Former Titans’ receiver Derrick Mason says the biggest problem the team has with veteran wide receivers is them adjusting to a run-first offense.

-- Photograph Courtesy Of The Tennessee Titans | Lenny Ignelzi

Derrick Mason, taken by the Titans in the fourth round of the 1997 draft, is one of the few successes the franchise has had at the position in 25-plus years.

So he knows a thing or two about receivers in the NFL and, in particular, how DeAndre Hopkins might fit with the team.

At 31, Hopkins has not played a full season since 2020, and Mason says it bears watching to see how big a role Hopkins has in the offense this season and what type of approach he takes.

With the Titans having been a run-centric team for nearly all of Mike Vrabel’s tenure, thanks to Derrick Henry’s workhorse nature, almost any receiver – A.J. Brown being the notable, if briefly tenured, exception – is likely to take a back seat in productivity in Tennessee.

Mason says Hopkins – like many of the other Titans veteran pickups of the past like Julio Jones, Andre Johnson and Randy Moss – is accustomed to being the top option wherever they’ve played.

“All their careers they have been a No. 1, and they haven’t adjusted to that No. 2 role. Coming here, they’re going to be the No. 2 or even No. 3,” Mason says.

“I think that’s going to be the biggest problem, possibly. It’s hard to go from being the No. 1 target, knowing that each game plan you’re going to get at least 12 opportunities to catch the football. You go from that to getting five, maybe six targets a game, that’s where it’s tricky.

“Vrabel loves to run the football, the passing attack is secondary. Actually, it’s third in line if you start to rank them in what’s important to a team,” Mason continues. “In Vrabel’s eyes, I think it’s playing hard defense, running the football and then passing the ball. So (Hopkins) is going to have to adapt to that a bit.

“It’s easy for him or anyone to say, ‘Oh, I can adjust to being the No. 2 option or the No. 3 option. But when you get there, it’s a whole different story.”

Mason also points out that for all of Hopkins’ past accolades, the team should actually prefer that Treylon Burks grab hold of the No. 1 receiver role after showing some flashes in his rookie season. And it could be a red flag if Burks takes a back seat to Hopkins.

“DeAndre has always been the top guy. How’s that adjustment going to be for him when he’s not?” Mason says. “Because frankly, if he’s the No. 1 option, then we’ve got problems. That tells me that Treylon Burks isn’t coming along the way you expect him to.

“This is not taking anything away from DeAndre Hopkins, but if he’s your No. 1 guy after you drafted a guy 18th overall and traded away a stud like A.J. Brown, if a 31-year-old is your No. 1 option, then you do have problems,” Mason notes. “Because that would mean that Treylon isn’t progressing the way you want, and it’s going to hamper the offense.”

Mason added that all eyes will be on Hopkins to see what role he has and how he plays it.

“If they’re asking him to play the No. 2 role, he’s going to have to because everybody is watching. Treylon Burks is watching and everyone in the room is watching,” Mason says. “And if he makes a rift, it’s not good for those younger guys to see. If they’re bringing him in to be the No. 2, then he’s truly going to have to accept that role in his heart. If he doesn’t, then it will cause problems.”

He says he believes Hopkins can and will accept whatever role comes his way and use it as motivation.

“I think he’s going to do a good job. He’s hungry and has that chip on his shoulder,” Mason says.

– Terry McCormick