The Tennessee Titans’ debut season was a true test for Treylon Burks. However, while he strives to live up to the expectations of being a first-round choice who was supposed to fill in for the traded A.J. Brown, Burks seems less burdened as the season gets underway.
This year, Burks has a chance to be the Titans’ top receiver. With the exception of Chris Moore, the squad didn’t sign many seasoned players to replace Robert Woods. Colton Dowell, a seventh-round pick, was also a wide receiver for the club, but it is unrealistic to expect him and the undrafted free agents to compete for that position.
“I would say I feel faster,” Burks said on Tuesday, via the team’s official site, “because I can breathe.”
Having trouble breathing due to asthma, Burks’ rookie season got off to a rocky start when he failed the team’s fitness test at the outset of training camp. After Ryan Tannehill was forced out of the starting lineup due to injury, he battled inconsistency, suffered a toe injury, and was damaged by the Titans’ revolving quarterbacks.
But last season had some positive aspects as well. In 11 games (six starts) in 2022, he caught 33 catches for 444 yards and one touchdown, showing much greater playmaking potential later in the season. Burks thinks that having a winning streak, coupled with spending more time at the gym getting in shape and becoming psychologically ready, should help him be more prepared for the upcoming season.
“My biggest thing was not repeating what I did last year coming into the offseason,” Burks said. “I feel like I’ve mastered that and can keep going. I’m getting better with a lot of the formations and concepts of our new stuff, and just having fun, really. Just having fun, and not having that stress coming in as a rookie trying to prove this guy this, the coach this, just having fun now.”
Although the 225-pound, 6-foot-4 Burks isn’t known for being particularly quick, he claimed he is running well and in excellent form going into the offseason program.
“I feel great,” he said. “I’m running fast, not having any problems with breathing. Really just having fun, man. I am in a good place, state of mind, and I am just thankful. – I have been here the whole offseason. I didn’t go train at the beach or anything, I stayed here. I wanted to stay around the facility and bond, make a connection with the coaches but also get ahead on the things that I know I am going to be doing in the offseason.”