3 Reasons to Be Excited about Titans QB Will Levis
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans made a polarizing move by trading up to select Kentucky quarterback Will Levis with pick 33. Levis has his fair share of detractors and valid reasons for them, but he also has a ton of upside that some are choosing to ignore. Levis will need some work to be what the Titans hope he can be, but there are definitely reasons to be excited about what Levis can do.
Big-Time Traits
Levis has some tools in the toolbox that other quarterbacks just don’t have. At six-foot-four and 229 pounds, he has elite size at the position and combines that with an on-field physicality. Levis has incredible throw velocity. Not only can he bomb it deep with ease, but he can throw fastballs all over the field. When arm strength is mentioned, most focus on how far you can throw it, but how quick you can get the ball into tight windows is also a big part of arm strength.
Along with all that arm talent is the running ability. Levis is no Lamar Jackson, but he has functional mobility and a knack for making people miss. Whether it be jukes or hurdles, Levis runs with toughness and can be used on designed quarterback runs in specific situations. No one will mistake Levis for Mike Vick, but he has the ability to make winning plays with his legs.
Offensive System Fit
Will Levis played his first season at Kentucky in offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s pro-style offense. Coen was an assistant under Los Angeles Rams’ coach Sean McVay and was the offensive coordinator for the Rams in 2022. Levis has run a similar run-first, play-action based scheme for most of his college career which should translate easily into what the Titans want to do. Levis is accustomed to play action and bootlegs off of it. He has taken deep shots off run fakes and focused on passes over the middle of the field. He should fit into scheme naturally.
Financial Impact Now & Later
The Tennessee Titans have a starting quarterback in place in Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill, while giving the Titans some great years, is very expensive. Tannehill’s cap hit for 2023 is $36 million. The Titans could start Levis right away and cut ties with Tannehill vie release of trade and save $18 million in cap room.
Also, the Titans now have a four-year window with Levis on a rookie contract and can use the savings they are getting at quarterback to stack the roster around Levis. This is a common route that teams take and the one we saw the Eagles use to go to the Super Bowl just two months ago.
Levis certainly have some risk, but you don’t have to look hard to see why the Titans would be interesting in giving Levis a chance. If they got the pick right, Levis could change the fortunes of the Titans for years to come. If the positive discussed here play out at the next level, it will give the Titans an advantage they have not experienced often in franchise history.
Related Titans Stories
- TITANS SELECT PETER SKORONSKI: The Tennessee Titans use their first pick in the 2023 NFL draft on Peter Skoronski, offensive lineman out of Northwestern. CLICK HERE
- SKORONSKI A SAFE PICK: The Tennessee Titans could have made a big splash by moving up during the first round of the NFL draft, but they wound up picking at No. 11 after all. They took offensive lineman Peter Skoronski from Northwestern, which isn't a bright-light pick, but it certainly fills a big need with a football lifer. CLICK HERE
- TITANS TRADE FOR LEVIS: The Tennessee Titans have executed a trade with the Arizona Cardinals with the second pick in round two of the 2023 NFL draft and selected quarterback Will Levis from Kentucky. CLICK HERE
