The Tennessee Titans say they won’t trade wide receiver Treylon Burks, but actions speak louder than words. After selecting him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Arkansas product has struggled to do much of anything at the professional level. Burks appeared in 11 games last year, recording just 16 receptions for 221 yards while failing to climb up one of the worst depth charts in football. After firing Mike Vrabel, first-year head coach Brian Callahan revamped the wide receiver room with big-name signees in Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd.
With those two joining established star DeAndre Hopkins, it’s hard to envision a world where Burks has an opportunity to break out in 2024. With this in mind, the rebuilding Titans could trade Treylon Burks to a receiver-needy team looking for a cheap dart throw at the position. According to Bleacher Report, the New York Giants could send over a 2025 sixth-round pick for his services.
Bleacher Report Proposes Treylon Burks Trade Between Titans, Giants
The New York Giants are currently between a rock and a hard place. With Daniel Jones entrenched as the starter for at least one more year, New York must improve the supporting cast to field a functional offense. Unfortunately, the team only has $1.1 million in salary cap space, so they lack the financial resources to go after a top-market player. This increases the odds of a Treylon Burks trade, as the wide receiver is still on a rookie contract and won’t carry a large cap hit.
Darius Slayton is a fine player and Malik Nabers could be a superstar, but this team could use a third option to compete with Wan’Dale Robinson. Treylon Burks is anything but a guarantee, but he’s a fine low-risk acquisition, especially since Slayton is holding out and possibly seeking a trade of his own. Somebody must catch the ball, and a healthy version of Treylon Burks might be able to do just that.
Of course, the Giants shouldn’t be the only teams interested in a Treylon Burks trade. While he hasn’t panned out at the NFL level, the wide receiver was a first-round pick for a reason. In a league lacking enough reliable receivers to meet demand, some other team should be willing to roll the dice on the once-beloved prospect.
Other Potential Destinations
Buffalo Bills
The Bills brought in a small army to try and replace Stefon Diggs. After parting ways with their top receiver, the team now has tight end Dalton Kincaid, Curtis Samuel, and Khalil Shakir set to catch passes from superstar quarterback Josh Allen. While these three are all reliable in their own right, Kincaid is the only one with meaningful upside. Treylon Burks has untapped potential, and the cash-strapped Bills could swing a trade for the cheap veteran to see if they can bring out his natural talent.
Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson had two starting-caliber receivers last year, and he won MVP honors. Now that Odell Beckham is in Miami, Baltimore should try and add another reliable target. Rashod Bateman and Treylon Burks are unproven assets at this point in their careers and could fight for starting duties if acquired via trade. Nelson Agholor and rookie DeVontez Walker are better off in depth roles, while Burks has the raw potential to be more than that.
Kansas City Chiefs
Rashee Rice will face some type of suspension, and Xavier Worthy already has a hamstring injury. Just like that, Kansas City’s revamped wide receiver depth chart could be down to Marquise Brown, Kadarius Toney, and Skyy Moore. Treylon Burks is a major question mark at this point in his career, but it’s hard to envision the trade target being any worse than Toney and Moore. All he has to do is not actively sabotage the team and he’ll be a step up from what those two provided last year.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints are in their usual self-imposed salary cap hell and cannot afford an expensive replacement for Michael Thomas. What they can do, however, is trade for Treylon Burks and hope a change of scenery brings out the best in the Arkansas product. Derek Carr is only as good as his surroundings, so it’s crucial that New Orleans finds three reliable wide receivers to compensate for the questionable offensive line.
Los Angeles Chargers
There is a strong case to be made that the Chargers have the worst collection of wide receivers in the NFL. Ladd McConkey has some potential, but the rest of the group is either untested late-round picks or underwhelming journeymen. Treylon Burks isn’t a safe trade target by any stretch of the imagination, but he has the upside to become a solid player in the NFL. Based on the current state of the depth chart, Los Angeles should throw as many darts as possible at the position and see what sticks.
Main Photo: Andrew Nelles – USA Today Sports
