Insider Urges Titans to Bring Back Rising WR
![Tennessee Titans wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (15) scores a touchdown Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Tennessee Titans wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (15) scores a touchdown Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5066,h_2849,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/all_titans/01jjsexha46fxvtjswsw.jpg)
When the Tennessee Titans entered the season, they expected someone like DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Ridley, or even newcomer Tyler Boyd to lead the team in touchdowns.
However, none of those three emerged as much as former undrafted free agent Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who had nine, more than double than the second-highest on the leaderboard.
Westbrook-Ikhine picked a good time to have his best season yet since he is due for a payday and a raise in free agency this offseason. ESPN insider Turron Davenport believes that the Titans need to bring Westbrook-Ikhine back for the 2025 season.
"Westbrook-Ikhine went from an afterthought on the roster who didn't have any targets through the first four games of the season to leading the team with nine touchdown receptions," Davenport writes.
"The receiver group is thin aside from Calvin Ridley, so bringing back one of the most reliable targets from last season is a move the front office should make. Westbrook-Ikhine's contract probably won't break the bank, and the Titans have the cap space."
Westbrook-Ikhine will be highly sought after this offseason given the fact that only Ja'Marr Chase, Terry McLaurin, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Mike Evans, Mark Andrews, Tee Higgins, Justin Jefferson and Brian Thomas Jr. had more touchdowns than he did.
That's some good company to be in, and the Titans should look to bring him back as a red zone threat for whichever quarterback is under center next season. If it happens to be Will Levis, there's already a built-in chemistry there. However, if it is someone like Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward, Westbrook-Ikhine also brings value as a reliable target.
The Titans and the rest of the NFL will begin free agency when the new league year starts on Wednesday, March 12.