In a reaction to his latest turnover struggles, Will Levis was benched by the Titans earlier this week. The second-year quarterback’s future with the franchise is uncertain as a result, but he still views himself as a QB1 option at the NFL level.

“I still believe that I can be the franchise quarterback for this team,” Levis said (via ESPN’s Turron Davenport). “I have the utmost confidence in myself and my ability to lead any team in this league.”

2024 marked Levis’ first full season as the Titans’ starter, and a number of moves made by the organization – including the hiring of first-time head coach Brian Callahan – were centered on his development. Things have not gone according to plan, though, and in the aftermath of a three-interception outing he was benched midway through Sunday’s loss. Mason Rudolph is therefore in position to handle starting duties the rest of the way.

Callahan declined to get into specifics when speaking about Levis’ status beyond the 2024 season, noting that a lack of consistency held back his development in other areas this season. The team’s attention is on the final three games of the campaign, and two more years remain on Levis’ rookie pact. Given his performances to date, though, it would not come as a surprise if one or more quarterback additions were to be made this offseason.

The Titans are one of seven teams with either 11 or 12 losses at this point, making them a candidate to land the No. 1 pick in April’s draft. With only two passers (Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward) seen as being worthy of a selection at the top of the order, though, Tennessee could wind up out of range for the top options in this year’s class. Given Rudolph’s status as a pending free agent, the veteran route could be taken in March to add a bridge starter or at least competition for Levis presuming he is retained.

The 25-year-old suffered a Grade 2 AC joint sprain earlier in the year, and it was made clear at that point he would reprise his role as starter once healthy. That proved to be the case, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes Levis reaggravated the injury in Week 14 before trying to play through a Grade 3 sprain on Sunday. That latest ailment will be healed by the start of the 2025 season, but it will be interesting to see what moves the Titans will have made under center by that point.

As expected, Will Levis is set to return to action this week. Titans head coach Brian Callahan announced on Friday the second-year quarterback will get the start against the Chargers.

Levis has been out since suffering an AC joint sprain in Week 6. Veteran Mason Rudolph has handled starting duties in his place with Levis recovering. The latter has practiced in full this week, positioning him to reclaim his spot atop the depth chart. Tennessee’s staff had previously made it clear Levis would serve as starter once healthy.

The 2023 second-rounder has not developed as hoped in his first full campaign as QB1, which has doubled as Callahan’s first season in place. Levis lost one fumble in each of his first three games in 2024, and across his five total starts he threw seven interceptions. Improved ball security will be critical over the coming weeks as team and player look for positive momentum in the second half of the campaign.

The Titans sit at 2-6 on the year, and the decision to trade away DeAndre Hopkins is a sign of the team’s outlook for the rest of the season. Tennessee is also shorthanded along the offensive line with center Lloyd Cushenberry suffering a season-ending Achilles injury and on defense with Quandre Diggs out for the year due to his Lisfranc ailment. A postseason berth is not feasible, but better production from Levis and Co. would be welcomed ahead of an offseason in which changes could be made under center.

Rudolph completed only 59.4% of his passes upon taking over from Levis, throwing as many touchdowns (four) as interceptions along the way. The former Steeler joined Tennessee on a one-year deal, beating out Malik Willis for the backup gig during the summer. His free agent stock has no doubt taken a hit given his struggles in 2024, and it would come as no surprise if the Titans were to target a different veteran option on the open market this spring. As for Levis, his grip on the 2025 starting role will surely depend in large part on how he performs upon returning to the lineup.

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.

Will Levis has the backing of Titans head coach Brian Callahan as the team’s starter. The second-year quarterback could be dealing with the effects of his shoulder injury when Tennessee next takes the field, though.

Levis – who injured himself midway through the Titans’ Week 4 win over the Dolphins – is dealing with an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder, veteran reporter Paul Kuharsky details. He adds Levis would likely be unable to play in Week 5 if the Titans were not on their bye. The 25-year-old should be able to suit up by Week 6, although he could still be in pain by that point.

The 2024 campaign has primarily been centered on Levis’ development during his first full season as a starter. The former second-rounder’s performances have left plenty to be desired, though, as he has committed nine turnovers to date. In spite of his struggles, Callahan confirmed after Week 4 Levis will remain atop the depth chart following the bye. If he does wind up missing a start, it will be Mason Rudolph leading the way on offense.

The veteran took over from Levis on Monday night and oversaw a run-heavy approach on offense. Rudolph completed only nine of 17 attempts for 85 scoreless yards, but his showing during training camp and the preseason earned him the backup gig over Malik Willis. Rudolph, 29, took over as the Steelers’ starter down the stretch last year and he has limited experience in a first-team capacity from some of his other Pittsburgh campaigns. A decision on a Week 6 starter will be only dictated by Levis’ health based on the support he has received, though.

Depth in the organization under center also be added relatively soon. Callahan said earlier this week (via team reporter Jim Wyatt) Tennessee is considering a practice squad addition at the quarterback spot. Bringing in an additional passer would provide insurance in the event Levis does not fully recover in time for Week 6. As things currently stand, however, the Kentucky product should be available by that point.

The Titans fell to 0-3 on Sunday, and quarterback Will Levis‘ struggles continued. Head coach Brian Callahan confirmed after the game that no change will be made on the depth chart, though.

“Oh yeah,” the first-year coach confirmed when asked if Levis would still operate as Tennessee’s starter (via ESPN’s Turron Davenport). “We’ve also got to play better around him. I’m not going to overreact to an interception. Those things happen, guys throw picks, we just can’t give it to their team. It’s a killer. But we’ve not played a complete game in any phase at any point yet.”

Levis threw a pair of interceptions and lost a fumble during today’s loss to the Packers. That gives the 2023 second-rounder eight turnovers on the year, one in which he was expected to develop into the team’s long-term starter under Callahan. Giveaways at critical times have been a constant during the early portion of the campaign, and Levis’ ability to eliminate them will be key for his own acclimation to the NFL and to the Titans’ 2024 success.

Of course, Week 3 featured a matchup between Tennessee and former quarterback Malik Willis. The Titans tapped veteran Mason Rudolph as their backup signal-caller during the offseason, trading Willis to Green Bay shortly before the campaign. With the Packers showing disappointment in Sean Clifford (who was retained after roster cutdowns) and Michael Pratt (who was not), Willis found himself second on the depth chart at the start of the year. Jordan Love‘s MCL injury left Willis in place to start over each of the past two games, both victories.

If a change were to be made by Callahan and Co., Rudolph would take over. The 29-year-old has 13 starts to his name, each of which came during his lengthy Steelers tenure. Rudolph served as Pittsburgh’s QB1 to close out the 2023 campaign even after Kenny Pickett returned to full health, although the team cleaned house under center during the offseason. That left Rudolph in need of a new team, and he inked a one-year deal featuring $2.7MM guaranteed.

Callahan’s comments confirm Levis will remain in place for the time being, but questions about his status will no doubt continue if his turnover issues carry over into future games. The Kentucky product has totaled 579 passing yards and four touchdowns to date in 2024, adding sparse production on the ground and taking 15 sacks. More passing efficiency and overall stability from the QB spot will be the target moving forward. If that does not come to bear, however, it will be interesting to see how the team proceeds.