As A Blocker, Conley 'One of the Best' at WR

Ryan Tannehill's newest target in the passing game arrives with a clear understanding of what he could mean to Derrick Henry and the run game.

Mark Konezny/USA Today Sports

NASHVILLE – Chris Conley sounds like he’ll fit right in with the Tennessee Titans.

Whether the team’s newest wide receiver – signed off the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad on Tuesday – will emerge as a pass-catching threat here remains to be seen. The eight-year veteran has 213 career receptions, but just 22 over his last 18 games.

But run-blocking? Conley appears to have the ability, the attitude and the interest to do so – and to do it well. He’s posted run-blocking grades over 80.0 in two of his previous four seasons.

That attribute should serve him well playing for a team that places a priority on its wide receivers helping pave the way for Derrick Henry.

“I think I’m one of the best run-blocking wide receivers in the league,” Conley said Wednesday. “I’ve thought that since I’ve got in the league all that time ago (2015), and I don’t think any of that has changed. That’s definitely been a strong part for me, but I believe there’s always room for improvement.”

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Conley said the run-blocking message was delivered to him immediately upon arrival in Nashville.

That shouldn’t be a surprise, considering the ground-and-pound Titans have run the ball on 51.6 percent of their offensive plays this season, one of just five teams (Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia and the New York Giants are the others) that have run more often than they’ve passed.

In all four of Mike Vrabel’s previous seasons as coach, the Titans have finished among the league’s top three in the percentage of run plays.

“I mean that’s part of the identity of this team,” Conley said. “You hear it right out of the gate. You know that’s the standard, and that is what they need (from receivers) – body on a body, get movement, make sure that we can run the ball and everything comes off of that.”

Will Conley be using his hands for more than just blocking with the Titans?

He has posted some productive seasons in the past, including 2019 in Jacksonville (career-highs of 47 receptions, 775 yards, a 16.5-yard average and five touchdowns). The 30-year-old followed that up in 2020 with 40 catches for 471 yards (11.8-yard average) and two touchdowns for the Jaguars.

“I remember him standing out, his name and him making plays,” Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. “As he comes in and gets accustomed to what we are trying to do here and what we are trying to accomplish, we will see how he fits in our system and what the best position possible is and start trying to get him the ball.”

But the Titans’ struggles getting anyone the ball on a regular basis through the air are reflected in the team’s more traditional wide receiver numbers.

Robert Woods’ team-high 20 catches are tied for 54th among all NFL wide receivers, and his team-high 230 receiving yards rank 63rd. 

Meanwhile, Henry has already carried 134 times this season, the second-highest total in the NFL despite the fact the Titans have played one fewer game than most teams.

Hence the great reliance placed on the wide receivers to throw themselves into blocking battles.

“That’s one thing we’re going to ask our guys to do is go block,” Tannehill said. “We believe in running the football. We say it takes all 11 to do that. We ask our receivers to get in there, dig out safeties, sometimes linebackers depending on the look.

“It could be a mismatch physically, but our guys get in there and they battle. They throw their hat in there and fight their tail off. They’re doing everything we ask.”

Added Woods on the run-blocking emphasis: “You’re obviously going to run the ball when you have a great running back in the backfield with Derrick. So, the more attempts, the more emphasis on the run blocking. Run the ball more, focus on it more.”

Having played against the Titans and watched them many times, Conley sounds as if he has a good understanding of what’s expected.

The 2015 third-round pick by Kansas City realizes shoulder pads are every bit as important as gloves for Titans wide receivers.

“I know their mentality is that of physicality, of dominating your opponent,” Conley said. “It’s being fundamentally sound. It’s not shying away from anything.

“I knew what I was coming into, and I know there’s a very high standard on finishing here. That’s a challenge. That’s a challenge you want to be able to attack and to tackle.”