Despite all the offseason rumors that the Tennessee Titans are looking to switch to a more offensive team in 2024, the first week of the season has been a slow start. Starting quarterback Will Levis has struggled with game-winning turnovers, the passing attack ranks 27th with 137.0 air yards per game, and they have scored just 17 points in consecutive games.

Perhaps the slow start was the expected result given Levis’ inexperience. Head coach Brian Callahan is also a first-time playmaker, and the struggling offensive line is the newest unit in the league, boasting a new position coach in Bill Callahan, a new scheme, a rookie left tackle, a sophomore left guard and four new starters overall.

One player Levis and the offense have clearly missed is DeAndre Hopkins. The five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver posted more than 1,000 receiving yards for the Titans last season. In Levis’ first start, Hopkins had four receptions for 128 yards and three touchdowns. They combined for another 100-yard performance in a dramatic comeback win on Monday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins.

That chemistry was expected to continue this season. The familiarity between Levis and Hopkins was crucial as Levis mastered a new offense that featured free agent signings Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd at receiver. Unfortunately, that expectation was dashed when Hopkins suffered a knee injury during a late July practice that would keep him out for several weeks.

The Titans did not place Hopkins on the injured list, but his overall action was extremely limited during Tennessee’s 0-2 start. He played just 17 snaps in the Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears, making one catch for eight yards. Hopkins’ snap count nearly doubled in the Week 2 loss to the New York Jets: He played 29 snaps, but made just one catch over two targets for a nine-yard gain.

Offensive coordinator Nick Holz met with the media before practice on Thursday. When asked about Hopkins, Holz hinted that his star wideout could see even more action in Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers.

“Last weekend we doubled Hopkins’ snap count,” Holz said. “Now that he’s been here a few weeks, we think it’s going to work.”

It was encouraging to see Hopkins double his snap count in Week 2, but he still only played 44% of Tennessee’s total offensive snaps. For comparison, according to Football Guys, he never played less than 57% of the snaps in a single game in 2023, and his season participation was 72.19% of all offensive plays. Hopkins could have a big impact against the Packers if he is available for his regular workload.