Bryce Oliver was convinced to stay in Tennessee
When the Tennessee Titans signed former Youngstown State receiver Bryce Oliver as a UDFA, few paid close attention. Oliver wasn't one of the more well-known UDFAs to join the roster. That isn't the case anymore, and he already has NFL coaches fighting over who gets to coach him.
Oliver consistently made plays throughout training camp, but his two-touchdown outing against the New Orleans Saints in the third preseason game caught the attention of other teams around the league.
At least one team liked him so much that they tried to sign him to their practice squad after he was waived by the Titans.
The interest was so real that it looked like he would be packing his bags, but ultimately Oliver decided to stay with the Titans. That news was broken by Justin Melo, who also reported that the New York Jets were one of the teams that was most interested in getting him on their practice squad.
Most people would agree that the Jets have a better short-term outlook than the Titans, so why would Oliver pass up an opportunity to join the squad that Aaron Rodgers has worked so hard to cultivate?
We can't know for sure, but it didn't hurt that head coach Brian Callahan stepped in and had a heart-to-heart with the young receiver. Callahan went as far as to say that the Titans had an investment in Oliver.
Based on how transparent Callahan has been so far, I don't think this is lip service to keep Oliver in the building. I think Callahan honestly looks at Oliver and sees an NFL-caliber player who just needs time to adjust to the speed of the pro game while becoming more consistent.
For the most part, the Titans have young, talented players all over the roster, but the one position group that could use more young talent is the receivers. Calvin Ridley will be 30 by the end of the season, though he has less wear and tear than a normal 29-year-old because of his previous one-year suspension.
The other starting receivers are DeAndre Hopkins and Tyler Boyd. Hopkins led the Titans in receiving yards last year and is headed to the Hall of Fame one day, and Boyd should be a terrific weapon in the slot this season. has been great for the team this year, Both are over 30 and are scheduled to be free agents next year.
Treylon Burks and Jha'Quan Jackson could be asked to step into bigger roles next year, but the Titans may require more in-house solutions. It sounds like Oliver has shown enough to earn the inside track and fans should keep an eye on Oliver to see if he receives a late-season call-up somewhere down the road.
