Burks will replace AJ Brown as Titans face Eagles – Tennessee Titans Blog

NASHVILLE TENNESSEE — A blockbuster draft-day transaction broke up what seemed to be the perfect marriage between player and team. Tennessee Titans Send wide receiver A.J. Brown The Philadelphia Eagles The 18th and 101st Overall Picks will be announced in April.

The Titans didn’t want to lose Brown, but they reached a point where getting a deal done to keep him long term didn’t seem like a possibility. Tennessee claims that the demands for contract negotiations were in excess of $29 million annually with guaranteed $80 million. Brown told ESPN He would have accepted $22 million per year.

It was hard to replace a player that led the team in receiving yards, receptions and touchdowns the past three seasons since being drafted by the Titans in 2019. Brown has had similar results with the league-leading Eagles (10-1), whom the Titans (7-4) will face Sunday.1 p.m. ET, FOX).

But that’s why Titans general manager Jon Robinson selected Treylon Burks Almost immediately after the trade with No. 18 pick.

Burks had the same sturdy build as Brown and was able to move large distances after the catch. He also could make contested catch.

“He’s a heckuva player,” Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill Burks was one of these people. “He’s talented, got size, great strength, has hands, judges the ball well and can run. He has everything you’re looking for.”

At the combine, Burks said he studied and applied a lot of aspects of Brown’s game to his own. While there are plenty of similarities, the Titans and Burks have maintained all along that Burks’ job is to carve out his own role in the offense rather than be Brown’s replacement.

“I’ve looked up to him with me being in college and him being who he is,“ Burks said. “But he’s A. J. I’m Treylon. We’re two different people. I just play my game, and he plays his.”

After a rough start that saw Burks miss minicamp due to asthma, conditioning issues and a stint on injured reserve due to an injury to his turf toe, Burks has begun to emerge as a playmaker.

“He has to be the best version of Treylon,” receivers coach Rob Moore said, “and we’re starting to see what that looks like.”

Burks’ 100-yard receiving record was his first in Week 10. Green Bay Packers. He then followed that up by a 70-yard, four-reception performance in which he scored the first NFL touchdown.

The result of running down the field on a long was the touchdown. Derrick Henry Henry lost the ball, so Henry caught the ball and pouncing on it in the end zone.

“Coming in knowing my role” is what Burks said has led to his sudden improvement since coming back from IR.

Burks stated, “I go to the facility and I attack everything they throw at my,” “I never back down.”

Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Burks’ biggest improvement was his attitude and the way that he comes to work. Vrabel mentioned how the Titans only had a week to prepare for Green Bay, and how Burks prepared with Moore to correct early mistakes.

“He’s not a guy that lacks confidence,” Moore said. “When you have a player with the traits that he has — amazing play strength and can catch the football, good top-end speed — when you put it all together, he has a chance to go out there each week and have a heckuva day.”

Moore commended Burks on the hard work and preparation he did while on IR. It helped keep him connected to the team and kept him absorbed in its philosophy. Burks didn’t have to start over again when he returned.

It’s no coincidence that Tannehill’s two best passing days this season came in games where Burks had his best games. Burks’ 111 receiving yards contributed to Tannehill’s passing game over 300 yards (333) this season. Tannehill had 291 passing yards against the Cincinnati Bengals Burks is responsible for 70 yards.

Tannehill showed Burks his confidence in him with a 51-yard completion against Bengals. Burks had only 0.5 yards separation. Tannehill, however, unleashed a 51 yard play-action bomb to him. Burks skied past Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt Make sure to catch it.

It was the third consecutive time Tannehill & Burks were able to connect for a gain exceeding 40 yards. Burks threw passes of 43 and 51 yards respectively against Green Bay. Each of these passes covered at least 30 yards.

Up until the Packers match Nick Westbrook-Ikhine’s 61-yard reception against the Washington Commanders In Week 5, the Titans only completed game in which the ball traveled 30 yards in the air was Week 5.

Burks brings a new dimension to the passing game. Burks’ deep catching skills are crucial in making teams pay for stacking Henry’s box, which allows for one-on-one matches on the outside.

Burks’ 51-yard catch against Green Bay is the perfect example. Henry was expected to run the ball, so the Packers loaded the box in the final minutes of the game. Burks was one-on-one against Jaire AlexanderHe is considered one of the top league cover cornerbacks. Alexander was beaten deep by Alexander and Tannehill caught Tannehill’s pass to seal the game.

This success should allow for more passing play and encourage Todd Downing, the offensive coordinator, to increase his passing game.

“It brings confidence to the passing game,” Titans receiver Robert Woods said of Burks’ recent success. “We have playmakers who can go out there and make plays. Treylon has demonstrated that. Treylon is a receiver, so having him make plays downfield backs up the defense and allows for guys to work underneath. It creates more space against these zones and opens up the passing game.”