NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Ultimately, Carnell Tate will best serve the Titans as their primary X receiver, bursting off the line, through and around press coverage to help keep things on time for Cam Ward.
The X receiver lines up on the line of scrimmage, often tight to a cornerback and exposed to press coverage, with no motion help. It’s the spot that demands clean releases and timing.
But he's not a burner or a bully, two traits commonly associated with the role. And since the Titans have drafted him, they’ve talked about him playing all the spots in Brian Daboll’s offense.
Coaches go one of two directions – feed a guy one spot until he knows it and then add on, or give him a whole lot right from the start.
“With all the rookies, we’re going to have to lay a foundation for them, just with the language of it all,” Brian Daboll said. “As much as he can handle, as much as they can handle, we’ll throw it at them. We have to bring him along.”
The rookies won’t be too far behind because it’s a new staff and a new system.
“We’ll give him as much as he can handle,” Daboll said. “He is smart. We try to have all our skill guys learn all the spots. So there are five eligible receivers on every pass play. Guys are out there running routes to not just learn one spot, to understand the entire system. to know the scheme that you’re running, it’s helpful if those guys can learn multiple things.”
Tate said he likes engaging with Daboll and respects his history as an offensive engineer.
“It's always great talking to coach Daboll, picking his brain and see what he's thinking,” Tate said. He's an elite play caller, he's very smart, so it's always a great time to talk to him.”
Expectations are high for the No. 4 pick for a franchise that has struggled specifically to land a true No. 1 outside receiver. Shots at No. 1 caliber receivers — Treylon Burks, Corey Davis and Kenny Britt — have been failures who didn’t deliver the alpha traits they needed.
When they struck gold in the second round in 2019 with AJ Brown, they dealt him away in a contract dispute after just three seasons.
Now it’s Tate’s turn to be a key target for the Titans’ big hope, Cam Ward.
“The ball will find you,” he said. “You just go out there and make the best of your opportunities like I've always done.”
