Titans TE Feels Great About New Direction

Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo believes big things are in store for both him and the team.

Nov 2, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Tennessee Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo (85) gains five yards as Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Darius Rush (21) provides coverage during the fourthquarter at Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers won 20-16. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports / Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

The Tennessee Titans made some sweeping changes this offseason, bringing in a new coaching staff led by Brian Callahan and dramatically different personnel on both offense and defense.

Time will tell how well these changes work out, but at the very least, it's brought a much-needed jolt of energy into the organization. Third-year tight end Chig Okonkwo has felt the shift in energy, and believes it will lead to great things in the future.

"A fresh start is always good, especially when you are coming off losing a lot," Okonkwo said, per TennesseeTitans.com. "The building, the vibes are immaculate right now. They are great. The future is exciting right now.

"I feel like guys are more relaxed now, in the building. Guys are coming in and they're not as tense, not as stressed out. And it allows people to be a lot more free in the locker room, a lot more free on the field."

A 2022 fourth-round pick out of Maryland, Okonkwo has had a solid first two seasons in Music City with 86 receptions for 978 yards and four touchdowns in 19 games. Over the offseason though, he's worked on refining his game to be the best version of himself possbile, and he feels that work has already paid dividends.

"I feel like I maximized the potential I had in my body, and if I wanted to get better, I had to change the structure of how I move and stuff," Okonkwo said. "(I feel) a big difference, even the way I feel, my body. I feel a lot better when I move. After a long day of moving, I don't feel as sore."

To say that Tennessee's offense was underwhelming last season would be an understatement. That's especially true for the aerial attack, as the Titans finished 29th in both passing yards and passing touchdowns.

With an offensive-minded coach in Callahan, new additions out wide and another year of development for quarterback Will Levis, that area of the offense is bound to improve in 2024.

"I think more down the field, attacking stuff, I would say," Okonkwo said of potential changes for the tight end. "Using our speed to get those balls down the field. A lot of stuff has been shorter stuff in the past. I think we're going to be able to open up a lot more things.

"It is very exciting when you see the stuff we're bringing in. It feels like we're going to be relying a lot on the pass, and that is going to be a big part of my game, too. So, I am very excited for that. I am very excited to have those guys on the outside, and get a lot of the attention, and then make plays on the inside."

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