly $4.7 million in salary cap savings.

Over two seasons with the franchise, Jones caught 116 passes for 1,144 yards and seven touchdowns, adding 13 receptions for 157 yards and a touchdown in the playoffs. When healthy, he proved to be a reliable possession receiver who could make occasional clutch plays.

But Jones was far from robust in 2023, resulting in a steep drop in his production compared to 2022, when he produced single-season career highs of 82 receptions for 832 yards, with five touchdowns. Last year, he caught 34 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns over nine games.

Jacksonville knew entering the 2024 offseason that its wide receiver room needed upgrades and improved depth, leading to a domino effect of moves that ultimately resulted in Jones’ release.

His and Agnew’s lacking availability (the duo combined to miss 14 games in 2023) and contract statuses, paired with Ridley’s departure, allowed the Jaguars to be aggressive in restructuring the position.

Before Ridley even hit free agency, the Jaguars appeared to have a replacement lined up for Jones in free agent signee and former Buffalo receiver, Gabe Davis. The same could be said for Agnew, as Jacksonville agreed to terms with former Baltimore receiver and return specialist, Devin Duvernay.

But when Ridley bounced on March 13, the day Davis and Duvernay’s anticipated signings were made official, Davis, who has started 47 games in his career, quickly became Ridley’s apparent successor. Jones remained on the roster for over another month.

Then Jacksonville took LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. at No. 23 overall in last week’s NFL draft.

Carrying the 24th-highest salary cap hit among NFL receivers in 2024 yet relegated to No. 4 wide receiver status — behind slot receiver Christian Kirk, Davis and Thomas on the Jaguars’ depth chart — Jones would have been one of the most expensive backups at any position in the NFL this season if he remained on his contract.

For comparison, Jacksonville’s tied-for-fourth-highest-targeted wide receivers in 2023, Agnew and Parker Washington, were thrown to only 21 times apiece.

The Jaguars believe contributors less expensive than Jones can handle that role. Duvernay, Washington, Tim Jones, Elijah Cooks, Seth Williams, five undrafted free agent signings and even nine-season veteran Jarvis Landry will compete for that spot and others in Jacksonville’s receiver lineup this offseason.

At the top of their receiver room, the Jaguars hope the versatile trio of Kirk, Davis and Thomas, paired with tight end Evan Engram, will become quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s best as he enters a pivotal fourth season with the franchise, with their eyes also on the future.

Each player is under contract with Jacksonville through at least 2025. and Jacksonville’s front office has begun negotiations with Lawrence and his representatives regarding a long-term contract extension.

“I think the more opportunities and the more weapons you can surround your quarterback with, I think the better your chances are going to be,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said after Thomas’ selection on April 25. “Now, we have to coach them and we have to play and there’s a lot of things that go into that. But it does help your chances.”

In the short term, Pederson wishes for the Jaguars’ younger, new-look receiving quartet to improve the team’s intermediate passing attack, where the team struggled in 2023 compared to 2022.

According to Pro Football Focus, Lawrence completed 58-of-123 (47.2%) of his 10-to-19-yard throws last season compared to his 84-of-138 (60.9%) mark the year before.

Receivers dropped nearly one percent more passes in that range in 2023 (6.5%) versus 2022 (5.6%). Lawrence’s intermediate adjusted completion percentage last season, accounting for throwing accuracy, was 3.2% higher than his actual completion percentage at that field level.

“That’s something that we talked about in here the last couple of days too, what these skill positions can do. It opens up that second level, intermediate zones, in your passing game,” Pederson shared on April 27.

“That’s where Evan can get a lot of his targets in there and Christian gets a lot of targets in there. Gabe, you look at his career, he’s gotten a lot of targets in there … Gabe can stretch the field a little bit, Brian now can stretch the field obviously and we’ll see once we get everybody in there and all the pieces together just how this thing unfolds.”

Although Jacksonville intended to return Ridley in 2024, it managed to restock its receiving corps throughout the offseason without making any single pass-catcher one of the highest-paid in the NFL, as it did with Kirk in 2022.

