Titans Coach Callahan Wants Third Receiver to Step Up and Join Hopkins and Ridley

The Tennessee Titans have 1,000-yard receivers in DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley, but coach Brian Callahan is publicizing a job opening for a slot receiver.

Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan on the SiriusXM / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans can stress-test defenses in 2024 with 1,000-yard receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley, but coach Brian Callahan wants a third player to emerge as the slot receiver.

Speaking Wednesday during the Titans' first week of offseason workouts, the first-year head coach made it clear that he wants to see improvement and growth from the wide receiver position.

"We have to have someone emerge for us at the slot position receiver. We've got some young players I'm excited to take a look at, with obviously Kyle Philips. Mason Kinsey's been around here a little bit. He's shown his mettle. Obviously, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine's been involved in some of those spots over his career. ... You got guys that you're trying to always build youth and depth as well. And so those things are in constant flux. You're always trying to have another guy ready to roll. You need depth at every position."

There is also former No. 1 pick Treylon Burks. Offensive coordinator Nick Holz said that despite Burks' physical tools, he needs to put it together on the field. “Treylon’s potential is very high," Holz said. "First-round pick, we see all the talent. But he’s going to get what he earns. He’s got a skill set that he’s a big guy and can run and make contested catches. If he can find a way to do that for us, that’d be a pretty big addition.”

During the 2022 season, Burks missed six games. When the 2023 season began, he suffered a knee injury and later a concussion, which caused him to miss another six games. His production dropped to just 16 catches for 221 yards.

Callahan also expressed his desire for the Titans to add two to three more tight ends to the roster before training camp, bringing the total to five or six.

"We need tight ends," Callahan said. "We've only got three on the roster. We'll obviously take quite a few more than that to training camp. So that's a position of need just in terms of the numbers. Feel really good about Josh Whyle and his development. Feel good about Chig (Okonkwo) where he's at. We've got two young players we're excited about.

"But, you know, obviously three tight ends isn't what you're going to take into training camp. So, there's going to be some spots to add, whether that comes from a veteran player after the draft, whether it comes from a draft pick tight end, it remains to be seen."

We will see how long it lasts, but one noticeable thing about Callahan since taking over the Titans coaching role is his candidness regarding the team's situation. It's a lot easier to be open when you haven't played any games, but he demonstrated when asked his opening message to the players who showed up for the offseason program.

"We're trying to lay out expectations, guidelines, what we want our team to look like," Callahan said. "Two critical factors that we want our team to be when you turn our tape on is relentless and resilient, and they got that message the first day. It's a huge part of what I believe in.

"And then the other part of it is, just some very simple things that we have expectation-wise. I don't do rules, I don't have a lot of things they need to abide by, but I want guys to be themselves, I want guys to be on time, and I want to protect our team."

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