Tyler Boyd signed with the Titans yesterday. It's a decent-sized name, what with Boyd a productive receiver with Cincinnati for years, including a pair of 1,000-yard seasons (back before the team drafted either Tee Higgins or JaMarr Chase). But it's one that doesn't move the needle very far at all for Tennessee.
Tennessee has spent the offseason building around Will Levis. They opened up the checkbook for Calvin Ridley, still have DeAndre Hopkins, and signed Tony Pollard. But the addition of Boyd seems to be an acknowledgment that Treylon Burks might not be what they hoped for, after drafting him with the pick they acquired for A.J. Brown (ouch).
"Might not" is a little generous. Burks actually played in 11 games last year, 9 of which he started, but caught only 16 passes. I don't need to put together a table to say that's pitiful production from a former first-round pick. There's speculation that he's on the trade block. For what? Two years into his career, Burks might reasonably be fighting for a roster spot.
But while we can call Boyd the favorite for the No. 3 job, I don't think anyone should be overly excited about the 29-year-old. Guys who sign in May typically didn't have much of a free-agent market. And Boyd is coming off a pretty quiet season, particularly in terms of doing anything notable with the passes thrown his way.
Consider yards per target. Boyd last year averaged just 6.8 yards on all passes thrown his way. Among the 59 receivers with at least 75 targets last season, only nine had a lower number than he did. And the vast majority of those players were working with some of the league's worst quarterbacks in New York, Washington, Carolina and Las Vegas, or for a good portion of the season with backups (Arizona, Cleveland). Boyd played 10 games with Joe Burrow, who put two other receivers in the top half of this grouping.
| WIDE RECEIVERS YARDS PER TARGET, 2023 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Tgt | No | Rec | Avg | TD | Y/Tgt |
| Brandon Aiyuk, S.F. | 105 | 75 | 1342 | 17.9 | 7 | 12.8 |
| Nico Collins, Hou. | 109 | 80 | 1297 | 16.2 | 8 | 11.9 |
| George Pickens, Pitt. | 106 | 63 | 1140 | 18.1 | 5 | 10.8 |
| Justin Jefferson, Min. | 100 | 68 | 1074 | 15.8 | 5 | 10.7 |
| Tyreek Hill, Mia. | 171 | 119 | 1799 | 15.1 | 13 | 10.5 |
| DJ Moore, Chi. | 136 | 96 | 1364 | 14.2 | 9 | 10.0 |
| Deebo Samuel, S.F. | 89 | 60 | 892 | 14.9 | 12 | 10.0 |
| Amari Cooper, Cle. | 128 | 72 | 1250 | 17.4 | 5 | 9.8 |
| Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 104 | 72 | 1014 | 14.1 | 4 | 9.8 |
| Darius Slayton, NYG | 79 | 50 | 770 | 15.4 | 4 | 9.7 |
| CeeDee Lamb, Dall. | 181 | 135 | 1749 | 13.0 | 14 | 9.7 |
| Rashid Shaheed, N.O. | 75 | 46 | 719 | 15.6 | 6 | 9.6 |
| DeVonta Smith, Phil. | 112 | 81 | 1066 | 13.2 | 7 | 9.5 |
| Tank Dell, Hou. | 75 | 47 | 709 | 15.1 | 7 | 9.5 |
| DK Metcalf, Sea. | 119 | 66 | 1114 | 16.9 | 8 | 9.4 |
| Puka Nacua, LAR | 160 | 105 | 1486 | 14.2 | 6 | 9.3 |
| Christian Kirk, Jac. | 85 | 57 | 787 | 13.8 | 3 | 9.3 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown, Det. | 164 | 119 | 1515 | 12.7 | 10 | 9.2 |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 136 | 79 | 1255 | 15.9 | 13 | 9.2 |
| A.J. Brown, Phil. | 158 | 106 | 1456 | 13.7 | 7 | 9.2 |
