Will Levis To Remain Titans’ Starter Once Healthy

Will Levis last played in Week 6 as he continues to recover from an AC joint sprain. The second-year quarterback has not developed as hoped this season, but he should return to the top of the depth chart when healthy.

Titans offensive coordinator Nick Holz indicated on Thursday (via team reporter Jim Wyatt) Levis is expected to serve as the team’s starter once he returns to action. Veteran Mason Rudolph has handled QB1 duties with Levis on the mend, overseeing the team’s offense in blowout losses to the Bills and Lions. Tennessee sits at 1-6 on the year, so a run at the postseason during the latter stages of the campaign would be a surprise.

Especially with that in mind, getting Levis as many reps as possible once he is healthy is a logical goal for Tennessee. Selected with the No. 33 pick last spring, the 25-year-old took over from Ryan Tannehill midway through his rookie season. He did not deliver many strong outings from a statistical standpoint, but offseason changes (highlighted by Brian Callahan taking over as head coach) were aimed at giving Levis a better environment to develop in. Turnovers in particular were a major issue prior to his injury, however.

Overall, Levis’ touchdown-to-interception ratio sits at 13:11 and he has fumbled 10 times in his career. The Penn State and Kentucky product has been sacked 43 times in only 14 starts, an illustration of the Titans’ need for improvement along the offensive line but also Levis’ required development as a passer. The team’s receiving corps no longer features DeAndre Hopkins, but Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd will again provide him with plenty of experience in the pass-catching corps upon return.

Levis has been a limited participant in practice both days this week, continuing a trend dating back to when Rudolph first took over. The latter is a pending free agent, and whether or not he is offered another Titans deal will no doubt be influenced by his performances while atop the depth chart. Levis can be expected to reclaim that spot relatively soon provided he does not encounter setbacks in his recovery.