The Tennessee Titans have had a roller coaster of an offseason. Early on, with new general manager Ran Carthon taking over, they looked to be heading toward a rebuild. Numerous veterans were released as a youth movement looked to be underway.
However, as the offseason moved along, the Titans’ roster building changed. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back Derrick Henry weren’t traded. Defensive tackle Jonathan Simmons received a monster contract extension.
Safety Kevin Byard, who refused a pay cut when approached by the team earlier in the offseason, worked out a resolution with his contract that both sides were happy with. The team then used that money to sign veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
With Hopkins in the fold, it was clear that Tennessee was no longer thinking of rebuilding. That was a win-now move that will help elevate the offense to another level. Keying in on Henry and stacking the box with multiple defenders won’t be as easy with Hopkins teaming with Treylon Burks on the perimeter.
But, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to add another weapon to this offense. The depth chart behind Hopkins and Burks is lacking. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was one of the least efficient wide receivers in the NFL in 2022. Next on the depth chart as a slot option is Kyle Philips, a fifth-rounder in the 2022 NFL Draft who caught eight passes in an injury-plagued rookie season.
Adding another pass catcher would be smart for the Titans to take their offense to that next level. One player, in the opinion of ESPN’s Seth Walder, that they should target is Hunter Renfrow of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Renfrow had a difficult 2022 season as he dealt with injuries of his own. He has been mentioned as a trade chip all offseason as Las Vegas would love to shed some salary. General manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels are also looking to shape the roster more in their image.
Acquiring Renfrow shouldn’t be too expensive. Walder suggests that the Titans send a 2024 fourth-round pick to the Raiders in exchange for him and a 2024 sixth-round pick. This would be a shrewd move for Tennessee, banking on Renfrow being able to return to form and stay healthy in 2023.
In 2021, Renfrow made his first Pro Bowl, catching 103 passes for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns. Adding that into the slot between Hopkins and Burks would give the Titans a very dangerous passing offense to take pressure off of Henry in the backfield.
