The decision on whether or not to pick up the fifth-year option of Tennessee Titans wide receiver Corey Davis is rapidly approaching, as the team has to decide by May.
Davis was the Titans’ No. 5 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, but hasn’t exactly lived up to the billing of a top-five pick.
After having a career campaign in 2018 that saw him total career-highs in receiving yards (891) and touchdowns (four), Davis took a step back in 2019 after totaling just 601 receiving yards and two scores.
Adding to that, Davis is no longer the team’s No. 1 receiver, as 2019 rookie A.J. Brown firmly claimed that title after having the best season of any rookie receiver in the Titans era with 1,051 yards and eight scores.
Prior to last season, a lot of Davis’ lackluster numbers could be attributed to the Titans’ overall ineptitude at throwing the football, but that really isn’t a valid excuse anymore after Ryan Tannehill elevated the passing attack.
It’s somewhat important to note that the rules on how players on a fifth-year option are paid has changed thanks to the new CBA.
Now, instead of being locked into a salary based on draft positioning, players on the fifth-year option will be paid based on performance.
That means the Titans could potentially retain Davis in 2021 for a more fair price than they otherwise would have paid under the old CBA should he produce lackluster numbers once again next season.
Even still, that won’t be enough for Davis’ option to get picked up. Like Jack Conklin before him, Davis simply hasn’t done enough to justify the team taking a future bet on him.
Of course, Davis could blow up this year, leaving the Titans in the same boat they were with Conklin this offseason; however, it’s highly unlikely the team will want to pay to bring him back in the event that happens.
After all, if the team didn’t want to pay Conklin after he re-emerged as an elite player at such an important position, they certainly won’t be inclined to pay significant money to a wide receiver like Davis.
Not to mention, Tennessee would be better served taking Davis’ successor in the 2020 NFL Draft in what is the deepest class at the position in years. The Titans could get a young wideout who could easily match or better Davis’ past numbers for a much cheaper price.
As much as we all like Davis, particularly when he’s blowing defenders up as a blocker, this will likely be his last year in the two-tone blue.
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