With a new era of Tennessee Titans football underway, several players have been brought on to the roster in hopes of bringing the team some needed success. The Titans drafted Marcus Mariota as the likely new face of the franchise while loading up on wide receiver talent to help him out. One of those receivers is Hakeem Nicks who is currently fighting for a roster spot while seeking a career turnaround.
Nicks is confident despite his lackluster NFL career up until this point. After being a first-round draft pick and putting up back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, Nicks is now fighting for a spot on the Titans after two forgettable years with both New York and the Indianapolis Colts. The wide receiver joins a crowded rotation where he is guaranteed nothing.
"(I'm) motivated, determined and ready to work. I am ready to bring it all and lay it on the line, man," Nicks said, via the Tennessean. "I just want to get back in the rhythm of being talked about as one of the best receivers in the league, as I was in the past. I believe I can, but I need to go out there and prove it. No need to say words. I feel like where I am at in my career - I just turned 27 - I feel like I still have a lot in my tank. I wanted to go somewhere and prove I can still be a No. 1 receiver and be the guy I was in the past, statistically and being a guy that likes to make plays and be on the field consistently."
According to NFL.com, Nicks is not expected to be a starter, in fact there is a chance he might not make the final roster. Justin Hunter is the No. 1 wide receiver with Dorial Green-Beckham potentially developing into the No. 2 spot. That leaves Harry Douglas, Kendall Wright and Jacoby Ford all battling for that No. 3 spot and playing time. Early predictions have Douglas winning over the role. The chances Nicks get released seem slim, but the chances he is a starter are also slim.
The first week of OTAs for the Titans certainly put the wide receiver rotation on display. It also highlighted the lack of a quarterback competition between Marcus Mariota and Zach Mettenberger. The Titans have tried to hype up the battle, but according to ESPN, it is Mariota's job to lose as the rookie took plenty of first-team snaps. Mettenberger will not be traded nor released, but he likely will be relegated to the backup role.