Will Levis’ injury impacting Titans’ QB evaluation for 2023 and beyond

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Ben Arthur

AFC South Reporter

Last Friday, during the Titans‘ preseason finale against the Patriots, second-year quarterback Malik Willis put together his most encouraging performance in a professional football game to this point. On the flip side, second-round rookie Will Levis missed his second straight contest due to a leg injury.

That contrast in availability is a big reason why Tennessee’s quarterback situation remains fluid behind starter Ryan Tannehill.

The Titans enter the regular season without a clear-cut backup. Coach Mike Vrabel wouldn’t name one when asked at the end of last week.

And the challenge of splitting reps between the young signal-callers become enhanced with the focus shifting to regular-season game planning, with Tannehill needing the lion’s share of reps, plus the fact that Levis — a rookie the team is heavily invested in — needs more live reps after missing the last two preseason games.

The Titans open the season Sept. 10 against the Saints.

“We’ve tried to give them both opportunities,” Vrabel said Thursday of Willis and Levis. “Trying to find places where Ryan can maybe not take as many reps. Also trying to do some things with some younger guys based on health and receivers and defensive backs, seven-on-seven. After practice trying to get some of those throws in, because it is a challenge trying to get two young guys developed. But making sure they’re also getting the reps to be ready for the game.”

Levis injured his left thigh during joint practices with the Vikings on Aug. 17 and missed the ensuing preseason game against Minnesota. The following week, Vrabel said he expected the former Kentucky star to play in the exhibition finale against New England, but Levis was held out again after going through warmups.

Vrabel was pleased with how Levis remained engaged in meetings despite the injury. He practiced Thursday without a wrap on his thigh, a first since the injury.

“Just had a professional approach to not being on the field,” Vrabel said Monday. “For some guys, it’s difficult. They lose focus because they know they’re not practicing and they’re maybe not playing in the game. I feel like just his preparation leading up to the game was in lockstep. I saw him communicating with Malik and the coaches. Just a lot of maturity there.

“Through a player’s career, they’re going to deal with some sort of absence and how they handle it,” he continued. “So, I thought it was a pretty good start for Will.”

The strides made by Willis, who struggled in eight appearances with Tennessee last season, have been apparent since the start of the offseason. He’s more comfortable operating under center, which was new for him as a rookie. He’s been more decisive with his reads. Vrabel has also noted multiple times how the former Liberty star has done a better job of carrying himself like an NFL quarterback in the building.

Willis’ showing last Friday against the Patriots was a testament to his growth.

After throwing his first pick in the first quarter, targeting rookie tight end Josh Whyle, Willis led a 10-play drive into field goal territory. Kicker Michael Badgley missed the 39-yarder, but Willis on the next series again orchestrated a 10-play drive, capping the 90-yard series with a touchdown pass to running back Julius Chestnut.

Willis later responded to his third-quarter interception with a 10-yard touchdown drive, ending with a 26-yard pass to rookie receiver Kearis Jackson.

The second-year quarterback said he’s made his biggest strides from his rookie season in correcting his mistakes quicker, not taking weeks or months to do so.

“I was trying to be perfect and you can’t be perfect,” Willis said of his growth in putting bad plays behind him. “It’s not a perfect game. You have to understand that the people on defense get paid, too. It’s going to be about who continues to keep going after the mistakes and who fights for the longest and the hardest.”

Vrabel does, however, want to see Willis improve his ball security. Managing a game is an important quality of a backup quarterback.

In the preseason, Willis threw four interceptions and was credited with four fumbles, including one lost.

“It has to improve. It has to. And he knows that,” Vrabel said. “All the good things that Malik did, he knows that. It could be trying to make a play, but at some point in time, we just have to make some good ones and learn from them, not make the same mistake twice. And just knowing coverages and saying, ‘I’m not forcing it in there. I’m just going to live to fight another day. I’m going to check it down.’ But also, there are some elements to where you have to throw it into some spaces down the field.”

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The Titans’ quarterback situation sets up intrigue for 2024. Tannehill will be an unrestricted free agent (barring an extension), meaning Tennessee could let him walk and have Willis and Levis battle for the starting job.

In the present, though, their competition for QB2 remains. That’s the task at hand.

First order of business? Getting Levis on the field more.

“For young quarterbacks, they have to be able to play in football games, whether that’s preseason games,” Vrabel said. “It’s where you develop. So, we have to try to get him ready to go through practice now.”

Ben Arthur is the AFC South reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.

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