Tennessee Titans release oft-injured WR Treylon Burks, waiving former 1st-round pick

Yahoo

7 days ago

The Tennessee Titans have waived former first-round pick Treylon Burks with an injury designation following Burks' shoulder injury in practice over the weekend.
As a countermove, the Titans signed former University of Tennessee receiver Ramel Keyton.
Burks, 25, was the Titans' first-round pick in 2022, selected with the draft pick acquired when the Titans traded Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles. Burks never lived up to his first-round billing, only catching one touchdown in three seasons with the Titans as health struggles and on-field inconsistencies have consistently derailed him.
Burks missed most of the 2024 season with an ACL injury. He'd also sustained another knee injury and had multiple concussion issues over his Titans career. Burks caught 53 passes for 699 yards and a touchdown across 27 games with the team.
The Titans drafted four players using the picks acquired in the Brown trade, three of whom have already been released. The one remaining player from the trade is cornerback Roger McCreary, with Burks, tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere and receiver Kyle Philips all being off the roster.
Treylon Burks released: What Titans have at WR, roster remaining
Burks hadn't been working with the Titans' top group of receivers in the early days of training camp pre-injury. Without Burks, the Titans' leading options at receiver still consist of Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett, Van Jefferson, Chimere Dike, Elic Ayomanor and Bryce Oliver. The receiver corps also includes fringe options like Xavier Restrepo, James Proche II, Mason Kinsey, Jha'Quan Jackson, Matt Landers and Keyton.
Titans NFL draft history: Treylon Burks and the enduring legacy
By waiving Burks prior to his fourth season, the receiver becomes the third consecutive first-round pick the Titans have failed to get to a second contract. Burks wasn't as big of a bust as 2020 first-round pick Isaiah Wilson, who only lasted one year and never started a game, or as 2021 first-rounder Caleb Farley, who started just two games in his Titans career. But the final three first-round picks of Jon Robinson's tenure as Titans GM are among three of the worst in franchise history, and a big reason for why the team has struggled in recent years.
Burks is the seventh of nine players the Titans drafted in 2022 who's already been cut, waived or traded. Other early draft picks from that year who haven't worked out include Petit-Frere, quarterback Malik Willis and running back Hassan Haskins. McCreary and tight end Chig Okonkwo are the only Titans remaining from the Class of 2022.
The Titans' three first-round picks since Burks ― offensive linemen Peter Skoronski and JC Latham and quarterback Cam Ward ― are all projected to start in 2025.
Tennessee Titans roster: Injuries, surgeries, retirements in training camp
Burks isn't the first Titans player who's found his way off the roster in a surprising way within the first week of training camp. Quarterback Will Levis elected to have season-ending surgery before camp even started, ending his season before it begins. And edge defender Lorenzo Carter chose to retire before the start of camp, creating a bit of a hole at outside linebacker.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at [e-mail]. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin' Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Treylon Burks, former Titans first-round pick, released with injury