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What Tyler Boyd’s visit with Tennessee Titans could mean for WR Treylon Burks

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Sam Phalen | Last updated 5/2/24

According to a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, veteran wide receiver Tyler Boyd is scheduled to visit with the Tennessee Titans this week.

Boyd has spent the first eight seasons of his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals. From 2016-2023, Boyd has recorded 513 catches, 6,000 receiving yards, and 31 touchdown catches.

The Titans have been looking for a slot receiver and there is an obvious connection between Boyd and head coach Brian Callahan from Cincinnti. But what could the team’s interest in Boyd mean for former first-round pick Treylon Burks?

Whether Boyd winds up signing with the Titans or not, the Titans hosting him for a visit is telling about how the new regime views Treylon Burks. At the very least, I think it’s fair to say the Titans are not comfortable relying on Burks to be the WR3 in this offense without adding a little competition.

They’ve had another wide receiver in their sights for a while. As NFL Insider Adam Caplan recently reported, the Titans had interest in signing Boyd prior to the NFL Draft, but there was an understanding that Boyd preferred to wait until after the draft to join his new team.

#Titans had interest in pursuing him before the draft as their slot WR, but they and other teams were under the impression he wanted to wait until after the draft to sign... https://t.co/FkY1aNezw0
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) May 2, 2024

I heard rumblings of Boyd and the Titans having mutual interest dating back to the NFL Combine. Some NFL coaches I spoke with at the combine in Indy were also skeptical of how much Boyd still had left in the tank. They pointed to a drop off in his production against man coverage in 2023 as reason for concern, but added that Boyd would be a great locker room addition and a capable slot option against zone.

While head coach Brian Callahan spoke highly of Burks' offseason work in an interview with "3HL" on 104.5 The Zone following the NFL Draft, actions speak louder than words.

"He's really had a fantastic start to the offseason program," Callahan said. "I've been happy with what he's done. That's honest, he's done a great job of learning and getting a bunch of different things down. And I think he's really stacked a handful of really good days together since we've started. I'm optimistic about about him contributing for us, and I think he's gone about it the right way. So, I have a lot of respect for how he started off."

At this point in time, Treylon Burks is a lottery ticket for the Titans. There is clear upside with his skillset. There is hope that he can put the pieces together in 2024 and become the dangerous weapon he once was at Arkansas. But the Titans are not waiting around for him and looking to add veterans like Boyd who are more reliable.

If Burks can stay in the field for close to a full 17 games, perhaps the breakout season Titans fans have been waiting for can happen. But the Titans are wisely pursuing other options in the meantime and time is running out for Burks to make an impact in a Titans uniform.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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