Titans’ Will Levis gets real on still having a chip on his shoulder after draft snub

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis is viewed by many as the team's weak link heading into the 2024 NFL campaign.

The Titans have been very busy this offseason, making numerous moves through free agency and trades to bolster their roster. They also added some significant pieces via the NFL Draft. However, many still have questions about the team's legitimacy entering next season thanks to the uncertainty surrounding Levis.

It's not much different than last spring, when Levis slipped to Tennessee in the second round of the draft due to similar concerns.

Now, Levis is preparing to enter his first full season under center for the Titans, and he has some extra motivation behind him.

“It definitely leaves a little bit of a chip on my shoulder and makes me want to go out there and work and keep showing people that teams might have made a mistake by not taking me,” Levis said, via Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. “Hopefully I’m that guy that they talk about that did slip, and I can be that example for other kids that are in that same position in the green room like me. … I’m trying to prove this organization right.”

Will Levis and the Titans could be sleepers in 2024

Levis supplanted Ryan Tannehill as the Titans' starting signal-caller midway through 2023, throwing for 1,808 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions in nine starts. He completed 58.4 percent of his passes and posted a passer rating of 84.2.

Those aren't exactly inspiring numbers, but in Levis' defense, he was very short on weapons, and he was doing all of that behind a putrid offensive line.

Tennessee addressed those issues this offseason, signing wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd in free agency to help comprise a suddenly dangerous-looking receiving corps that also includes DeAndre Hopkins. The Titans also added the best center on the free-agent market in Lloyd Cushenberry, and they used their first-round draft pick on massive tackle JC Latham.

Additionally, Tennessee got a bit younger in the backfield, going from Derrick Henry to Tony Pollard. That may seem like a downgrade, but Pollard is three years younger than Henry, and Henry was showing signs of a decline last season.

Basically, the Titans are doing everything they can to make life as easy as possible for Levis in 2024, and it could result in Tennessee making some noise.

The Titans went just 6-11 this past year, but with their new and improved roster, they could potentially contend for a playoff spot this coming season. They do play in a rather challenging AFC South division in which the three other clubs all finish above .500 in 2023. However, it's not exactly the AFC North. It's a winnable division, and while Tennessee may not win the division crown, it may still have a chance to finish with a winning record.

It should also be noted that Levis showed a whole lot of promise over a couple of his starts last season, particularly in his debut when he threw four touchdown passes.

With a better set of weapons and more adequate protection in front of him, Levis could end up having a much better year in 2024.