Titans Coach Explains Plan at TE

The Tennessee Titans will have a few tight ends to work with this season.

Sep 24, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Tennessee Titans tight end Josh Whyle (81) joins the team huddle during warmups before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

The Tennessee Titans don't have a clear answer as to who their top tight end is on the depth chart, but that isn't something they are particularly concerned about.

“It’s not a room that’s gonna be dominated by one guy," coach Brian Callahan said h/t Coachspeak Index. "We’re gonna fill the tight end role with a lot of different players, as opposed to maybe just one or two guys like some teams do.”

In 2023, it was Chig Okonkwo who emerged as the lead tight end for the Titans offense, totaling 54 catches for 524 yards and a touchdown. However, the Titans are about to operate as a brand new offense.

Last year, the Titans preached running the ball, and majority of their tight ends were used as blockers. But now, with Derrick Henry playing with the Baltimore Ravens, the Titans' focus is beginning to shift.

New head coach Brian Callahan employed a very different unit as the offensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals. With that team, Callahan had numerous targets for the quarterback to work with in the passing game, including a couple of tight ends. It appears as if he wants to adopt a similar structure with the Titans.

Veteran Nick Vannett signed with the team earlier this offseason, but he has primarily been a blocker throughout his career. This could open the door for a player like second-year pro Josh Whyle to make an impact.

Whyle, a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, caught 15 touchdowns in three years at Cincinnati in college, so there's reason to believe the Titans may want him to find the end zone a little more frequently with the new offense put in place.

The Titans have a wide open race brewing at tight end with a few different options for contributors, so training camp should reveal which of those guys get the biggest and best opportunities to succeed.

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