The Tennessee Titans are in last place in the AFC South with a 5-9 record and were recently eliminated from playoff contention.
The offense has struggled this season. They are ranked 27th in points, 26th in yards, 23rd in yards per play, 27th in first downs, and 24th in passing yards.
Tennessee placed their promising wide receiver on injured reserve.
The Tennessee Titans placed their third-leading receiver on IR.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine suffered a hand injury in their Week 15 loss to the Houston Texans and will be on injured reserve for the remainder of the 2023 season.
How did Nick Westbrook-Ikhine perform this season?
Westbrook-Ikhine was having a solid fourth season in the NFL. He appeared in every game and made nine starts in the slot. He had 28 receptions on 45 targets for 370 yards, three receiving touchdowns, a 110.4 passer rating when targeted, and represented 70% of offensive snaps.
He has the fourth-most targets, the fourth-most receptions, the third-most receiving yards, and the second-most receiving touchdowns. He also has the second-most snaps at his position.
Tennessee’s receiving corps has been banged up this season.
Westbrook-Ikhine joins a long list of wide receivers who have dealt with injury.
Treylon Burks has dealt with two injuries. He suffered a knee injury during practice and missed Weeks 4-6. He also suffered a concussion in Week 9 and missed Weeks 10-12. Burks has 12 receptions on 24 targets for 185 yards in eight games.
Undrafted rookie, Kearis Jackson was placed on injured reserve after he suffered an ankle injury during practice and hasn’t played since Week 2. He had six punt returns for 48 yards.
Kyle Philips is another young receiver who has dealt with two injuries. Tennessee placed him on injured reserve to start the season due to an MCL injury he suffered during Week 2 of preseason. He also missed Week 13 and 15 due to a hamstring injury. Philips has 13 receptions on 19 targets for 166 yards in eight games.
Who will Tennessee rely on with Westbrook-Ikhine out?
Tennessee will have to rely on Chris Moore. Moore is in his 8th year in the NFL. He spent his first five seasons with Baltimore and the previous two with Houston. He had 116 receptions for 1,286 yards and eight receiving touchdowns in his first seven seasons in the NFL.
He has 17 receptions on 26 targets for 353 yards this season.
Treylon Burks is another wide receiver who must step up in the absence of Westbrook-Ikhine. Burks is healthy and could be a force in the passing game. He had three receptions for 62 yards last week.
Kyle Philips missed yesterday’s practice and is unclear whether he will play. If he does, he will get extended playing time in the slot.
What now?
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is in the last year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent during the 2024 offseason. Will the Tennessee Titans bring him back, or will he test the open market?
For More Great NFL Content:
Follow me on Twitter/X @JacksonLoschko. If you have any questions, you can message me on Linkedin. To read more of our articles and be up to date on the latest in the NFL, click here.