Projecting Titans’ WR depth chart after Calvin Ridley signing

Bryce Lazenby takes a look at the Titans’ current WR depth chart, and how it might look after final cuts.

The Tennessee Titans have a new coaching staff, and with a new coaching staff comes a new identity.

For years, the Titans have been a run-first offense that has only had one or two reliable options to throw the ball to. In 2023, DeAndre Hopkins led the Titans with 75 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns. No other wide receiver on the roster even caught 30 passes.

Thus, new head coach Brian Callahan and general manager Ran Carthon saw the position as a pressing need this offseason.

The Titans were aggressive in free agency and dished out a whopping $50 million in guaranteed money to Calvin Ridley. Ridley and Hopkins should give the Titans an enviable one-two punch at the position.

The team also retained Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who is a solid depth piece after tallying at least 25 catches and 370 yards in each of the last three seasons.

The team will likely add another receiver in the 2024 NFL draft, but before that happens let’s go ahead and take a look at the wide receiver depth chart as it stands today.

Starter Second string Third string
DeAndre Hopkins Nick Westbrook-Ikhine Tre’Shaun Harrison
Calvin Ridley Colton Dowell Kearis Jackson
Treylon Burks Kyle Philips Mason Kinsey

Other than Ridley being added, the only notable difference from last season is Chris Moore, who signed with the Arizona Cardinals.

The hope is that Burks will flourish playing with Hopkins and Ridley. His career has been disappointing to this point, but there will be much less pressure on the former Arkansas Razorback now.

While Burks and NWI currently sit as WR3 and WR4, respectively, it’s likely the team will bring in a receiver in the 2024 NFL draft to compete with them for playing time.

Kinsey and Philips are slot-only options, and Jackson provides value as a return man. Kinsey, Philips, Harrison, Dowell, and Jackson could end up competing for one or two roster spots.

Ultimately, I believe the depth chart will look something like this after final cuts are made:

Starter Second string Third string
DeAndre Hopkins Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Calvin Ridley Drafted WR Kearis Jackson
Treylon Burks Kyle Philips

I imagine Burks will work mostly from the slot in three-receiver sets, but the Titans have a slew of options on how to deploy their top three, as Ridley and Hopkins are capable of lining up inside and out.

Ridley has breakaway speed and is a crisp route-runner, while Hopkins is the possession receiver who catches everything.

Allowing Burks to work out of the slot could do wonders for his game. The wide receiver flourished out of the slot in college thanks to his YAC (yards after catch) ability and would likely do the same in the pros.

It helps to also have Philips, who has flashed as a slot receiver in the past.

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Calvin Ridley could be the No. 1 receiver the Tennessee Titans desperately need

The Tennessee Titans were in desperate need of a No. 1 receiver, and they got one after giving Calvin Ridley a massive new contract.

All we knew before the Tennessee Titans knocked down the door and signed former Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92 million deal with $50 million fully guaranteed was that the Jaguars and the New England Patriots were in the mix. But the Titans were in need of a top receiver, they had the space to make the deal, and by the way, Ridley tore Tennessee’s defense to shreds in two games last season — he caught 13 passes on 19 targets for 208 yards and three touchdowns.

2023 was a comeback year for Ridley — selected with the 26th overall pick out of Alabama by the Falcons in the 2028 draft, Ridley was suspended for the entire 2022 season after running afoul of the NFL’s nebulous policies against gambling. Atlanta traded him to the Jaguars on November 1, 2022.

Why Calvin Ridley’s year-long gambling suspension is a hypocritical farce

Last season, Ridley caught 76 passes in 132 targets for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. The Titans needed a receiver of his caliber, and while some may see it as an overpay, general manager Ran Carthon and new head coach Brian Callahan obviously disagree with that

DeAndre Hopkins: Justin Jefferson should get $40 million per year

Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins threw his support behind Vikings WR Justin Jefferson getting a massive payday.

As teams around the NFL were throwing money around during the first day of the legal tampering period of free agency, Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins threw his support behind Minnesota Vikings wideout, Justin Jefferson.

The wide receiver market was quiet on Day 1, with the Jacksonville Jaguars’ signing of former Buffalo Bills wideout Gabriel Davis (three years, $39 million) being the biggest deal at the position of the entire day.

Hours after that deal was agreed upon, Hopkins took to social media to say that, after looking at some of the big money spent early on at different positions in free agency, it justifies Jefferson getting $40 million per.

Some took that as a shot at Davis’ deal, but I don’t think that’s what DHop was getting at. He was simply talking about the free-agent landscape in general, which saw big bucks spent on Day 1.

Jefferson is the best wideout in the NFL and one of the very best players, regardless of position, in the NFL. He’s also the face of a franchise that just lost its starting quarterback in Kirk Cousins, who is reportedly expected to sign with the Atlanta Falcons.

If there’s any wideout you could justify paying $40 million per year, which is $10 million more annually than any other receiver in the league, it’s Jefferson.

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Titans’ top-10 plays of the 2023 season

The Titans recently compiled a list of their top-10 plays of the 2023 season.

While the Tennessee Titans had a disappointing season overall, there were still some memorable plays from the 2023 campaign, and the Titans’ social media team recently listed its top 10..

Rookie quarterback Will Levis, who exploded onto the scene in Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons, was responsible for three of the top-10 plays, with two coming from his arm and the other with his legs. Veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was on the receiving end of both passes.

Along with some Levis throws, running back Derrick Henry also left his mark on the list in what might be his final season in the two-tone blue.

