PHOENIX – Plenty of questions have been asked this offseason about who will throw the football for the Titans in 2023.
Here's another question: Who is going to catch it?
At the NFL owners meetings, Titans general manager Ran Carthon and coach Mike Vrabel addressed the receiver position, and what could still be coming either in free agency or the draft.
"We are going to look to address it," Carthon said. "We are not trying to fill everything via free agency, but if that's where the best option comes from, we'll address it that way. We just have to be patient, and exercise patience and allow that to come to fruition."
Carthon also made it clear he's optimistic about the future of some of the team's young players at the position.
Since the end of last season, the Titans have said goodbye to veteran receiver Robert Woods, who was released, and subsequently signed by the Texans, while welcoming back Nick Westbrook-Ikhine with a one-year deal.
The team also hasn't re-signed three of their own free agents at the position – Cody Hollister, Chris Conley and C.J. Board – and they remain free agents. Meanwhile, a former draft pick of the team, Dez Fitzpatrick, was not re-signed, and he has since signed a futures contract with the Steelers.
While the team ponders the possibility of adding help in free agency, Carthon said he's hopeful some of the team's returners can make a bigger impact moving forward, including 2022 draft picks Treylon Burks and Kyle Philips. In addition to those two, Racey McMath, Mason Kinsey and Reggie Roberson Jr. are also under contract, in addition to Westbrook-Ikhine.
"I like that group," Carthon said. "I think it's a young, promising group. I am really excited to see what a healthy Kyle can do. I think he put some really impressive snaps together in the slot. I think Treylon's best ball is ahead of him. And I am also excited to see what a healthy Nick can do. He played the majority of the year on that knee injury, and just a testament to his toughness, his grit, he finished it out.
"I am excited about this young group."
The NFL Draft will also offer an opportunity to bring in some new blood.
Vrabel said earlier this offseason he wants the team to be faster in 2023.
Where the newcomers come from at receiver remains to be seen.
More help is coming at the position, it's just a matter of who, and when.
"I think we are trying to put the right pieces in place," Vrabel said. "Whether it's a big, fast guy, a small, fast, guy. (Whether) it's a smaller, quicker player. You're trying to find what the fit and the value is at every position. Ran and I and everybody on the coaching staff, personnel side, we all understand we are going to have to find some guys to get open and catch the ball, that are hard to tackle after we catch it. So, we are going to continue to do that."
