Tennessee Titans Pro Football Hall of Fame watch

The Pro Football Hall of Fame will induct the class of 2023 on Aug. 5. Here are players from the 2023 Titans who could join the immortals in Canton someday:

Fringe Hall of Famers

Derrick Henry, running back: One of only eight players in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season, Henry was having a Hall of Fame career before a broken foot cut his 2021 season in half. A three-time Pro Bowler with one first-team All-Pro and a second-team All-Pro nod, Henry is 22 touchdowns from becoming 10th player with 100 or more rushing touchdowns, and he’s 1,665 yards away from becoming the 32nd RB to hit 10,000 career rushing yards.

Although he’s 29, if he continues on his current pace, it will take Henry a little under two seasons to reach eighth all-time in rushing touchdowns and a little over three and a half seasons to hit the top 15 in rushing yards. While both are lofty goals, they’re certainly not unattainable.

Kevin Byard, safety: Even at 29, Byard is still one of the few elite safeties in the NFL. A two-time first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler, Byard has had four or more interceptions in five of the past six years, including an NFL-leading eight during his second season in 2017.

In coverage, Byard has allowed four or fewer touchdowns in five of his seven seasons, and he has held receivers to fewer than 10 yards per receptions in four seasons, per Pro Football Focus. Opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of just 75.2, below the league average, when targeting him. While he’s not on the level of Rod Woodson, Ronnie Lott or Ed Reed, there’s no denying Byard is among the best of his generation at his position.

A young player who could develop into a Hall of Famer

Treylon Burks, receiver: There’s seemingly no limit on Burks’ potential. He’s a quick, big-bodied receiver (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) with great hands who punishes defenders after the catch. His rookie season was hampered by injuries, but with average-to-below-average quarterback play in 2022, he managed to average 13.5 yards per reception. He was among the best receivers last season at separating himself from defenders, averaging 7.1 yards of cushion, per NextGen Stats, tied for sixth-best in the league.

The 23-year-old enters 2023 as the unquestioned No. 1 receiver on the Titans, and if Ryan Tannehill looks more like he did from 2019-20 under new offensive coordinator Tim Kelly, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Burks put up numbers similar to A.J. Brown’s in his second year (70 receptions, 1,075 yards, 11 touchdowns). 

Aside from Brown, the Titans haven’t had a true game-changer at receiver since Derrick Mason left in 2004. If Burks produces like he’s expected to, he could end up in Canton.