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Factoid

DeAndre Hopkins

Titans have a long history of misfires with free agent receivers

The Titans signed DeAndre Hopkins, and I’m expecting he’ll be their most productive pass catcher. He’s more experienced than Treylon Burks. But I notice that Tennessee historically hasn’t fared well with free agent receivers.

The Titans have brought on Julio Jones, Robert Woods, Eric Decker and Adam Humphries with optimistic hopes in recent years, and all punched well below expectations. More seasoned readers may recall the team signing Yancey Thigpen to a huge deal in the ‘90s (after Thigpen had a big season for the Steelers).

Since this team moved to Tennessee, in fact, only one receiver has showed up and ranked higher than 45th at the position (that’s using PPR scoring). That would be Rishard Matthews, who was sneaky efficient with the Dolphins and caught 65 passes for 945 yards and 9 TDs in his first year with the Titans. That made him the 21st-best wide receiver that year.

TENNESSEE'S BEST WIDE RECEIVER ADDITIONS
YearPlayerRecYdsTDPPRRkPreviousTeam
2016Rishard Matthews659459213.52143-662-4Mia.
2009Nate Washington475696141.44540-631-3Pitt.
2007Justin Gage557502142.0474-68-0Chi.
1997Willie Davis435644128.54739-464-6Hou.
2022Robert Woods535272117.75745-556-4LAR
2017Eric Decker545631116.3589-194-2NYJ
1998Yancey Thigpen384933105.36079-1398-7Pitt.
1997Chris Sanders31498398.06148-882-4Hou.
2019Adam Humphries37374286.58076-816-5T.B.
2015Harry Douglas36411288.58351-556-2Atl.
2008Justin McCareins30412072.08519-232-0NYJ
2007Eric Moulds32342066.28857-557-1Hou.
2021Julio Jones31434180.49351-771-3Atl.
1997Derek Russell12141132.110034-421-2Hou.
2014Derek Hagan19254150.410520-259-0Oak.
2000Carl Pickens10242034.210757-737-6Cin.
2021Chester Rogers30301167.010816-179-2Ind.
2006David Givens8104018.712959-738-2N.E.
2016Andre Johnson985229.513441-503-4Ind.
2018Darius Jennings11101028.414614-117-0Cle.
2023DeAndre Hopkins?????64-717-3Ari.

In fairness to the Titans, the receivers who’ve left haven’t done much better. They made the controversial decision to trade A.J. Brown, who torched defenses last year, but otherwise the top 20 departing wide receivers have been pretty similar to the best of the new guys showing up.

In the chart below, the stats for the wide receivers show how they performed in their first year with their new team. The “Previous” column shows their stats in their final season with the Titans.

TENNESSEE'S MOST PRODUCTIVE DEPARTING RECEIVERS
YearPlayerRecYdsTDPPRRkPrevious
2022A.J. Brown, Phil.88149611303.6563-869-5
2005Derrick Mason, Balt.8610733211.31996-1168-7
2004Justin McCareins, NYJ567704156.54047-813-7
2012Donnie Avery, Ind.607813157.0443-45-1
2015Nate Washington, Hou.476584136.84940-647-2
2007Bobby Wade, Min.546473135.85033-461-2
2021Kalif Raymond, Det.485764132.4539-187-0
2017Kendall Wright, Chi.596141126.45329-416-3
2014Kenny Britt, St.L.487483142.25411-96-0
2021Corey Davis, NYJ344924107.26965-984-5
2007Drew Bennett, St.L.33375388.57646-737-3
2000Isaac Byrd, Car.22241258.18014-261-2
2016Dorial Green-Beckham, Phil.36392287.28832-549-4
2021Adam Humphries, Was.41383079.39423-228-2
2022Julio Jones, T.B.24299270.49631-434-1
2015Marc Mariani, Chi.22300052.01085-24-0
2005Jason McAddley, S.F.7125019.51362-38-0
2017Tre McBride, Chi.8144022.41372-8-1
2010Roydell Williams, Was.8109018.914555-719-4
2022Marcus Johnson, NYG999018.91529-160-0

—Ian Allan

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