Woodside Remains Backup QB; Barkley Released

The Tennessee Titans also claimed offensive lineman Corey Levin, a player they drafted back in 2016, off waivers from the New York Jets.

NASHVILLE – Logan Woodside has done it again.

The 26-year-old quarterback locked up the job as Ryan Tannehill’s backup Wednesday when the Tennessee Titans released Matt Barkley. Woodside and Barkley battled throughout the preseason after the latter was signed roughly a week into training camp, but franchise officials ultimately elected to stick with the man who had the job last season.

Also Wednesday, the Titans claimed guard Corey Levin off waivers from the New York Jets. Levin was a sixth-round pick by Tennessee in the 2017 NFL Draft, and he appeared in all 16 games (one start) for the Titans in 2018. Over the last two-plus seasons, he has spent time with Denver, Chicago, New England and the Jets but has not seen any game action.

Woodside’s limited NFL experience was not an obstacle to his pursuit of the job. A seventh-round pick by Cincinnati in 2018, he has attempted three passes in six regular-season appearances, all for Tennessee in 2020. His lone completion was on a fake punt.

He spent a brief period in 2018 and all of 2019 on the Titans’ practice squad.

“He is doing a lot of the things that we are asking him to do on a consistent level, and the things that we need him to improve on, he is working hard to improve,” offensive coordinator Todd Downing said early in training camp. “I am pleased with where (Woodside) is, and he has shown great dedication to this organization and this system over the last few years.”

A year ago, Woodside fended off veteran Trevor Siemian for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. Siemian was signed to the practice squad and served as the quarantine quarterback until the New Orleans Saints signed him to their active roster.

Barkley and another veteran, DeShone Kizer, had their chances to unseat him this year. Neither was successful.

“My whole life, I’ve had to compete,” Woodside said during training camp. “I’ve tried to raise my game through competition. … I’ve spent a ton of time with this offense. Going into my third camp with the Titans and this offense, it’s been a lot better for me, just kind of being able to go out there and react, to kind of know and kind of lead my group of guys. If a rookie or somebody like that doesn’t know what they’re doing, I have the confidence now to get them in the right spot.”

And now he knows exactly what his spot is.