The Jaguars replaced Ridley with a first-round pick in Thomas and netted additional draft picks in the process by trading down six slots, supplanted Jones with another big-bodied and younger boundary threat in Davis, and superseded Agnew with a more productive yet less experienced rotational piece in Duvernay.

Time should soon tell if Jacksonville upgraded the unit. But at least, the Jaguars’ wide receiver room is younger, cheaper (aside from Kirk, whose cap number rose by over $12 million this offseason) and arguably deeper in talent now than in 2023, and how it could have been in 2024.

Where Calvin Ridley’s contract ranks after Amon-Ra St. Brown extension

Calvin Ridley’s contract dropped on the list of the highest-paid WRs after Amon-Ra St. Brown’s extension.

When the Tennessee Titans signed wide receiver Calvin Ridley to a four-year contract worth $92 million that included $46.9 million guaranteed, they received no shortage of criticism for the deal.

However, as was predicted, Ridley’s contract is quickly falling down the list of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL after some recent extensions.

First, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith got his bag, inking a three-year, $75 million deal, exceeding Ridley’s in terms of annual average.

Then, on Wednesday, Detroit Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown blew Ridley’s deal out of the water completely when he reportedly signed a four-year deal worth more than $120 million, including $77 million guaranteed.

With those two deals, Ridley has now fallen to No. 11 in annual average, No. 3 in fully guaranteed money, and No. 6 in total value, per Over the Cap.

And, bear in mind, guys like Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb are set to get theirs in the near future.

With the kinds of deals being handed out to wide receivers now, Ridley’s deal is looking more and more like a bargain with each passing day.

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NFL draft rumors: Jaguars linked to potential Brandon Aiyuk trade

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah is the latest in league circles to link the Jaguars with trade talks regarding 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk.

As the 2024 NFL draft inches closer and dominoes continue to fall in the league’s wide receiver market, all eyes are on San Francisco and the status of star 49ers’ pass-catcher, Brandon Aiyuk.

Aiyuk has been the subject of seemingly endless trade rumors this offseason as a long-term contract extension with San Francisco has evaded him thus far. He’s currently slated to play the 2025 campaign on his fifth-year option, worth just over $14.1 million fully guaranteed, and has been eligible for a new deal since March 2023.

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah added fuel to that fire on Wednesday, one day before the draft, saying on social media that the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts continue to stand out as potential trade partners for Aiyuk as he projects the selection ceremony’s results.

“Looking at possible teams for an Aiyuk trade and I keep coming back to the same two,” Jeremiah wrote, “Colts & Jags.”

Freshly removed from his second-consecutive season of 75+ receptions, 1,000+ yards and seven-plus touchdowns, Aiyuk, a late-first-round pick in 2020, is believed to be demanding a long-term deal with a salary and guarantees in range with the NFL’s top-paid receivers.

Detroit’s four-year, $120 million extension of wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown on Wednesday, and other big-dollar contracts awarded this offseason to pass-catchers like Tennessee’s Calvin Ridley, Philadelphia’s Devonta Smith and Indianapolis’ Michael Pittman Jr. set a pretty high bar for San Francisco to meet.

The 49ers currently rank No. 24 in the NFL in effective 2024 cap space with $6,391,025 available, and No. 31 in that department with negative funds accessible for 2025, according to Over the Cap.

Trade rumors are probable to surround Aiyuk until a deal is reached or a trade is dealt, as a result. Following Ridley’s jump from Jacksonville to Tennessee in free agency, the Jaguars have a need at the position and therefore have been pegged as potential suitors for Aiyuk consistently.

The presence of former 49ers vice president of player personnel and director of college scouting, Ethan Waugh, in the Jaguars’ front office lends credence to those theories. He was part of the San Francisco staff that scouted and drafted Aiyuk in 2020.

Should San Francisco be willing to part with Aiyuk via trade, a first-round selection in the 2024 NFL draft is considered likely to be required from a prospective buyer to complete the deal. Jacksonville owns the No. 17 pick.

