Tennessee

Tennessee Titans’ plan to fix decades-long receiver mess underway. How much more help is needed?

Published

2 years ago

April 10, 2024

Tennessee Titans’ plan to fix decades-long receiver mess underway. How much more help is needed?

Here are two simple facts that seem to matter a great deal to the Tennessee Titans:

One, last season’s Cincinnati Bengals — led by then-offensive coordinator and new Titans coach Brian Callahan — had at least three wide receivers on the field for 84.8% of their offensive snaps.

Secondly, the Titans only have two proven wide receivers on roster as their voluntary offseason program begins.

The Titans, as they always seem to be, are in search for help at wide receiver. Signing free agent Calvin Ridley to a four-year contract worth $92 million is an obvious move in the right direction, especially with veteran DeAndre Hopkins back to line up opposite him. This pairing gives the Titans a venerable duo. But beyond Hopkins and Ridley, the receiver room is a collection of unknowns and role players. Callahan isn’t shy about his opinion that the Titans need to add or identify a player who can be relied upon to contribute when the offense runs three-receiver sets.

“We have to have someone emerge for us at the slot-position receiver when we’re in 11 personnel,” Callahan said Wednesday, referring to formations with one running back, one tight end and three receivers on the field, the personnel grouping the Bengals lined up in for 76.8% of their snaps last season.

Callahan brought up three internal candidates to fill that slot role: Kyle Philips, Mason Kinsey and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Westbrook-Ikhine is the most experienced of the bunch; he’s caught 53 passes for 755 yards and five touchdowns from the slot over the past three seasons, leading the Titans in slot yards in 2022. Philips was drafted to be the traditional slot option but he’s only played in 13 games over his first two injury-addled seasons. And Kinsey only has two career catches, having spent most of the last four years on the Titans’ practice squad.

One player who Callahan interestingly didn’t mention is Treylon Burks, the 2022 first-round NFL Draft pick who’s dealt with repeated injuries, too. Burks has only lined up in the slot in 26% of his pro snaps, but he took 77% of his college snaps at Arkansas from the slot, so there’s experience there.

Offensive coordinator Nick Holz thinks pigeonholing any receiver into one role means a crisis of imagination. Slot receivers in 2024 don’t all look and play like Wes Welker did in 2007. The NFL’s two leading receivers out of the slot in 2023 were Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown (6-foot, 202). Cincinnati’s Tyler Boyd (6-2, 203) was the NFL’s fourth-most-targeted slot receiver last year.

“The thing for us is we don’t just want to play (Hopkins and Ridley) on the outside either,” Holz said. “We just started putting in our formations (Tuesday) and we’ve got guys who are moving all over the field. I don’t think we just want to sit those guys on the outside by themselves.”

The Titans have roughly five months to figure out their third option, whether that means devoting a first- or second-round draft pick to the position, adding a third veteran in free agency or developing an in-house player.

But when talking about the Titans’ historic struggles at receiver, it’s important to acknowledge the issue hasn’t exactly been depth. It’s been a lack of top-end production. Think of it this way: The Titans have had 18 wide receivers gain at least 1,000 yards since 2000, more than 23 other teams including pass-first behemoths led by future Hall of Fame quarterbacks for the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers. But they’ve only had 10 total 1,000-yard seasons from receivers, the fourth-fewest in the league ahead of only Baltimore, Cleveland and the New York Jets.

There’s nothing stopping the Titans from using a top-10 pick on a receiver like LSU’s Malik Nabers or Washington’s Rome Odunze, just as there’s no reason the Titans can’t sign a big-name free agent still on the market like Odell Beckham Jr., Allen Robinson or even Boyd. But in all likelihood, the pressure to produce as top-end receivers is going to fall on Ridley and Hopkins, or perhaps Burks in a best-case scenario.

THE BIG QUESTION: Tennessee Titans may have set up Will Levis for greatness in Year 2 — or made huge mistake

Callahan likes to say teams can’t have enough receivers who are fast, explosive and physical. Expect the Titans to keep adding receivers throughout the offseason based on that catchphrase alone. But don’t let the impulse to add depth distract from the fact that the best receiving corps almost always earn that title because of how good their No. 1 and No. 2 options are, not the No. 3 and beyond.

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.

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NC State advances past Tennessee, 76-61

Published

4 hours ago

March 21, 2026

Press Room

NC State’s NCAA tournament started about as well as possible, with the Pack making its first eight shots from the floor on the way to taking a 19-4 lead. Zoe Brooks and Zam Jones had the offense rolling in those first five minutes—Zam played with her hair on fire from the start and ended up with one of the best performances of her career.

The Wolfpack needed it, too. The Volunteers responded well after their rough start and kept within striking distance but still found themselves down 11 at halftime. Tennessee created a lot of second-chance opportunities for itself throughout, and State ended up very fortunate that the Vols didn’t shoot better.

Things got tenuous very quickly in the third quarter, as the Pack started cold from the field and lost Brooks to a foot injury midway through the period. Wes Moore didn’t have any details to share after the game, but Brooks was obviously in a lot of pain. It’s more than a little worrying that the injury didn’t appear to have anything to do with contact, and she didn’t roll an ankle, either. But it’s not a knee injury, at least.

After Brooks departed, Tennessee pulled to within 48-46, and the game appeared to be turning in a bad way. Zam Jones had the answers, however, knocking down a critical three to calm the team down and making four free throws in the final minute to extend her team’s lead back to nine heading into the fourth. Tennessee would get no closer.

