The Titans said goodbye to star safety Kevin Byard this week, trading the two-time All-Pro to the Eagles. They're saying hello to not one but potentially two new quarterbacks, with coach Mike Vrabel telling reporters Tuesday he expects both Malik Willis and Will Levis to play in Week 8 against the Falcons in the event starter Ryan Tannehill is unavailable. According to an NFL Media report on Wednesday, Levis, the 33rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, will be the starter in what will be his NFL debut.
Tannehill suffered an ankle injury in Tennessee's Week 6 loss to the Ravens, and while he had Week 7 to rest during the Titans' bye, he missed practice Tuesday and appears unlikely to suit up Sunday. Previous reports indicated he's battling a high-ankle sprain, which tends to sideline players anywhere between four and six weeks. Tannehill also endured ankle issues late in 2022.
The decision to start Levis is a departure from what their quarterback depth chart had previously looked like. Willis, a 2022 third-round pick, has been Tannehill's top backup in 2023 after beating out Levis, the rookie second-rounder. He started three games for an injured Tannehill during his own rookie campaign, completing just 50.8% of his throws in a 1-2 stretch. Levis, who was once considered a potential early first-round pick this spring, has yet to take an NFL snap and missed preseason time due to injury.
