It's that time of year where we're always going to see some guys get a little banged up early on in camp for Tennessee football. However, it can't be overstated how important it's going to be for the wide receivers to stay healthy from start to finish in 2025 for Josh Heupel.
That's why the reports out of Knoxville on Sunday are a bit worrisome. According to the trustworthy Adam Sparks of the Knoxville News-Sentinel, former 5-star signee Mike Matthews wasn't a full participant with what's being called a 'day-to-day' injury.
That's not the main concern, however. It's that Chris Brazzell II continues to be sidelined with an unknown injury. Because of those two guys not being able to be a full go, only five wideouts on scholarship were ready to rock for practice. This can't continue to be the case moving forward:
Mike Matthews injury adds to Tennessee football concerns at wide receiver https://t.co/RTVkO0rufy
— Knox News (@knoxnews) August 3, 2025
Mike Matthews and Chris Brazzell are dealing with injuries at Tennessee fall camp
Brazzell is expected to be a top wideout for the Vols this fall, as his experience alone is going to be incredibly valuable. Last season for Tennessee catching the ball from Nico Iamaleava, he posted 29 receptions for 333 yards and two touchdowns.
Those numbers are expected to explode this season regardless of who the starting signal-caller is. Joey Aguilar, Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre continue to be in their three-man battle for the QB1 role, with no one being able to separate themselves just yet.
Keep in mind that Boo Carter is yet to fully work his way back, though he was spotted at practice on Sunday with his helmet and shells on, which tells us he's continuing to take positive steps. He'll be playing both ways for Tennessee this fall.
We're still a little under a month away from the season-opener vs. Syracuse, so there's time for Matthews and Brazzell to get healthy and make sure they're close to 100 percent to take on the Orange. However, they're no question missing valuable reps in trying to build chemistry with the QBs. Hopefully both guys are back on the field together sooner rather than later - they're needed.