Who Should I Start? Treylon Burks or Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Thursday, May 1, 7:14 PM

As expected, the Tennessee Titans officially did not pick up the fifth-year option for the 2026 season on wide receiver Treylon Burks (knee). The fifth-year option would have guaranteed Burks $15.493 million for the 2026 season, which is way too much to give a player that has missed significant time due to injury in his first three NFL seasons after he was taken 18th overall in 2022 out of Arkansas. The 25-year-old wideout tore the ACL in his knee in Week 6 of last year, too, and isn't expected to be ready for the start of the 2025 season this fall. Not much should be expected of him when he's able to return this year, especially after Tennessee added veterans Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson in free agency this offseason. It 27 total games played (17 starts) over three seasons, Burks has just 53 catches on 92 targets for 699 yards and only one touchdown. He'll be an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 season.

Thursday, May 29, 3:43 PM

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. flashed at the team's Thursday OTA practice, according to team reporter Levi Edwards. The fourth-round rookie out of Tennessee turned heads at the 2025 NFL Combine after posting a 4.30-second 40-yard dash time at nearly 6-feet-5 inches tall, which proved to increase his draft stock mightily. The speedster led the nation in yards per reception last season (25.4) and tallied 26 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns. Thornton might not have a significant or consistent impact right away behind Jakobi Meyers, Brock Bowers, Jack Bech, Tre Tucker, and potentially others in the target pecking order, but he has game-changing size-speed ability and could help the offense stretch the field in 2025. The 22-year-old is worth a late best ball dart throw and rookie draft flyer.