The Steelers usually have one of the strongest wide receiver rooms in the NFL due to their impressive ability to continuously draft high-quality players at the position. However, that has changed this year with the team trading away Diontae Johnson. George Pickens is the only proven commodity at receiver for the Steelers at the moment, with no obvious number two receiver on the team. Perhaps someone will step up, but if not, rumors have swirled around the Steelers potentially trading for a receiver all offseason. Most fans probably want Brandon Aiyuk or Courtland Sutton, but perhaps there’s a cheaper, less exciting option waiting for them with the Tennessee Titans.
Treylon Burks was drafted by the Titans in the first round of the 2022 draft, being looked at as their replacement for A.J. Brown. In his two seasons since then, Burks has been seriously disappointing. Starting in only 14 games over two seasons, Burks only has 665 total receiving yards and one touchdown.
It may seem like Burks is a complete bust, but the quarterback situation and offensive scheme in Tennessee have done him no favors. Now, with a new regime in place that didn’t draft him, it seems Burks best hope at seeing playing time with the Titans is on special teams, at least according to Titans’ head coach Brian Callahan when he spoke to the media after their first day of mandatory minicamp.
”Absolutely, he’s gonna have to contribute. You only get so many hats on game day, and if he’s one of those guys on game day, we’re gonna have to find a place for him. Guys like him should be great special teams players just because of his size and speed. The gunner thing is something I think he’s very capable of doing. There might be some more roles for him in the other phases as well. Anytime you’re not the full-time starter, you’re gonna have to contribute somewhere on game day, and I think Trey’s attitude and approach to special teams has been fantastic. I think he’s an asset on special teams.”
Callahan sounds pleased with Burks’ work as a gunner on special teams, but players don’t get drafted in the first round to play that kind of role. There are numerous reasons why he’s being put in that spot, though, outside of just the poor start to his career.
The current brass in Tennessee didn’t draft Burks, which usually means they have no attachment to his success. Their jobs don’t depend on him playing well. Also, the Titans made some major moves at receiver this offseason, signing both Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd. With DeAndre Hopkins already in place as a starter, this puts Burks as the man on the outside looking in.
Burks has obviously struggled early in his career, but a change of scenery could be good for him, especially if wants to be more than a special teams player. Just as well, the Steelers could be a decent landing spot for him, with Arthur Smith’s offense being where Brown saw most of his success with the Titans.
Burks was drafted because his build and play style mirrored Brown’s. He is a bigger, stronger receiver who is dynamic with the ball in his hands. Unfortunately, Smith was in Atlanta when Burks was drafted, so there was no opportunity to see if he could replace Brown in that system.
Steelers fans may see Burks as a lost cause, but trading for him probably wouldn’t cost much and would definitely be cheaper than acquiring Aiyuk, Sutton, or Deebo Samuel, both in terms of draft capital and cap space. Maybe he can finally unlock his potential in Smith’s offense, as well as having the benefit of a quarterback like Russell Wilson throwing him the ball.
It would be a low-risk, high-reward move in the same vein as the Justin Fields’ trade. Seeing as he’s being relegated to special teams, it’s looking like the Titans don’t see him as a major part of their offense, presenting the Steelers with an opportunity to upgrade at receiver, if ever so slightly.
