The Treylon Burks Era with the Tennessee Titans ends with a whimper, as head coach Brian Callahan recently announced that his October knee injury will sideline him for the remainder of the season. A first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Titans sent superstar wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for the pick that eventually became Burks. Now considered one of the more lopsided trades in recent memory, the Arkansas product began his career on a high note.
Appearing in 11 games as a rookie, Treylon Burks recorded a solid 33 receptions for 444 yards and one touchdown before a head injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Unfortunately, the wide receiver never bounced back, as a combination of injuries and ineffectiveness limited him to just 16 games, 20 receptions, and 255 yards over the past two seasons. While he is under contract for 2025, Tennessee can save $4.6 million in cap space by cutting him. The wide receiver has probably played his last snap with the Titans, but he could try and revitalize his career with the Kansas City Chiefs or Carolina Panthers.
Chiefs, Panthers Could Save Treylon Burks After Latest Injury
Despite their best efforts, the Kansas City Chiefs have not solved their wide receiver issue. While they won two Super Bowls since the Tyreek Hill trade, they are still looking for an adequate set of hands on the outside. The injured Rashee Rice is a promising slot option and veteran DeAndre Hopkins is a fine short-term solution, but this team could use another young playmaker. Marquise Brown will be a free agent at the end of the season and while first-round pick Xavier Worthy has shown promise, he has yet to prove he can be a consistent part of the passing attack.
Treylon Burks is anything but a safe bet, but the Chiefs could be an ideal landing spot as he recovers from his latest injury. The former first-round pick should cost next to nothing, which is good news for a Chiefs team with limited cap space and several big-name free agents. The team will likely do everything they can to retain homegrown stars like Trey Smith and Nick Bonito, which means they won’t have the money to find a big-name upgrade at wide receiver. Burks probably won’t pan out in Kansas City, but he’s worth a shot on a league-minimum contract.
Rebuilding In Carolina
Bryce Young may or may not be the future of the Carolina Panthers, but he’s done enough to earn another shot in 2025. The former first-overall pick is fresh off the best two-game stretch of his career, and his recent success combined with the relatively weak quarterback class means the team probably will give him another year to prove himself. No matter who lines up under center, the Panthers will probably use most of their offseason resources on the defense.
After having one of the worst collections of talent in 2023, Carolina successfully rebuilt the offense over the past offseason. While nobody will confuse this team with the 2007 Patriots, the offensive line is now one of the best in the league and youngsters like first-round pick Xavier Legette, undrafted free agent Jalen Coker, and fourth-round pick Ja’Tavion Sanders are showing promise. This team has the pieces to support a young quarterback like young, but they could use another depth option. Treylon Burks won’t receive much on the open market as he works his way back from injury, so signing him shouldn’t impede General Manager Dan Morgan from building an adequate defense.
Main Photo: Steve Roberts – USA Today Sports
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