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Ryan Tannehill “appears to be continuing to hold off” 2023 second-round pick Will Levis to remain the Tennessee Titans’ starting quarterback, according to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington.
Darlington reported Sunday on SportsCenter the signs are pointing toward Tannehill remaining QB1 for Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints.
This mirrors what Turron Davenport of ESPN reported on Wednesday. He said how “it’s already evident that [Tannehill] the veteran is head and shoulders above the other guys.”
TURRON DAVENPORT @TDavenport_NFL
From @SportsCenter earlier today talking #Titans QBs Ryan Tannehill, Malik Willis and Will Levis before day 2 of minicamp. pic.twitter.com/t5E4EbVnvg
The Titans are clearly hopeful that Levis will be a long-term solution under center. Tannehill will be a free agent in 2024, so Tennessee’s quarterback room will be wide open next season.
The fact Levis slipped to the second round, however, spoke to concerns teams had about his skill set. The Titans, for example, could’ve selected him with the 11th overall pick but took Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski instead.
Bleacher Report NFL draft scout Derrik Klassen wrote the former Kentucky star “is incomplete despite his age and seasoning.”
“Levis’ pre-snap processing still needs work, particularly with respect to blitz anticipation and replacement,” Klassen said. “Levis also needs to iron out consistency as a post-snap processor.”
Jalen Hurts is the most recent example of how a franchise can find a star quarterback after Day 1 of the draft, but Hurts also backed up Carson Wentz in his first year with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Maybe Levis takes over for Tannehill midway through the 2023 campaign. For now, you’d bet on him opening the year on the bench.
