It’s not like the Tennessee Titans have ever been a magnet for the elite wide receivers in the NFL throughout their tenure here in Nashville. But, they certainly have one now in A.J. Brown. The former Ole Miss standout is 6’1″ 226 pounds, and plays the receiver position the same way Derrick Henry plays the running back position – explosive and physical. That’s the same way Corey Davis played for the Titans in 2020 before walking in free agency this offseason – a physical blocker and a guy that could make catches in conflict. Davis stands at 6’3″ 209 pounds. Since Jon Robinson came to town, that’s been a trend with the wide receiver position. Big, physical prospects. He added to it by drafting Dez Fitzpatrick and Racey McMath this year, and signing the 6’3″ Josh Reynolds in free agency. Meanwhile, there hasn’t been much of an investment in finding the smaller, quicker, more versatile secondary and tertiary slot options for this offense – the likes of Emmanuel Sanders, Randall Cobb, Julian Edelman, and the sort.
That type of receiver rounds out a receiving corps, and gives the passing game a dynamic that isn’t so static. They’re a little more unpredictable, even harder to game plan for when complementing a receiving group that has a wide skill set. And, the Titans haven’t made finding a splash player of that ilk a priority. They’ve tried, sure – Taywan Taylor, Kalif Raymond, now Cameron Batson…I’m not saying that there’s never been that type of receiver in town under Robinson. I’m saying the investment to get one of the best hasn’t been made yet.
I posed this question to Paul Kuharsky in a recent mailbag of his (go subscribe), and he brought up Ryan Tannehill‘s comfort with big receivers, and that the Titans could just be playing into that. Someone recently brought up Tannehill and big receivers, but Kuharsky couldn’t remember who. I vaguely remembered it upon reading that mailbag, but it’s not stirring any memories for me…so yeah, if that was you, please step up to claim your idea. Great work – you started me down this rabbit hole. But, this trend goes back to before Tannehill. Just look at the draft picks this team has spent on receivers under Robinson:
- 2016: Drafted Tajae Sharpe (5th) – 6’2″, 194
- 2017: Drafted Corey Davis (1st) – 6’3″, 209
- 2017: Drafted Taywan Taylor (3rd) – 5’11”, 203
- 2019: Drafted AJ Brown (2nd) – 6’1″, 226
- 2021: Drafted Dez Fitzpatrick (4th) – 6’2″, 208
- 2021: Drafted Racey McMath (6th) – 6’3″, 211
Factor in free agent additions in Rishard Matthews (6’0″ 215) in 2016, Adam Humphries (5’11” 195) in 2019, and now Reynolds (6’3″ 196) in 2021, and you’ve got a lot of tall receivers. In six offseasons with the team, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to suggest that Taylor was the biggest investment this regime made in the shifty Swiss Army Knife type of slot receiver. Humphries wasn’t a dynamic threat – more of a chain-mover. Matthews was a gritty outside guy that played taller than he was. How they use Reynolds remains to be seen. As of a couple years ago, the average height of the NFL wide receiver is around 6’1″. The Titans currently have 10 receivers on their roster – three of them are 6’3″ or taller, while only two of them are below 6’0″. Those two are 5’10” Mason Kinsey, an undrafted free agent from a season ago, and Batson, who figures to see an expanded role in 2021, but was also an undrafted free agent. I’m a big fan of Batson, but the two guys on this roster who most closely resemble the prototypical slot receiver from a physical standpoint are undrafted free agents. That’s not exactly a maximum investment. And, here’s where I take issue with this lack of investment, and think it could potentially be holding this offense back in a way.
This all comes back to a guy like Oklahoma State product Tylan Wallace for me. The Titans had a chance to select him, but passed on him. He stands at 5’11”, and while he has some injury concerns for sure, he had a productive career at Oklahoma State. Wallace was selected by the Baltimore Ravens 22 spots after the Titans selected Fitzpatrick, but he reportedly made plays left and right at Ravens minicamp and is drawing comparisons to Steve Smith. Now, there’s a long way to go, and I’m always the first one to say ‘pump the brakes‘ on these lofty comparisons. But, the Titans won’t have much of a chance to hit on a guy like this if they don’t take a swing.
All I’m saying here is that maybe size isn’t everything (that’s what she said), and investing in a more compact, shiftier….dare I say, gadgety…wide receiver might not be a bad idea. It could help to unlock a new dimension in the passing game, and expand the playbook to be a little more multiple. That’s all.
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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