REPORT: Tennessee Titans Will Not Tender Receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans, according to a recent report from Terry McCormick, will not be tendering restricted free agent wide receiver Nick Westrbook-Ikhine.
This will allow Westbrook-Ikhine to become an unrestricted free agent and hit the open market immediately.
Westbrook-Ikhine joined the Titans out of the Indiana University as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He worked his way up from special teams contributor to starting wide receiver. Westbrook-Ihkine had 66 catches for 909 yards and seven touchdowns in his three seasons with the Titans.
His best season coming in 2021 when Westbrook-Ikhine tallied 38 catches and 476 yards.
The Titans seem to be trying to revamp their wide receiver group and what kind of player they look for this offseason. Previously in the Mike Vrabel era, the Titans looked for big and physical receiver that fit in their run-centric offense like Westbrook-Ikhine, but we may be seeing a change to that philosophy. Vrabel has talked about the need to get faster and there is no position that needs that change more than receiver.
Simply put, Westbrook-Ikhine does not give the Titans much in regard to speed. Also, for being 6-foot-4, he doesn’t give the Titans much contested catch ability either. It isn’t Westbrook-Ikhine’s fault he was asked to be a starting receiver the last two years for the Titans when his talent indicates he is a role player off the bench, but that is the situation the Titans were in. The Titans have to aspire for better at the position though, and it appears they know it.
The Titans could have tendered Westbrook-Ikhine with a “right of first refusal” tag. That means they would have had the ability to match any offer he was presented by another team. But if no outside offer comes, the Titans would have been on the hook for a one-year deal for just over $2 million, a price they were simply not willing to pay. That speaks volumes about the change the Titans are currently trying to make at the position.
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