Henry makes multiple appearances on the list, also, including his touchdown pass to tight end Chig Okonkwo. You can check out the full top 10 below.

Watching Henry torch the Jacksonville Jaguars in what might be his final game as a Titan will go down as one of my favorite memories of his legendary tenure in Nashville.

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Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins walks runway at fashion show

Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins walked the runway at a fashion show on Friday night.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins isn’t afraid to branch out to different things, and that was on full display when the veteran walked the runway at the Vetements fashion show in Paris on Friday night.

The show was part of Paris Fashion Week and saw the Titans wideout wearing camo pants and an oversized hoodie that sports a reference to “Towlie” from the television show “South Park”.

And now here I am breaking down fashion on a football blog. I did not have this on my 2024 bingo card, but sometimes this job takes you to strange places.

Anyway, you can check out Hopkins’ setup below.

@deandrehopkins

dont forget to bring a towel… #FW24 #pfw #Vetements #fashion

♬ оригинальный звук – AMIR TIVOLI

Other wide receivers could never…

Hopkins is coming off an impressive season for the Titans in which he tallied 1,057 yards and seven scores while playing a crucial role in the development of rookie quarterback Will Levis. He also broke the stigma of big-named veteran wide receivers not panning out in Tennessee.

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5 Titans who could get a contract extension in 2024

A look at five Titans who are under contract for 2024 that could get an extension this year.

The Tennessee Titans have a slew of free agents to make decisions on this offseason, but there are also some players who are under contract for 2024 that could become candidates for an extension at some point, either before or during the upcoming season.

While the Titans will re-sign some of those pending free agents, I wouldn’t exactly consider that an extension, thus none of the 27 players set to hit the open market in March will be included in this list.

With that in mind, here’s a look at five players who are under contract for 2024 that could be candidates for a contract extension at some point before they hit free agency in 2025.

DeAndre Hopkins calls ‘cap’ on rumor he wants to leave Titans

DeAndre Hopkins immediately shot down a bogus rumor that he may want to leave the Titans this offseason.

After a less-than credible X account started a rumor that DeAndre Hopkins may want to leave the Tennessee Titans this offseason, the veteran wide receiver immediately shot it down.

The X account “NFL Rumors” tweeted out that Hopkins may want to leave the Titans after former head coach Mike Vrabel was fired, but there was no source attached to it.

“Tennessee Titans DeAndre Hopkins could look for another team next season on a mutual parting of ways,” the account wrote. “Hopkins came there with Mike Vrabel and his former OC with the Texans, both are now gone. D Hop would have a $16.4M cap savings if cut with June 1st designation.”

Less than one hour later, Hopkins took to X and made his reaction to the tweet short and sweet:

Hopkins signed a two-year, $26 million deal with the Titans last offseason, so he would have to be cut or traded to get out of Tennessee. I’ve speculated that perhaps that would be his desire with the Titans set to rebuild, but clearly that isn’t the case.

And that’s great news for the Titans, a team that is already in desperate need of wide receiver help. Hopkins was also a key target for rookie quarterback Will Levis, which was huge for the Kentucky product’s development.

Looking ahead to 2024, Hopkins is the undisputed No. 1 receiver on this team and could be primed for an even bigger year than 2023 if Tennessee can improve the offensive line and add some weapons to take pressure off.

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Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins’ highlights from 2023 season

Highlights from the 2023 campaign of Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

Prior to the 2023 campaign, the Tennessee Titans had a terrible history with signing and trading for big-named veteran wide receivers — but DeAndre Hopkins broke the mold in his first season in the two-tone blue.

Hopkins was the best receiver of the group by a country mile and finished his first year in Nashville with 1,057 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, showing he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.

More importantly, he provided a consistent outlet for rookie quarterback Will Levis, which was huge for the Kentucky product’s development.

Recently, the Titans released a 2023 highlight package for the star wideout. Check it out below.

While the Titans need help at wide receiver in 2024, they at least have a good start at the position with Hopkins under contract for one more year.

If the Titans can get a receiver or two to take some pressure off and improve an offensive line that was putrid in pass protection in 2023, Hopkins has the potential to post even bigger numbers in his second season.

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Every NFL team’s receiving leader from the 2023 regular season

Each team’s leader in receiving yards from 2023

Look, we know the Carolina Panthers had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year—particularly on offense. But fair is fair, and we already gave you passing and rushing leaders.

So, let’s finish it out and run through each team’s leader in receiving yards from the 2023 regular season.

Titans 2024 offseason preview at WR: Pending free agents, biggest needs

In our latest offseason preview for the Titans, we take a look at the pending free agents and biggest needs at wide receiver.

One of the Tennessee Titans’ biggest needs going into the 2024 offseason is at the wide receiver position, where Tennessee will need to add at least two impact players.

Tennessee’s best wide receiver by far in 2023 was easily DeAndre Hopkins, who played a key role in the development of quarterback Will Levis as his trusted No. 1 target.

Despite doubts about his viability at 31 years old, Hopkins looked very much like the star receiver we’ve seen during his career.

DHop finished with a team-high 1,057 receiving yards and seven scores, which is made more impressive by the fact that he got off to a slow start, combined with Tennessee’s offensive line being abysmal.

On the flip side, second-year wide receiver Treylon Burks was a major disappointment. On top of injury issues, Burks didn’t do much when he was on the field, finishing with just 221 receiving yards and no scores.

Now, a look at who’s under contract, who’s a pending free agent and what the Titans’ specific needs are at the position going into the offseason.

Note: Contract information is courtesy of Over the Cap.