“I feel amazing, just blessed.” These are Treylon Burks‘ words from May, when he returned from a torn ACL that ended his 2024 season. He came into 2025 believing this could finally be his year. And with Cam Ward taking the reins at QB? It really did feel like this could be a season that could change everything for him. Well…until the injury hit.

At first, everything seemed to be clicking. Treylon Burks looked lean, locked in. The fans were convinced this could be the year he’d break out. One awkward landing, and just like that, the narrative changed. And if you’re thinking that’s as bad as it gets? We’ll have to disappoint you. Because it gets worse.

Reporter Buck Reising recently dropped a bombshell that turned this Treylon Burks injury saga from a setback into a roster-management headache. “On Treylon Burks’ roster spot…because he has practiced already in camp, he cannot [be] placed on active OR reserve PUP, according to the NFL’s rules. He would be another IR candidate with the option to designate him to return BEFORE roster cut downs,” he wrote on X.

Suddenly, what felt like a good sign (Burks showing up at practice) became a technical snag. Because he took the field, the Titans can’t put him on the PUP list anymore. Which means if he’s not ready to go, injured reserve is pretty much the only option left. And for a WR room that was already thin? Well, things aren’t looking too good for him and Brian Callahan.

This isn’t just about Burks anymore; it’s about losing flexibility. If the Titans put him on IR with a return tag, they still have to keep him on the 53-man roster later in camp… or risk wasting that one precious return slot. That’s a big ask when every roster spot counts. More so when it could’ve gone to a special teams ace or a young linebacker they’re trying to stash.

It’s a tricky spot for Coach Callahan and the front office. With a rookie QB like Cam Ward trying to find his rhythm, and only Ridley and Lockett as true vets in the WR room, this is not the kind of problem you want in late July. Or, well, ever.

Fans were buying in, and who could blame them? Burks looked the part in 2025: slimmed down, moving well, confidence through the roof. That “amazing, just blessed” comment? It came from a guy who was ready to finally flip the script. But now? That whole comeback energy is running headfirst into the cruel world of peculiar roster rules. And his return? Up in the air.

Burks’ injury reflects a pattern of setbacks

Treylon Burks went down during the Titans’ open practice at Nissan Stadium on July 26, 2025, when he dived for a one-handed catch from rookie QB Cam Ward. He ended up landing on his shoulder. Ouch. He got up and walked off on his own, which felt like a good sign… until we found out it was a fractured collarbone. The timing seriously couldn’t have been worse.

Everything pointed to him being a key piece next to vets like Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett this fall. Team insiders were saying it and the front office was backing it up. Even Ward was hyping him up, calling Burks “one of our best targets this year” and praising his size, sharp routes, and ability to win tough catches. It was all lining up… until it wasn’t.

And it’s not new. We hoped it would be different, but we’ve seen off the pitch a lot more than inside it for the last three years now. Since the Titans took Burks 18th overall in 2022, he’s been hit with just about everything: turf toe, concussions, a sprained LCL, and an ACL tear. It’s been one setback after another, and it’s shown in the numbers: just 53 catches for 699 yards and 1 touchdown over three seasons.

And the Titans aren’t waiting around. They signed WR Ramel Keyton to help patch things up while Burks heals. Recovery from a fractured collarbone usually takes about 6–8 weeks, but getting cleared for contact? That could drag things out even longer. With his fifth-year option already declined, 2025 was supposed to be the prove-it year. But now, it’s not looking good for Treylon Burks.