Rookie QB Will Levis leads the race over Malik Willis as Titans QB1 despite getting OUTPERF

The Tennessee Titans surprised a lot of people during the 2023 NFL Draft by trading up in the second round to select the Kentucky quarterback Will Levis. The Titans already had two quarterbacks in their squad, the veteran Ryan Tannehill and the 2022 third-round pick Malik Willis. Levis and Willis are expected to battle for the backup QB job and it seems like Willis might end up losing the battle.

According to the Titans senior staff writer Jim Wyatt, the dual-threat QB Malik Willis isn’t guaranteed a roster spot in Tennessee. “Malik’s roster spot isn’t guaranteed,” wrote Wyatt. “Ryan Tannehill and Will Levis will be on the 53-man roster because Tannehill is the starter, and Levis was the 33rd overall pick and he’s going to be given time. So, Malik needs to keep improving, and earn his spot.”

However, Wyatt also claimed that Willis has improved a lot in a year and even outperformed the rookie signal-caller Will Levis in the Titans’ off-season program. Despite his improvement, the Liberty product might end up getting the axe before the season.

Willis got a chance to prove himself during his rookie campaign after their veteran QB Ryan Tannehill got injured and missed some games. The 6’1″ quarterback threw for 0 touchdowns and 3 interceptions and had an ugly 50.8 completion percentage. He was eventually benched by head coach Mike Vrabel in favor of the journeyman Josh Dobbs.

Related: Cardinals’ Kyler Murray brushes aside low QB ranking as he’s placed ‘dead last’; even below Kirk Cousins

Will Titans go with Malik Willis or Will Levis in 2023?

Jon Robinson, who drafted Malik Willis when he was the Titans’ GM back in 2022, was fired by the Tennessee-based football team back in December. And Will Levis was drafted by Robinson’s replacement Ran Carthon.

The new GM might not be a big fan of Willis, which might’ve led to him drafting Levis in the 2023 draft. But Willis can still earn a roster spot, thanks to the new emergency QB rule that will allow teams to dress three QBs without wasting a roster spot. But that third must be on the team’s 53-man roster. This could work out well for Levis or Willis, whoever ends up losing the QB battle.

Nonetheless, the Titans for now will be going ahead with their veteran signal-caller, Ryan Tannehill. Since they are in a weak AFC South division without a lot of competition, the Titans could still end up making a deep postseason run by clinching the division title. They are set to begin their 2023 campaign with a preseason warmup game against the Chicago Bears on August 12.

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