The Tennessee Titans will be without wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Bryce Oliver due to injuries against the New England Patriots on Sunday. That means wideouts like Tyler Lockett, Chimere Dike, and Van Jefferson could see extended workloads. But what it really means is that the Titans need rookie pass-catcher Elic Ayomanor to be really productive versus Mike Vrabel and the Patriots.
The Titans certainly can’t rely on Jefferson or Lockett to do much of note. That places increased pressure on Ayomanor.
The offense has put themselves in a position to be very demanding of a fifth-round rookie.
After scoring touchdowns in back-to-back contests earlier this season, Ayomanor has been quieter in recent weeks. The former Stanford standout recorded two receptions for 18 yards in the stunning victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Drops have been an issue lately. In the embarrassment versus the Las Vegas Raiders, Ayomanor had three catches for 27 yards.
Interim head coach Mike McCoy is making his debut on Sunday. He’ll be tasked with helping rookie quarterback Cam Ward develop. Ward was trending in the wrong direction under Brian Callahan. Part of McCoy’s job will be to ensure Ward has easy-baked completions in a new-look offense. Being without Ridley doesn’t help the plan.
Ayomanor has showcased a ton of potential throughout the campaign. He and Ward clearly possess some chemistry together, as they’ve connected on several off-script plays together. That chemistry has been less evident in recent outings. It needs to make another appearance against the Patriots this weekend.
The Titans lack depth and playmakers at receiver. Veteran offseason additions like Jefferson and Lockett have added nothing to the offense. Without Ridley this weekend, Ayomanor needs to be a focal point of McCoy’s passing attack. We’ll see if Bo Hardegree can consistently get the rookie wideout the ball.
