When the Rams signed receiver Allen Robinson in free agency, it signaled the end to Robert Woods' run in Los Angeles. The wideout said this week the team allowed him to help pick his landing spot, which is how the trade to Tennessee transpired.
"They told me I'd have a say in where I'd be traded," Woods said Wednesday, via ESPN. "I did my research and spoke with past players that were here. And just having a relationship with [offensive coordinator] Todd Downing and [receivers coach] Rob Moore already from being in Buffalo. Then Derrick Henry, Ryan Tannehill, A.J. Brown ... they're a top-performing team and the Coach of the Year [Mike Vrabel], so joining this team is beneficial for my career."
The Titans traded a 2023 sixth-round pick for Woods, who is coming off an ACL tear.
Tennessee needed another wideout after cutting Julio Jones following one ineffective season. Bobby Trees saw an offense that would fit his tough mentality and that required another playmaker next to Brown.
"I am joining a great offense, a great team," Woods said. "I am really excited to get to work with Ryan Tannehill and A.J. Brown and everyone to get this thing rolling. We have a great back on the backfield, and you have to have a good running back to get the passing game going and I think Derrick Henry will complement what I do and what we'll do in the passing game, especially with Tannehill and T.D. [Todd Downing] calling plays, it should be an exciting group."
Woods is one of the most underrated receivers in the NFL. He is willing to do the dirty work as a blocker, which will mesh perfectly with the Titans' offense. But he's also capable of being an explosive playmaker who can easily win routes. Wherever he's been, Woods has become a QB favorite because he's always in the right spot and doesn't miss plays.
The biggest question for the 29-year-old's move to Tennessee is the ACL tear which cut short his season in November. Woods will miss at least OTAs and minicamp but hopes to be able to participate in training camp. He wouldn't put a timetable on his recovery but said in lieu of on-field reps with Tannehill this spring, he'll do the mental preparation to build a relationship with his new QB.
"It's one of those things -- building relationships mentally," Woods said. "I'm going to be picking his brain in meetings, asking him about concepts -- what he wants from a quarterback perspective and how I see things from a receiver's perspective -- so we can get on the same page. I'll be standing next to him with the script knowing how he thinks, so when I'm out there physically, I can just get open and catch the ball."