Zam was a menace throughout—en route to 30 points, she drew 12 fouls and shot 13 free throws. Led by those efforts, NC State went to the free throw line 20 times in the second half, which helped the Pack continue to put points on the board even when the shots weren’t falling, especially in the third.

That was a big difference in the final result—NC State leaned heavily on opportunities it created off the bounce, which led to 25 free throw attempts (and 21 makes). Tennessee’s M.O. is threes by the bushel and it ended up with 36 three-point tries in this one—but the Vols made just seven of them, and shot just six free throws.

While the Vols were dominant on the glass, State was just a lot more effective in the paint: the Pack made 57.5% of its twos, while the Vols made just 45.9%. So, in the end, State was able to weather its worst defensive rebounding effort of the season without all that much trouble.

It’s an excellent win and it would be really encouraging if it didn’t have Zoe’s injury hanging over it. NC State’s task now is beating No. 2 Michigan on its home floor Sunday, and maybe having to do it shorthanded.

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Nate Ament NBA mock draft projections with Tennessee basketball in March Madness

Published

16 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Press Room

Nate Ament NBA mock draft projections with Tennessee basketball in March Madness

PHILADELPHIA – The 2026 NBA Draft will likely be loaded with standout freshmen, and Tennessee basketball is happy to claim one in Nate Ament.

The 6-foot-10 forward has arguably been the best player for the No. 6 seed Vols (22-11) heading into March Madness.

They’ll need him at his best to make a deep run in the men’s NCAA Tournament, which begins at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia against No. 11 Miami of Ohio (32-1) on March 20 (4:25 ET, TBS).

Ament has not declared for the NBA Draft, but the All-SEC forward is a projected lottery (top 14) pick. He could be Tennessee’s first lottery pick since Marcus Haislip went to the Milwaukee Bucks with the No. 13 pick in 2002.

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Where is Nate Ament from?

Ament is from Manassas, Virginia, 35 miles west of Washington, D.C. He went to Highland High School and was a five-star prospect. He committed to Tennessee on April 20, 2025, choosing the Vols over offers from Texas, Louisville, Kentucky, Arkansas and Duke, among others.

How tall is Nate Ament?

Ament is 6-foot-10, 207 pounds. He’s added 20 pounds since arriving at Tennessee.

How old is Nate Ament?

Ament is 19 years old. He was born on Dec. 10, 2006.

Nate Ament stats for Tennessee basketball

Ament averaged 17.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals throughout 31 games. He shot 40.5% from the field and 33.1% from 3.

Nate Ament 2026 NBA Draft projection

Heading into the NCAA Tournament, Ament’s NBA Draft projection has settled around the back half of the lottery. Draft analysts were initially concerned with Ament’s slow start, but his emergence throughout SEC play points to a higher professional ceiling.

USA TODAY’s Bryan Kalbrosky has the lowest current projection on Ament, slotting him at No. 11.

The Athletic, ESPN and CBS have the freshman going off the board at No. 9.

How did Nate Ament play this season?

Ament’s season, much like the Vols as a whole, has been marked with inconsistency. He started Tennessee’s non-conference schedule strong with six straight games scoring 15 or more points.

He hit an early wall against tougher competition, beginning with Houston where he shot 1-of-9 in a 76-73 win. In a nine-game stretch from the Houston win into early conference play, Ament averaged 11.9 points on 36% shooting, and shot 22% from 3.

Ament’s 17-point performance in the Vols’ 91-67 loss at Florida on Jan. 10 ignited a 13-game stretch where he was one of the top players in the country. He jumped up to 21.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Ament shot 43% from the field and 39% from 3-point range.

Ament’s progression slowed after Feb. 24 when he sprained his ankle in a loss to Missouri. He played briefly in the next game against Alabama before missing the final two games of the regular season. Ament returned in the SEC Tournament, where he lifted the Vols to victory over Auburn with 27 points, then had a 1-of-13 outing the next day in a loss to Vanderbilt.

What was Nate Ament’s injury?

In the first half of Tennessee’s game at Missouri on Feb. 24, Ament jumped up for a rebound and came down awkwardly on his right ankle. He left for a few minutes but finished the game.

The freshman started against Alabama on Feb. 28, but only played 11 minutes before injuring his knee and re-aggravating the ankle sprain in a loose ball scrum. Ament missed Tennessee’s final two regular season games at South Carolina and against Vanderbilt with a right high ankle sprain.

He returned against Auburn in the SEC Tournament on March 12. Ament led the Vols to a 20-0 run to beat the Tigers in the second round, 72-62. In the quarterfinals on March 13, though, Ament didn’t have the same success. His 12 points included 10 free throws in a 75-68 loss to Vanderbilt.

Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com

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Where to watch Iowa State vs Tennessee State in March Madness First Round: Time, TV Channel

Published

1 day ago

March 20, 2026

Press Room

Where to watch Iowa State vs Tennessee State in March Madness First Round: Time, TV Channel

March Madness is underway and college basketball’s big dance continues with No. 2 seed Iowa State taking on No. 15 seed Tennessee State in a First Round matchup on Friday, March 20. Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for the clash between the Tigers and Cyclones.

USA TODAY Sports has a team of journalists covering men’s March Madness to keep you up to date with every point scored, rebound grabbed and game won in the 68-team tournament.

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