Titans head coach Brian Callahan believes that this veteran receiver will be a huge benefit to second-year QB Will Levis.
The Tennessee Titans have done a great job of quickly building an offense around second-year QB Will Levis. Tennessee has arguably one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the NFL to go with a two-headed monster of a backfield and a solid tight end in Chig Okonkwo. New Titans head coach Brian Callahan is confident that one veteran receiver will be a huge benefit for Levis during his sophomore campaign.
Callahan is referring to former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd. Boyd played under Callahan in Cincinnati for the past several seasons, so the coach is intimately familiar with what he brings to the table — both on and off the field.
Callahan said it is an advantage for Boyd to already know the “names, expectations, route details, and coaching points” that he plans to install in Tennessee. He believes that advantage will carry over to Levis as well.
“He's definitely got an advantage over any normal free agent because he's been in quite a bit of the offense in terms of names, expectations, route details, and coaching points he's heard over the last five years,” Callahan said.
“It’s a huge benefit for a young quarterback,” Callahan said. He added that he's already seen Boyd discuss route adjustments with Levis during practice.
Boyd has a positive opinion of his long-time coach.
“Obviously Callahan is here and that's my guy,” Boyd said of the former Cincinnati offensive coordinator. “He's a heckuva coach, and I've been a part of his offense for a while now, so I just felt like it was a good fit. It just felt right.”
Tyler Boyd opens up on joining the Titans: “it's definitely weird”
It is helpful that Tyler Boyd has some familiar faces in Tennessee, but the transition from playing for the Bengals is still in its early stages.
“It's definitely weird – I'd been with Cincy eight years, this is my ninth year,” Boyd said in an article on the team's website. “Just having a different (uniform) on, it's new beginnings. But I don't look at it like it might be hard, or I have to readapt. I am older, I'm a vet, and I know what to expect. These guys around here are all cool, and it feels right. It just feels right. … This just felt at home to me.”
Boyd joins DeAndre Hopkins to give the Titans two veterans wide receivers who can play at a high level. The team also boasts free agent acquisition Calvin Ridley and Treylon Burks at receiver. That is plenty of firepower for Will Levis to work with.
Last week, Boyd shared his first impressions of his new teammates.
“Calvin [Ridley], I knew him throughout the league, and also Hop (DeAndre Hopkins),” Boyd said. “Two great players, and well deserving of their accomplishments and what they do. I can learn from those guys, and they can learn from me. And having that trio of us is going to make this whole offense even more deadly.”
The Titans have set Will Levis up to take a big leap in 2024. It will be exciting to watch the Titans this fall.
