Nobody on the Tennessee Titans needs a rebound season more than wide receiver Treylon Burks, who has had a lackluster first two campaigns in the NFL, to say the least.
Now, Burks is looking at a season in which he won’t be a full-time starter after the additions the Titans made at the position in 2024, and head coach Brian Callahan has said he needs to contribute on special teams as a result.
Knowing that, the Titans have been giving Burks a look as both a gunner and kick returner this offseason.
On Wednesday, special teams coordinator Colt Anderson praised the Arkansas product for the work he’s putting in and the tools he has.
“Let me just tell you something: that kid is an ultimate pro,” Anderson said of Burks, according to Paul Kuharsky. “The way he’s handled everything from Day 1, he wants to be on the field. Any way we can get him on the field, we’re going to find a way to get him on the field. He’s explosive, he can run, he’s physical. He’s got all the attributes to be a good football player.
“And, at the end of the day, we’re going to have — offense, defense, special teams — the best 11 out there that are going to help us win.”
Anderson wasn’t the only one who praised Burks. Offensive coordinator Nick Holz stated that Burks has “exceeded expectations.”
“He has exceeded expectations so far,” Holz said, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport. “He has been unbelievable. His work ethic every day has been awesome. His vertical speed, his size, his strength has shown up, non-stop, every day. He’s made some plays down the field.
“He had one yesterday down the sideline we’d like to see him reel in, so that would be one of those things of, ‘hey, when the big plays are there, you’ve got to make them.’
“But he’s done excellent for us and he’s really been versatile, being able to play inside and outside. So, he’s actually been rotating in at all three spots. A lot of times he’s been running with the ones because guys aren’t there and it’s the offseason so it’s voluntary, so he’s been doing a really nice job of kind of plug-and-play from that standpoint.”
While this is all well and good, nobody is going to sign up for a Burks breakout season based on coach comments alone. We’ll have to see all of this translate to impact play on the field, which could be difficult because of his role as the No. 4 receiver in the offense.