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What this means for Titans, Will Levis

Vaseline October 23, 2024

Well, there goes the supposed offseason strength of the Tennessee Titans offense.

The Titans (1-5) are reportedly trading star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Kansas City Chiefs, according to multiple media reports Wednesday morning. This move puts the Titans in a strange situation. The stated goal this season is to develop quarterback Will Levis and get him comfortable in first-year coach Brian Callahan’s offense, but now the Titans will have to go the rest of the season without their most reliable pass catcher.

The move also raises questions about the rest of the Titans roster and who might be on the trade block before the Nov. 5 deadline.

Here’s what the DeAndre Hopkins deal means for the Tennessee Titans.

DeAndre Hopkins trade: Who do Titans still have at receiver?

The Titans are down to four receivers on the active roster: veterans Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and rookie Jha’Quan Jackson. Former first-round pick Treylon Burks is on injured reserve due to a knee injury and 2023 seventh-round pick Colton Dowell is on the reserve list physically unable to perform. The Titans have three receivers on their practice squad: rookie Bryce Oliver, veteran Mason Kinsey and Tay Martin, who the Titans signed after the end of training camp.

Westbrook-Ikhine is proving to be the biggest beneficiary of reps in Hopkins’ absence, especially with Burks injured. At 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds, Oliver is the Titans’ next option for a bigger-framed receiver to replicate what Hopkins did. Jackson has primarily served as a punt and kickoff player this season and could see an uptick in his usage, but his role isn’t much like what Hopkins did.

One positive: No DeAndre Hopkins gives Titans the potential to play faster

The trio of Ridley, Hopkins and Boyd gave the Titans plenty of experience and wisdom, but limited the offense when it came to verticality. Hopkins and Boyd are hardly a speed threat at this point in their careers, leaving Ridley as the only option to expand.

The Titans now have the opportunity to reimagine their passing attack as a more varied attack that carves up opponents down the field more. Doing so would require leaning more on some of the Titans’ younger playmakers or adding someone from off the block. Simply elevating Westbrook-Ikhine to the Hopkins role changes nothing. But this opportunity could free up space against limiting secondaries and make it easier for Levis and the Titans’ quarterbacks to generate some of the explosive plays the Titans have sorely missed.

Tennessee Titans trade rumors: Does this make the Titans trade deadline sellers?

This question shouldn’t be new to Titans fans. Last year, when the Titans dealt veteran safety Kevin Byard a few weeks before the deadline, there was a flurry of speculation about who was next. Despite near-constant talk of reversing Derrick Henry’s trade status, the Titans didn’t back down or take any further action.

Of course, that doesn’t mean the Titans won’t make moves this year. Veterans like Boyd, linebacker Ernest Jones IV and safety Quandre Diggs are on one-year contracts and could be valuable to contenders looking for veteran help on a short-term rental. Outside linebacker Harold Landry III is under contract through 2026, but there’s a contract crunch this offseason that could make him a more attractive player for a team that doesn’t want to invest in three years of his service. The same goes for fellow outside linebacker Arden Key, who is still under contract for two years, but has a possible out in his contract after this.

One of the other names that could potentially be mentioned in trade talks is star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. Simmons is under contract through 2028, making him a valuable chip for a team with a long championship run. For that reason, the Titans wouldn’t part ways with Simmons without receiving major compensation in return, and any team making a move for Simmons would have to be willing and able to trade Simmons’ $23.5 million annual salary record their finances.

What does this mean for Titans future Will Levis?

Look, a receiver room built around Ridley and Boyd is still better than the one Levis played in his rookie year. Hopkins was on a one-year deal anyway, so it’s hard to imagine the Titans looking at him as a cornerstone in Levis’ long-term future. If the young quarterback can improve his relationship with Ridley, that’s still the best-case scenario.

That said, Hopkins has always been the receiver that Levis has seemed most comfortable throwing to. Of Levis’ best to worst games, Hopkins was the top safety option and consistent touchdown target. Without that figure, Levis will have to learn quickly. His chemistry with Ridley has been shaky since training camp, and Boyd runs routes almost exclusively from the slot. This changes what Levis can do on the perimeter, and for a quarterback trying to regain his confidence and comfort, that matters a lot.

There’s no denying it: Hopkins’ absence makes it harder for Levis to emerge as a bona fide starter. It doesn’t make it impossible, but it does hurt his chances.

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at [email protected]. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @nicksuss.