Titans’ rookie wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson isn’t fazed by the recent trades and says he is ready to hit the field when called upon.
The Tennessee Titans season is effectively over. They’ll still show up and play the games on their schedule, but it’s clear the front office and coaching staff aren’t focused on success this season. Rather, they are focused on securing the team’s future, which is currently in question after a 1-5 start behind a quarterback who isn’t ready to start.
With those departures, other players must step up and fill those shoes. For the offense, rookie wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson is ready for the coaching staff to call his number, no matter where he is needed on the field.
Jha’Quan Jackson said the #Titans moves are a part of the business. He cross trained so he can play all WR positions. His focus is on staying ready so he doesn’t have to get ready. pic.twitter.com/DlyTQsVyaN
Jackson has spent most of his time with the Titans as a punt and kick return man, but he will likely be called upon in the coming weeks with Hopkins’ departure and Treylon Burks being placed on IR.
Jha’Quan Jackson says he’s ready to hit the field when his number is called, and we’ll see just how ready he is when Brian Callahan eventually does call for No. 19.
The Tennessee Titans head to Michigan to face the Detroit Lions on Sunday and here are three causes for concern heading into Week 8.
This Sunday, the Tennessee Titans head to Michigan to face the Detroit Lions. The Titans are 1-5 after six games, while the Lions are 5-1 and lead the NFC North division.
As much as the Buffalo Bills and Titans were polar opposites in Week 7, the Lions and Titans are equally as opposite. Jared Goff has exploded onto the scene as a reliable and consistent leader on the field. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are sharing time and making the most of it. Even with the loss of Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions’ defense still presents a problem for the Titans.
The Titans have their work cut out for them on the road and there are three major causes for concern in Week 8.
Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images
Offensive woes are a persistent problem
Titans head coach Brian Callahan admits there’s a problem at right tackle. Leroy Watson played well against Indianapolis and didn’t allow a single sack but was penalized twice which resulted in Nicholas Petit-Frere getting back on the field against Buffalo. And we all know how that went.
On top of the offensive line issues, the Titans just traded away their top receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Kansas City Chiefs. This still leaves them with Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd. And with Treylon Burks on injured reserve (IR), rookie Jha’Quan Jackson will likely see some playing time.
The thing is, if the quarterback, which looks to be Mason Rudolph as of right now, can’t get the ball to the receivers, then it doesn’t matter which receivers are on the field. Rudolph struggled against Buffalo in Week 7, and Week 8 against the Lions isn’t going to be any different.
Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images
Defensive changes will impact on-field play
The Titans traded away Ernest Jones IV on Wednesday. It was the second trade of the day, and this one had a bigger impact than the Hopkins trade. Jones was a leader among the defense, he is second in tackles behind Kenneth Murray Jr., and while he hasn’t recorded any sacks this season, his presence on the field will be missed.
On top of that trade, the Titans made it known that Harold Landry III is on the trading block and the team is open to offers. Landry will still go out there and play and he will do his job to the best of his ability, but that has to be in the back of his head and could affect how well he plays on Sunday.
The Titans’ defense is riddled with injuries, and with how this season started, it’s clear that Ran Carthon is looking forward and brushing this season off as a loss. Whether that’s his intention or not, that’s the perception, and you better believe it impacts how every player on the team performs.
Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
The locker room is frustrated, morale is down
Losing games. Trading key players. The same problems happening week after week. The Titans’ locker room is frustrated, and it’s not just the receivers. No one likes losing, and the people who are most impacted by the losses are the players trying their hardest on the field. There is nothing more frustrating as an athlete than doing your own part and doing everything in your power to win a game, only to lose it because of coaching or front office issues.
That’s where the Titans are this week. Brian Callahan’s inability to make in-game adjustments has cost them at least three of their six games. Ran Carthon’s decision to trade both Hopkins and Jones feels like a gut punch,and is a clear indication that the Titans are going to rebuild, and they’re starting now.
When players are frustrated, they don’t play well. When they don’t play well, their mood comes down and turns to anger. Continuing to lose amplifies those feelings. Carthon just dropped a match on a tinder box filled to the brim, and it’s going to explode. Probably on Sunday if (when) they lose.
Tennessee Titans return man Jha’Quan Jackson was named the team’s biggest hidden gem through the first quarter of 2024 by Bleacher Report.