| Gabe Davis, Buff. | 81 | 45 | 746 | 16.6 | 7 | 9.2 |
| Rashee Rice, K.C. | 102 | 79 | 938 | 11.9 | 7 | 9.2 |
| Jerry Jeudy, Den. | 87 | 54 | 758 | 14.0 | 2 | 8.7 |
| Tee Higgins, Cin. | 76 | 42 | 656 | 15.6 | 5 | 8.6 |
| Courtland Sutton, Den. | 90 | 59 | 772 | 13.1 | 10 | 8.6 |
| Jayden Reed, G.B. | 94 | 64 | 793 | 12.4 | 10 | 8.4 |
| Jordan Addison, Min. | 108 | 70 | 911 | 13.0 | 10 | 8.4 |
| JaMarr Chase, Cin. | 145 | 100 | 1216 | 12.2 | 7 | 8.4 |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 150 | 108 | 1243 | 11.5 | 7 | 8.3 |
| Diontae Johnson, Pitt. | 87 | 51 | 717 | 14.1 | 5 | 8.2 |
| Drake London, Atl. | 110 | 69 | 905 | 13.1 | 2 | 8.2 |
| Chris Olave, N.O. | 138 | 87 | 1123 | 12.9 | 5 | 8.1 |
| Brandin Cooks, Dall. | 81 | 54 | 657 | 12.2 | 8 | 8.1 |
| Zay Flowers, Balt. | 108 | 77 | 858 | 11.1 | 6 | 7.9 |
| Chris Godwin, T.B. | 130 | 83 | 1024 | 12.3 | 3 | 7.9 |
| Josh Downs, Ind. | 98 | 68 | 771 | 11.3 | 2 | 7.9 |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 95 | 59 | 737 | 12.5 | 5 | 7.8 |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Ten. | 137 | 75 | 1057 | 14.1 | 7 | 7.7 |
| Jakobi Meyers, L.V. | 106 | 71 | 807 | 11.4 | 10 | 7.6 |
| Terry McLaurin, Was. | 132 | 79 | 1002 | 12.7 | 5 | 7.6 |
| Calvin Ridley, Jac. | 136 | 76 | 1016 | 13.4 | 8 | 7.5 |
| Adam Thielen, Car. | 137 | 103 | 1014 | 9.8 | 4 | 7.4 |
| Stefon Diggs, Buff. | 160 | 107 | 1183 | 11.1 | 8 | 7.4 |
| Michael Pittman, Ind. | 156 | 109 | 1152 | 10.6 | 4 | 7.4 |
| Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 122 | 79 | 894 | 11.3 | 5 | 7.3 |
| K.J. Osborn, Min. | 75 | 48 | 540 | 11.3 | 3 | 7.2 |
| Demario Douglas, N.E. | 78 | 49 | 561 | 11.5 | 0 | 7.2 |
| Romeo Doubs, G.B. | 96 | 59 | 674 | 11.4 | 8 | 7.0 |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Sea. | 93 | 63 | 628 | 10.0 | 4 | 6.8 |
| Tyler Boyd, Cin. | 98 | 67 | 667 | 10.0 | 2 | 6.8 |
| Curtis Samuel, Was. | 91 | 62 | 613 | 9.9 | 5 | 6.7 |
| Wan'Dale Robinson, NYG | 78 | 60 | 525 | 8.8 | 2 | 6.7 |
| Davante Adams, L.V. | 175 | 103 | 1144 | 11.1 | 8 | 6.5 |
| Jahan Dotson, Was. | 83 | 49 | 518 | 10.6 | 4 | 6.2 |
| Garrett Wilson, NYJ | 168 | 95 | 1042 | 11.0 | 3 | 6.2 |
| Elijah Moore, Cle. | 104 | 59 | 640 | 10.9 | 2 | 6.2 |
| Marquise Brown, Ari. | 101 | 51 | 574 | 11.3 | 4 | 5.7 |
| Robert Woods, Hou. | 75 | 40 | 426 | 10.7 | 1 | 5.7 |
| Jonathan Mingo, Car. | 85 | 43 | 418 | 9.7 | 0 | 4.9 |
I'm not sure what Boyd really brings to the Titans. A reliable short-range pass catcher? They've got a few of those at receiver and running back already.
I think they've brought in a functional chain-mover to serve as their No. 3 wideout and most likely push Burks off the roster to the place where failed first-round picks go. Harsh, but there doesn't seem to be much chance of the 2022 first-rounder getting his career off the ground in Tennessee.
A brief note on the Bengals, with Boyd now out of the picture. I think we can rule out any possibility of Higgins being traded. Cincinnati now has Chase, Higgins and then Trenton Irwin and Charlie Jones, with Alabama third-rounder Jermaine Burton now meriting a long look in the preseason. Shouldn't be hard for the rookie to push for that No. 3 job right away.
--Andy Richardson