We are inching closer to the start of Vikings training camp on July 27, and while Minnesota appears somewhat comfortable rolling with Brandon Powell, Jalen Nailor, Trishton Jackson and Trent Sherfield as their options at WR3, what if someone like Titans third-year receiver Treylon Burks became available in a trade?
Burks was drafted 18th overall by the Eagles in 2022 after starring at Arkansas, but Tennessee's hopes of Burks filling A.J. Brown's shoes have fallen short and through two seasons he has just 49 catches for 665 yards and one touchdown.
Burks' future in Tennessee is now unclear after the Titans signed Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd to form a solid trio with the returning DeAndre Hopkins. That leaves Burks at WR 4, or even WR5 if Nick Westbrook-Ikhine passes him on the depth chart.
With Hopkins and Ridley the clear-cut No. 1 and No. 2 receivers, who will line up out wide on the majority of snaps, and Tyler Boyd the obvious top slot receiver, the only clear path to significant reps for Burks in year three is if one of the top three receivers gets injured. And if Boyd happens to go down with an injury, Westbrook-Ikine appears the more likely replacement because he's had more experience playing in the slot.
Westbrook-Ikhine had 28 catches for 328 yards and three touchdowns last season while lining up in the slot 289 times compared to 305 snaps out wide. Burks totaled just 16 receptions for 221 yards while playing 305 snaps out wide and 136 in the slot.
What would it take to get Burks, assuming the Titans would at least take a phone call? The thinking from Ray Fittapaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is a sixth- or seventh-round pick. The Vikings could part with a late-round pick in 2025 to give Burks a shot at significant playing time. Considering Ridley has raved about the physical specimen that Burks is, giving the 24-year-old a chance at redemption in a high-powered offense could make a lot of sense in Minnesota.
"This dude is a freak, like seriously, bro," Ridley said of Burks, via Fox Sp
orts’ Ben Arthur, this spring. "He's gonna be a stud. There's no worries." Ridley went on to compare Burks to Julio Jones, A.J. Brown and Terrell Owens.
"Dude that big, that fast, man? He's a stud, man. You don't have to worry about him," Ridley said.
If the Titans feel the same, they probably won't trade him. But if there's no where for him to play, the Vikings make sense as a landing spot. It's just an idea for now, but Burks is a name to watch as the summer progresses.