Through four pro seasons and 62 regular season appearances, Aiyuk has tallied 269 receptions for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns. He’s also scored twice rushing.

Report: Jaguars ‘have explored moving up’ in 2024 NFL draft

According to SI’s Albert Breer, the Jaguars are considering a trade-up in the 2024 NFL Draft. Will Jacksonville pull it off?

Where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire.

The days and weeks leading up to the NFL draft can become cluttered with rumors and reports, some valuable and others not so much. Ultimately, the draft is difficult to predict.

But based on intel he’s gathered from personnel staff across the league, Sports Illustrated NFL reporter Albert Breer shared on Monday that the Jaguars have researched what it would require to trade up in the draft, adding that the top of the wide receiver class has captured Jacksonville’s interest in particular.

The reporting makes sense as it aligns, at least somewhat, with Jacksonville general manager Trent Baalke’s pre-draft comments.

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“What you need to know: The Jaguars have explored moving up—and they’ve done a lot of work on the top receivers in the draft,” Breer wrote, likely referencing Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., LSU’s Malik Nabers and Washington’s Rome Odunze.

“Losing Calvin Ridley, even with Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis paid, makes that spot a priority. Failing that, corner, if either [Terrion] Arnold or [Quinyon] Mitchell are available here, shapes up as a possibility, too. Another would be a disruptive defensive tackle for new [defensive coordinator] Ryan Nielsen’s scheme—maybe [Byron] Murphy [II], if he slides a bit, or Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton (who’s coming off a foot fracture).”

Of note, John Shipley of Jaguar Report noted last week that the Jaguars are “extremely high” on Nabers at the wide receiver position, specifically.

Although Baalke didn’t explicitly say the Jaguars are eyeing a trade-up for a certain position or prospect, he was complimentary of the cornerback and wide receiver groups while speaking with reporters on Thursday, as well as the crop of offensive linemen.

He also referenced the homework Jacksonville has conducted on a handful of picks in front of the Jaguars in the draft order, in the event a prospect of the team’s intrigue slips down the board.

“We know who’s willing to move and we’ve had preliminary discussions on what that looks like, what it’s going to cost to move up there,” Baalke said.

“You have exploratory conversations, you know what it’s going to take you to get to the 12 or 13, 14, 15 [pick] or whatever the number is, and then you wait until draft day to figure out whether you’re going to do it or not.”

The first round of the 2024 NFL draft will begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Having admitted he isn’t keen on trading up before the event unless it’s for the first pick, don’t expect Baalke to strike a first-round deal until it’s underway, if at all.

2024 NFL draft: Jaguars seven-round mock

2024 NFL draft: Jaguars’ biggest positional needs

2024 NFL Draft: Trent Baalke previews Jaguars’ first-round approach

L’Jarius Sneed: Titans’ WR duo can help me improve my game

Titans CB L’Jarius Sneed believes practice reps against WRs Calvin Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins will help him improve his game.

When it comes to matchups between cornerbacks and wide receivers during Tennessee Titans training camp, there’s going to be a whole lot of iron sharpening iron in 2024.

The Titans added to their receivers room with the signing of Calvin Ridley, who joins the team’s No. 1 receiver, DeAndre Hopkins. On the other side of the ball, Tennessee inked Chidobe Awuzie and traded for L’Jarius Sneed to massively upgrade their secondary.

During a recent interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Sneed shared his excitement at the prospect of going against Ridley and Hopkins in practice because both can help him improve his game.

“To get out there and work with them elite wide receivers, I never had two elite guys like them, going up against them every day,” Sneed said. “I had great players, but them two guys, household names, they stick out. I can’t wait to get to work with those guys.

“I know they’re gonna make me better in practice, and I can’t wait to pick both of their brains on how to get better. What they see. What my weakness is from their eyes and not from other guys I’ve been playing with for four years. I want new guys looking from the outside in.”

Sneed also mentioned how he wasn’t happy about getting the franchise tag from the Kansas City Chiefs but he’s thrilled about going to Tennessee because the Titans wanted him.

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