Titans name rookie Will Levis starting QB for Week 10, remainder of 2023 season
The 33rd pick in the 2023 draft has impressed after two starts
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The Tennessee Titans named rookie quarterback Will Levis the starting quarterback for this week, head coach Mike Vrabel announced Tuesday. And sources indicate the move is intended for the remainder of the season.
Levis, a second-round pick in April's draft, takes the reins from veteran Ryan Tannehill, who will very likely be playing for another team in 2024.
The Titans are rolling with Levis after solid performances in his first two starts. He threw four touchdowns in the Week 8 win against the Falcons, but couldn't muster the comeback against the Steelers on "Thursday Night Football" in Week 9.
Tennessee selected Levis with the 33rd overall pick in the draft, one year after the previous regime took Malik Willis in the third round of the draft. Levis played just one half in the preseason due to a thigh injury, so Tennessee went into the season with Willis as Tannehill's backup.
When Tannehill suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 6 against the Ravens, the Titans turned to Willis in the loss. But over the Week 7 bye, Tennessee opted to go with Levis, who will now get his third start this week against the Buccaneers.
Tannehill is in the final year of a four-year, $118 million contract extension he signed in 2020. He was the league's Comeback Player of the Year following his 2019 season, helping the Titans to an appearance in the AFC Championship game.
However, the playoff success did not continue. Tannehill went 0-2 as a playoff starter after that, throwing two touchdowns and four interceptions combined in losses, including a dreadful three-interception game against the Bengals in January 2022 as the AFC's top seed. He suffered an ankle injury in the 2022 season with another coming earlier this year.
Tannehill will enter unrestricted free agency in March with an opportunity to join a new team for his age-36 season. Meanwhile, the 3-5 Titans have the next nine games this season to determine whether Levis can be the future of the franchise moving forward.
