Will the Tennessee Titans be able to make the NFL Playoffs next season?

The Titans ended the 2022 season with a record of 7-10, putting them in second place in the AFC South and 11th in the AFC. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who has played in 145 games and started in 143 during his NFL career, led the Dolphins in passing yards with 2,536. Running back Derrick Henry led the team and took second place in the NFL with 1,538 rushing yards.

Quarterback Malik Willis, a former third-round selection in the 2022 NFL draft, took snaps in eight games and saw starting roles in three for the Titans last season. The former Auburn quarterback earned 276 passing yards and completed 31 of his 61 passing attempts.

Tannehill said he saw improvement in the 24-year-old quarterback, according to a Thursday article from NFL.com Senior Writer Jim Wyatt.

“Malik has grown a lot,” Tannehill said, via NFL.com. “He put a lot of work throughout the offseason. I was able to throw with him a few times during the offseason before we started here and saw his growth, saw him pushing himself. He has only continued that as we've gotten out here. … I'm proud of him and the work he's put in, and it's fun to see a guy grow, and see his hard work pay off.

“He's (been) in command of the offense, he's throwing the ball accurately, he's playing fast.”

Who are some players who can have break-out seasons for the Titans in the 2023 season?

Treylon Burks

How much more can Burks grow before his second season in the NFL?

Burks, the former No. 18 selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, played in 11 games and started in six during his rookie season with the Titans. He earned 444 receiving yards and one touchdown on 33 receptions, peaking at 111 yards during a Week 11 win over the Green Bay Packers.

Titans safety Kevin Byard had high praise for the 23-year-old receiver when he spoke with the media earlier this month.

“Treylon looks like a different beast this year for sure,” Byard said of Burks, via TennesseeTitans.com. “I just think he's playing with a lot of confidence. I really like that from him, taking that next step.

“We're going to need him to take that next step this year, to be that guy.”

Burks said his confidence was “out the roof” in an interview after a June practice.

“I would say I am playing fast, physical, and not thinking too much,” Burks said. “I feel like all those things are showing, and I'm just getting better each day.”

If he can keep building upon his rookie season and show he can be a reliable target for Tannehill or Willis, Burks can be a candidate to watch out for a potential break-out season.

Chigoziem Okonkwo

Okonkwo, who was taken with the 143rd pick in the 2022 draft, played in 17 games and started in 8 for Tennessee last season. He garnered 450 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2022.

Okonkwo said he was “ready to grind” and become a better player in February.

“My feeling is, now that (my rookie) season is over, I'm just going to put my head down and I am ready to grind and become a better player,” Okonkwo said, via TennesseeTitans.com. “It's the offseason now, and I'm just ready to become the best player I can possibly become. I am going to work on everything I struggled with this year — that's my mindset now, turn the page and all I can do is get better for the team and that's what I am going to try and do this offseason.”

The 23-year-old tight end said he appreciated the tough love from Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, according to Wyatt.

“He'll tell me, he's only going to coach me as hard as he cares,” Okonkwo said of Vrabel, via Wyatt. “I know when he is pushing me and he is looking at every single rep I am doing, I just embrace it. He doesn't want me to be a terrible player. He wants me to become the greatest player that I can become.

“So, for me, I always keep that in the back of my mind and don't let anything he says get under my skin. I know he wants me to be great, and I know he is not doing this to make me feel bad. He just wants me to be a great player.”

If Okonkwo can improve upon a successful rookie season for the Titans, he can be an important part of a Tennessee offense that earned 3,227 passing yards last year, putting them at 29th in the NFL.