Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is officially out with an ankle injury for the team’s Week 8 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Along with this news comes the revelation that head coach Mike Vrabel plans to play both second-year QB Malik Willis and rookie Will Levis in this game. Ideally, one of these two young signal-callers will step up and take the job not just for the rest of the season but for a very long time to come. Here’s why that is exactly what Levis is about to do.
Will Levis vs Malik Willis
It’s a relatively unique situation the Titans have heading into Week 8 against the Falcons, having two young quarterback prospects on the roster. After most teams draft a young developmental QB, they leave it at that and don’t select another player at the position for a while.
In Tennessee, the Titans had two intriguing QB prospects fall into their lap later in drafts than most pundits expected, so they did the smart thing and took these passers where they became value picks. And if either can step up and become a top NFL starter, that value will be even greater.
Will Levis and Malik Willis are different quarterbacks in some ways, and in other ways, they are both somewhat similar to Tannehill as they like to run around when they get the chance. It will be interesting to see how Vrabel and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly use them together in Week 8 against the Falcons.
Willis is a 6-foot-1, 219-pound player who dominated at a small school (Liberty) in college. He likes to run around and throw deep, but his underneath accuracy isn’t there. Willis got a shot as a rookie, but he was so far from being ready that the team signed journeyman veteran Joshua Dobbs for the playoff push. He is electric with the ball in his hands, and his ceiling is something similar to Michael Vick.
Levis is a big, imposing 6-foot-4, 229-pound passer who is athletic and has a rocket arm. He played in the SEC, but at Kentucky, where nearly every team he faced had far more talent than his squad, especially in his senior season when the QB struggled. Levis is mobile for a big man but also needs to work on his accuracy and quick release. If his NFL development goes perfectly, the former Wildcat will be Josh Allen 2.0.
Levis will win the starting job moving forward on Sunday
Chances are, we’ve officially seen the last of Ryan Tannehill in a Titans (or this weekend a sweet Houston Oilers) jersey. The veteran far outperformed his initial expectations and carved out an excellent NFL career for himself. But at 35 and out of contract at the end of the season, his run in Nashville is over.
The Titans' Week 8 game against the Falcons allows for a perfect opportunity for Levis or Willis to grab the job, and Levis has the advantage going in.
First, reports are that Levis will be the starter for this game. Willis came in when Tannehill went out in Week 6 against the Baltimore Ravens and failed to grab a firm hold of the job. That’s strike one against Willis and the reason Levis will get more of a look on Sunday.
The Titans have a great opponent for this QB tryout as well in the Falcons. Atlanta’s defense is OK, ranking toward the middle of the pack in points, passing yards, and rushing yards allowed. There are also only four teams with fewer sacks on the season than the Falcons.
Levis will have a good matchup, the right opportunity, and he’s a good QB.
Yes, he slipped to the second round for several reasons, including weird old-school NFL ones like the fact that some scouts thought he was too jacked. However, like Josh Allen coming out of Wyoming, you need to look at Levis’ junior season to see his potential. As a senior, all his best teammates left. But in the season prior, you can see his NFL-level ability.
Levis is a perfect specimen for a modern NFL QB. He is big, strong, fast, and has a rocket for an arm. And because he slipped in the draft, he went to a stable franchise with a long-standing head coach in place instead of a shaky one with a newer head man.
All this adds up to an excellent situation for Will Levis to walk into Sunday when the Titans take on the Falcons and a real opportunity to take the starting quarterback job for a long time in Nashville.
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