Burks has not proven he can be a ready-made solution to those questions. Still, the Broncos’ potential interest could be an indication that they believe that there is more work to be done on Nix’s supporting cast, and that Burks could be a part of that process.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have yet to find the offensive spark they had at the end of the preseason. After falling to the Senators on Thursday, the Lightning fell on Saturday to the New Jersey Devils to fall to 0-2
Posted October 12, 2025
The pushback was there from the Tampa Bay Lightning at Benchmark International Arena, but an early disadvantage proved to be too high of a hurdle on Saturday night.
The New Jersey Devils scored three goals in just over a five-minute span during the first period of Saturday’s Eastern Conference NHL clash to leave with a 5-3 win over the Lightning.
The Lightning are now 0-2-0 and will seek their first win of the season against the Boston Bruins on Monday at 1 p.m.
“I think you watch the game, there were a lot of uncharacteristic plays that were left out there that guys that are normally used to making them weren’t making. So that's part of the reset too,” Cooper said of the ups and downs on Saturday. "And then ultimately, you have to just go back to basic winning hockey habits. We did it for a while, clearly not enough."
New Jersey opened the scoring 8:30 into the game on a rebound goal from forward Timo Meier, and Connor Brown doubled the visitors’ lead with a redirection on the rush at the 10:17 mark of the opening period.
Devils captain Nico Hischier made it 3-0 when his centering pass deflected into the Lightning net off a defenseman. New Jersey outshot the Lightning 14-2 through the first period.
“It didn’t feel like we started on time, down quick, and in this league when you're chasing the game, it’s hard to come back,” Lightning forwrard Yanni Gourde said postgame. We’ve got to set ourselves up for a little bit of a better start and we can stay in the game a little bit longer.”
Gourde was the first Lightning player on the scoresheet 7:31 into the second period, shelving a shot over New Jersey goalie Jacob Markstrom once Brayden Point had gained the zone with speed.
Gourde looked to make it a one-goal game later in the second period, but the apparent goal was waved off because the puck went in directly after being played with Gourde’s glove.
Lightning assistant captain Ryan McDonagh would end up with the 3-2 goal for Tampa Bay on a one-timer with 2:38 left in the second period. After a Devils player broke their stick in the defensive zone, Brandon Hagel skated to the left circle before dishing to the point to tee up the defensemen, whose windup beat Markstrom.
“It was a lot better,” Lightning captain Victor Hedman said of the second period. “Our forecheck was good, we had good gaps and pucks to the net, and we had traffic in front and made it hard for him to see the puck. We know what we can do, and obviously that PK goal sucked a little bit of momentum out of us, but at the end of the day, we know what we’ve got in here. We just gotta put it together for 60 (minutes).”
A shorthanded breakaway in the third period by Jesper Bratt made it 4-2 Devils, and Brown’s second goal of the game made it 5-2.
In the game’s final minutes, Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh’s first goal of the year cut the score to 5-3, one that held as final.
Lightning defenseman Max Crozier led all Lightning players with two assists for his first career multi-point game in the NHL, while goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves.
Despite an 0-2-0 start to the season, Tampa Bay hasn’t begun to panic.
“Urgency won’t be a question with this group, but ultimately this just didn’t go from a good team to a bad team in two games,” Cooper said. “The one thing is the guys’ hearts are all in the right place…You lose two in a row in January it’s one thing. But when you lose game one, two in the beginning, it’s a little eye opening. So a lot of runway left here, we’ve just got some work to do.”
That work begins Monday in Boston.
“It's only two games, and we're gonna go on the road, we’re gonna come out hard. That's all we can control is the next game and the first shift of the next game, and we go from there,” Gourde said.
“One baby step at a time. We're gonna be fine.”
Benjamin’s Three Stars:
- Connor Brown, NJD (2 goals)
- Jesper Bratt, NJD (SHG/GWG)
- Max Crozier, TBL (2 assists)
"The nightmare trade involving AJ Brown and Treylon Burks led to the Titans’ rapid collapse. Now, that failed experiment has moved on to the Broncos
The Denver Broncos are in London, taking on the New York Jets in Week 6, but their efforts to bolster their roster for the rest of the regular season and, they hope, an extended playoff run continue. On Saturday, word emerged that the Broncos had an interest in Treylon Burks.
Burks was the No. 18 overall selection of the 2022 draft by the Tennessee Titans, where he spent the past three seasons.
Tennessee waived Burks this offseason due to an injury after placing him on injured reserve.
Former Titans WR Treylon Burks to Visit Broncos in Week 7
Now healthy, Burks is looking to find his way back onto an NFL roster. The Broncos are among the many stops Burks is expected to make amid significant interest in free agency.
For his career, Burks has caught 53 targets for 699 yards and one touchdown. He’s also caught 11 passes for 466 yards, showcasing some of the versatility that he brings to the table as a physical wide receiver.
He was on a four-year, $14.4 million rookie-scale contract.
“Former #Titans WR Treylon Burks, newly available and one of the top free agents, is planning to visit the #Broncos next week, source says,”
Burks figures to sign a bargain deal due to the point of the NFL calendar and the fact that he is looking to rebuild his stock.
Injuries and ineffectiveness have marred Burks’ career to this point.
Burks has never played more than 11 games in a season, and he has never made more than nine starts. In 2024, he started two of his five appearances, finishing the campaign with a four-reception, 34-yard, 0-touchdown line.
However, as a first-round pick with plus-size and physical gifts, Burks is sure to get another chance on some team’s roster, be it with the Broncos or elsewhere.
Broncos Have Taken on Injury Risks Before
The Broncos boast one of the best medical staffs in the league, and their potential interest in Burks is notable. Their roster is also heavy with young receivers who have yet to establish themselves.
Broncos 2023 second-round pick Marvin Mims is listed as the team’s starting WR2.
He is supposed to bookend 2019 Pro Bowler Courtland Sutton. And yet, 2024 fifth-round pick Troy Franklin has worked opposite Sutton the most when the Broncos are on offense.
Denver also selected former Illinois receiver Pat Bryant in the third round of the 2025 draft and added two-time Pro Bowler Evan Engram, a tight end who operates like a short-area receiver, in free agency. Engram’s presence could bode well for Burks’ fit with the Broncos.
Engram is one of three players with notable injury histories that the Broncos signed this spring.
He has already missed one game this season due to a back injury, and was hobbled by a calf issue before that.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw has yet to take the field after landing on injured reserve. However, safety Talanoa Hufanga has started every game so far this season and has made a tremendous impact for the Broncos’ defense.
Broncos’ Interest in WR Could Be Telling
The Broncos’ interest in Burks may only be preliminary. Teams explore their options regularly without anything coming of it. It is noteworthy, nonetheless, as they look to build out their roster, and specifically the offense, around quarterback Bo Nix.
They upgraded their running game with J.K. Dobbins, and then they complemented him with rookie fifth-round pick RJ Harvey.
Questions remain about Nix’s pass-catchers behind Sutton, though, including Engram.
