Titans QB Ryan Tannehill 'is the Starter Week 1' per ESPN's Dianna Russini

The Tennessee Titans may have drafted a quarterback in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft in Will Levis, but according to a report from ESPN's Dianna Russini, Ryan Tannehill "is the starter Week 1" for the upcoming season.

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans have added rookie quarterbacks on day two of the draft in back to back years, but Ryan Tannehill continues to hold on to control of the Titans' starting quarterback. ESPN's Dianna Russini appeared on NFL Live on Wednesday and reported that Tannehill "is the starter Week 1."

Update: QB Ryan Tannehill is the "Week 1 Starter" for the #Titans, per @diannaESPN

"This is his team, he's the guy."

There was a lot of speculation about the Titans moving on from Tannehill and even made calls to other teams about him but he remains their starter Week 1. pic.twitter.com/oFUDfK0r9u

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 10, 2023

Russini has been on the Titans' beat for a while now and seems to have a good relationship with the organization. While you always take the things you hear with a grain of salt, it's very likely that what Russini reported is what the Titans are thinking.

Russini reported, "Ryan Tannehill is the starter Week 1, that's what I was told. This is his team, he is the guy. The drafting of Will Levis is obviously this team looking towards the future knowing that Ryan Tannehill will be playing under an expiring contract and is this his last year in Tennessee. No movement there, if they're going to extend him just yet or even decide to do that, but for now, it's Ryan Tannehill's team."

The Titans drafted Will Levis in the second round and there is some logic to rolling with the rookie as the starter from day one, but there are plenty who considered Levis a prospect in need of more development. It appears the Titans agree with the latter approach.

Which means despite the trade up for Levis or the drafting of Malik Willis in the third round in 2022, Tannehill still holds the title of Titans' starting quarterback and barring a late summer trade market for Tannehill due to injury or an under-performing youngster somewhere else in the NFL, it appears it will stay that way one more year.

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