[lawrence-related id=151675,151673,151651]As a late-round draft pick, Tennessee Titans rookie return man Jha’Quan Jackson wasn’t expected to make an immediate impact this season, but he has quietly done just that. The Titans’ special teams have been the biggest bright spot for the team in 2024, and a large part of it is because of Jackson’s return capabilities.
Jackson is currently third in the NFL in kick returns and 10th in punt returns, leading Bleacher Report to name him the team’s biggest hidden gem a quarter of the way through the season. The article says, in part:
… Jackson, a former Tulane receiver, hasn’t had a prominent role in Tennessee’s offense. In fact, he’s played just a single offensive snap. However, he’s been a difference-maker on special teams, leading the NFL with 131 punt-return yards through the first four weeks. Jackson’s 9.4 yards-per-return average also ranks third among players with at least 10 returns on the season.
With a 26.8 yards-per-return average on kickoffs, Jackson ranks third in that category too.
Jackson has aided the Titans offense by consistently bettering its starting position. Head coach Brian Callahan should soon want to see what the rookie can do with the ball in his hands on offense.
Jackson’s consistent ability to give the Titans a decent starting position is the reason they have been able to put any points on the board at all. If you take away the turnovers and the sacks, the Titans offense might actually be decent and function well enough to win a game, as evidenced in Miami earlier this week.
The Titans got a steal with Jackson. Now they need to fix the rest of the team’s issues so they can look like the team we know they can be.
The Tennessee Titans have what appears to be a solid draft class, but it is a late round selection that is quietly making an impact.
The Tennessee Titans rookie class has been solid in the first quarter of the 2024 season. Not only has first-round tackle JC Latham and second-round defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat made an immediate impact, one of their late round selections is excelling as well.
Wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson, a sixth-round selection from Tulane, has also made an impact. Jackson earned his first nomination for the NFL.com Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week Award after putting up 157 return yards against the Bears in the season opener and has continued to put up solid numbers in the return game.
Jha'Quan Jackson is 3rd in the NFL in KO Ret Avg at 26.8yds and 10th in the league in Punt Ret Avg at 9.4yds#titans
Jackson sits in the Top 10 in both return categories through four weeks. He is third in kickoff returns, averaging 26.8 yards per return, and 10th in punt returns, with a 9.7 yards per return average.
While the explosive playmaker has yet to make an impact on offense, his efforts should not go unnoticed as he attempts to break into the wide receiver rotation.
The Tennessee Titans wasted some outstanding individual performances in Week 1, including one that earned Jha’Quan Jackson a nomination.
The Tennessee Titans wasted some strong individual performances in their 24-17 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday. While most of them were on defense, some came on other units.
What is most exciting about the long-term prospects is that some of their rookies chipped in with outstanding performances and have been recognized by analysts across the NFL landscape. After defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat received a glowing endorsement for his performance by Brian Baldinger on Monday, rookie wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson was recognized for his performance in the return game.
Jackson, a sixth-round selection from Tulane, made an impact as well. He earned his first nomination for the NFL.COM Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week Award after putting up 157 return yards against the Bears.
The young slot receiver was electrifying, racking up 127 yards on five kickoffs and adding another 30 yards on punt returns, while handling 100 percent of the return duties for the Titans.
Known for his special teams prowess coming out of college, Jackson will look to build upon this performance and potentially add a quick-twitch element to the slot position behind veteran Tyler Boyd on offense as the season moves forward.
He will have another opportunity to shine against the New York Jets in the Titans home opener on Sunday.
Tyjae Spears will be reuniting with his former teammate after the Titans drafted Jha’Quan Jackson.
Before he was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2023, running back Tyjae Spears played his college ball at Tulane, where he was teammates with Titans 2024 sixth-round pick and wide receiver, Jha’Quan Jackson.
The two became close and were even roommates during their college days, and Spears was actually watching the draft with Jackson, waiting for his name to be called.
When that time finally came and it was the Titans who made the call to the Tulane product, Spears was thrilled.
“What do I think about it? It’s a dream come true, man,” Spears said. “To get reunited again, to hold each other accountable, that is the thing I am most excited for.”
Tennessee Titans RB Tyjae Spears in town to support former Tulane teammate Jha’Quan Jackson pic.twitter.com/Z7zhjwuKVY
Jackson was equally ecstatic to be reuniting with Spears.
