After the Titans utilized the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft to draft Miami quarterback Cam Ward last year, it was clear that Will Levis‘ time as a starter in Tennessee had likely come to an end. So far, in 2026, the Titans have added two more quarterbacks in free agency, and this time, there’s a chance it could spell the end of his time in Tennessee altogether.
Levis arrived in Nashville as a second-round pick out of Kentucky. He was selected in much the same manner as Malik Willis, who came out of the third round the prior year. Both young passers were being given a chance to stake out a role as the future at quarterback for the Titans in the dying days of Ryan Tannehill‘s NFL career. Willis had disappointed in a short sample size starting as a rookie, and Tennessee felt the need to bring in some added competition from the top few rounds of the draft.
After Tannehill got injured, a rookie Levis stepped up and, thanks to a four-touchdown game in his first start, looked like a promising option for the position moving forward. In nine games, Levis averaged about 200.9 passing yards per game with eight touchdowns to only four interceptions. When both Tannehill and Willis departed the next year, Levis was named the starter for 2024. An AC joint injury limited him to only 12 games, but Levis’ 13 touchdowns to 12 interceptions while averaging just 174.3 yards per game were a disappointing followup in his sophomore campaign, handing the Titans Ward at the top of the draft.
Before the 2025 season, Levis underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in July aimed at resolving an issue to prioritize his long-term health. With Levis out of the picture, the Titans signed veteran reserve options Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle, with Allen winning QB2 honors and backing up Ward during his rookie season. Allen boasted starting experience from his time filling in for an injured Joe Flacco on the 2019 Broncos then again the next year, when he started five games in place of an injured rookie Joe Burrow.
This offseason, the Titans signed two more new arms in free agency, inking veteran Mitchell Trubisky and Hendon Hooker to new deals. According to Jim Wyatt, a senior writer/editor for the Titans, Trubisky is not just coming in to serve as the veteran voice of experience in a young quarterbacks room, he’s coming to fill the QB2 role behind Ward.
That means two things for Levis. Either, he will compete with Hooker for the QB3 job and a likely spot on the practice squad, or he will be traded to another team that may want to give him more of a chance to play. In order to put him on the taxi squad, Levis will need to be subjected to the waiver wire, where any team would have the chance to claim him with the Titans getting nothing in return. Considering that, it makes far more sense for Tennessee to attempt to get something for Levis now before they need determine whether to risk him on the waiver wire or keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
One team that may be willing to trade for Levis is the Jets. According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, New York could be looking to add a veteran backup before the draft, and a healthy Levis could be the perfect puzzle piece to their current roster. If the Titans determine that Levis is the odd man out in their quarterbacks room, offloading him to the Jets could be a best case scenario for all involved.
The Titans absolutely did not give Willis a shot. They threw him in a few games after sitting him the entire time, and then drafted Levis.
Who they then sat and then threw into the fire without even getting his feet wet first.
If you’re not willing to give your rookie QB at least three years of real playing time to see what he can be, you shouldn’t have rookie QBs on your team.
Guarantee they do that for Ward.
I hope Levis finds a team that will actually develop him into at worst a backup QB. Tennessee has been one of the worst offenders when it comes to rookie QBs for a long time. Maybe they were trying to overcorrect for going all in so soon with Vince Young, I don’t know. But they needed Tannehill to rescue them at the position for a reason.
That’s the problem with today’s MFL, QBs are expected to come in day 1 and be a franchise player. Not everyone is Jayden Daniels. If you look at top QBs like Brady, Rodgers, and Mahomes, one thing you’ll notice is that all were given time to develop.
“Levis out in Tennessee?” The author ponders,
but, was he ever really “in” ?
Great point. He was never really supposed to be the guy imo.
They seemed completely caught off guard by Tannehill showing signs of aging and drafted a more NFL ready Levis when Willis wasn’t ready to give them that level of play. That’s why you don’t draft these guys and not develop them though.
Tannehill is also the perfect example of the way the team who drafts you can ruin your career or at the very least limit it. Remember how everybody basically wrote him off as a bust until he thrived in Tennessee?
I’m not so eager to stump for Willis, but I do agree about Tannehill. People really forget how good Tannehill was for two-three years in Tennessee.
He accounted for 40 touchdowns-40-in 2020. 33 were passing. Just over 3800 yards passing, and above 65% completion rate (he sandwiched this between years of 67% and 70%). The best part? Fewer than 10 INTs (7, to be exact). Not numbers that most associate with Tannehill.
I agree they didn’t give Willis a shot but willis was a 3rd round pick, their investment in him wasn’t a major one.
Jets would make sense to take a look at him, but I think the Jaguars would make the most sense. Liam Coen coached Levis in college and Lawrence’s backup right now is Nick Mullens. Sounds like a team that could stand to add a quarterback.
💯 I saw this article and not that I loved Levis or anything but as a jags fan this was gonna be my exact comment. Reunite him with Coen to replace nick Mullins. Even if he isn’t starter caliber he wouldn’t be worse than most backups like Mullins. Different and maybe more turnover prone at the beginning since younger, but I do hope they go after him if he is cut. No chance there’s a trade for even a late round pick in the division esp with how Coen and saleh feel about each other lol. He may get a chance at more reps elsewhere if Sam darnold did after Nee York, but I’d be happy replacing Mullins with him at a slightly cheaper contract too I’d bet. Good comment oooof 👏
I could get invested in a Will Levis-Jets redemption arc.
Wouldn’t it be interesting though, if Shanahan eventually turns him into his next comeback backup quarterback, after Jones departs (whenever that may be)?
I could see that happening. I could also see Shanahan not being a not him at all because of his decision making. I don’t have any evidence Brian Callahan is a great coach, but still, I’ve rarely seen a coach look so much like he wanted to actually strangle a quarterback on a regular basis.
Agreed on that.
Bottom line is, qbs need time to develop. Willis didn’t get a fair shot and I dont think Levis got enough time. But this is a win-now league..Gm’s are under enormous pressure to produce a winner. Cam Ward looks like a player.. They are better without those guys.
Even the Jets can’t ruin a QB that had nothing to begin with…but I’m sure they would make the effort 🙂
I would invite any of you experts to sign Levis to your teams. We will take a ham sammich heavy on the Mayo for him today. He needs to reboot somewhere else and improve his football IQ by 100 points unless pick 6’s, fumbles and not reading coverages is your thing. He also sucks at the long ball, but that is sort of moot. A good dose of humble pie might help his bad attitude of blaming everybody else for his incompetence. Maybe that has happened over the past year. Take a shot and see.
Other than that he shows great promise. Sign him. For every failure there is a successful person just waiting to emerge.
Green Bay seems to be a good landing spot for Tennessee castoffs to rebuild. Worked for Willis.
Levis can still develop if he studies successful QBs like Brady, Rodgers and Brees and learns how to have better pocket awareness and find open receivers, quicker. He can be a magnet for pass rushers and has to recognize coverages faster. The talent is there.
Considering how good Malik Willis worked out for them, I’d love to see my Packers trade a seventh rounder for him & give him a shot at the #2 job. I don’t even want them to trade for Anthony Richardson, they would have to fix the way he throws. I’d hate to see him have to come in right away if Love gets hurt. I think Levis would perform better out of the two of them.