“I am excited,” Jackson said. “I left it up to the man above, God. I believe in faith, family and football. I am grateful and honored to wear a Titan uniform, back with my dawg. It is family reunited again.”
On top of his experience as a receiver, Jackson was also a returner for the Green Wave, which is an important quality to have in his back pocket as he tries to make the roster and carve out a role for himself.
“I am willing to do anything,” Jackson said. “Offense, whatever.”
The Broncos sent their wide receivers coach to scout WR Jha’Quan Jackson at Tulane’s pro day last month.
The Denver Broncos sent wide receivers coach Keary Colbert to Tulane’s pro day last month which featured wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson, according to Jim Nagy.
Jackson (5-9, 188 pounds) ran a 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds at and bench-pressed 225 pounds 12 times at the NFL combine earlier this offseason.
Jackson, 23, spent five years with the Green Wave, hauling in 109 receptions for 1,743 yards and 17 touchdowns in 56 games. He also returned 59 punts for 677 yards and one touchdown and returned 35 kickoffs for 772 yards.
Jackson is projected to be a late-round pick in the NFL draft later this month. If he’s picked by the Broncos (or signed as an undrafted free agent), Jackson would likely compete for the backup slot receiver position while also competing for reps as a returner. Marvin Mims is expected to play in the slot and handle return duties this season.
Denver is also taking a close look at Jackson’s teammate, quarterback Michael Pratt. The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.
The Broncos were in attendance at Tulane’s pro day on Tuesday to scout quarterback Michael Pratt.
The Denver Broncos are continuing to take a close look at quarterbacks leading up to the 2024 NFL draft.
The Broncos were one of five teams to send a position coach (wide receivers coach Keary Colbert) to Tulane’s pro day on Tuesday, according to Jim Nagy. Colbert was likely sent to New Orleans to work with Green Wave wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson, but Denver is also taking a close look at Pratt.
The Broncos previously met with Pratt at the Senior Bowl (multiple times) and at the NFL combine earlier this offseason. The 6-2, 216-pound quarterback completed 60.6% of his passes for 9,611 yards with 90 touchdowns against 26 interceptions in four years (46 games) at Tulane.
Michael Pratt is the most underrated player (by the media) in this class. https://t.co/4Zw4S3R2ap
Denver coach Sean Payton has some connections to the Green Wave’s coaching staff, so he should be well-informed on Pratt as a prospect. Last year, Pratt told Tulane sideline reporter Maddy Hudak that he studies film of former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, which might be of note to Payton.
If the Broncos do not land one of the top QB prospects in this year’s class, Pratt could be a target for Denver in the mid-rounds. Most mock drafts have Pratt going off the board in the fourth round, where the Broncos hold pick No. 121. The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.
2024 Scouting Combine: Nine receiver prospects detail their favorite college plays (via @NFL_DougFarrar):
INDIANAPOLIS — Unless you are somehow able to gain access to one of the rooms in which NFL teams meet with draft prospects during the week of the scouting combine, there’s no way to know what’s really discussed. One thing that is almost always happens is a tape-watching expedition in which the NFL people will have play examples dialed up that hopefully show what the prospects can do.
Here at Touchdown Wire, we do not possess the required juice to crash those rooms, but we are able to ask these prospects during their combine media sessions which plays from their college careers best typify their potential.
We’ve already done this with five quarterbacks, six tight ends and seven cornerbacks here at the combine, and now, it’s time to get into the favorite plays of nine receiver prospects of all shapes, sizes, and talents.
The 2024 scouting combine was the right place to ask nine receiver prospects for their favorite college plays, and what they will mean in the NFL.
INDIANAPOLIS — Unless you are somehow able to gain access to one of the rooms in which NFL teams meet with draft prospects during the week of the scouting combine, there’s no way to know what’s really discussed. One thing that is almost always happens is a tape-watching expedition in which the NFL people will have play examples dialed up that hopefully show what the prospects can do.
Here at Touchdown Wire, we do not possess the required juice to crash those rooms, but we are able to ask these prospects during their combine media sessions which plays from their college careers best typify their potential.
We’ve already done this with five quarterbacks, six tight ends and seven cornerbacks here at the combine, and now, it’s time to get into the favorite plays of nine receiver prospects of all shapes, sizes, and talents.
