Since the Tennessee Titans turned in their draft card earlier this offseason and selected Cam Ward with the number-one pick as their quarterback of the future, questions have continued to loom around what's to come for Will Levis.
For many, the answer has looked simple for the Titans: find a trade partner to take on Levis and give him a fresh start, while fully turning the page to Ward. However, some insider intel is seeming to point Tennessee in a different direction when determining the future of their former second round pick.
According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, there's not much intrigue surrounding the Titans and Levis in trade conversations at this point in the offseason, which may inevitably slot him in as Tennessee's QB2 for the year ahead.
"They could keep Will Levis around," Fowler reported on SportsCenter. "I don't sense a lot of trade buzz right now. He's sort of entrenched as the backup, and they'll go from there."
Of course, with any trade, it takes two to tango, and without much league interest in Levis or any attempts to try and acquire him, the stage could be set for Tennessee to roll with him on the roster entering next year simply as a reserve on the depth chart.
Levis did have an up-and-down second season with the Titans, posting a 2-10 record as a starter while logging a nearly 12% sack rate and a one-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio. It's not to say there's not underlying potential in his future as an NFL quarterback, but after a gloomy previous sample size in 2024, teams are clearly hesitant to invest significant capital into him.
While the two quarterbacks are currently splitting reps as the Titans' starting signal caller at OTAs, all signs point to Ward eventually taking those responsibilities in the weeks ahead of the regular season's kickoff, as a prized number-one overall pick would be expected to do. And when that time does come, it'll be nothing short of an interesting situation for Levis to navigate.
Titans ‘impressed’ with Cam Ward ahead of QB1 battle with Will Levis
Cam Ward’s NFL dream came true last month, as the Tennessee Titans picked him with the first overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. Now, the question becomes whether he’ll be a Day 1 starter for the franchise or if he’ll have to wait his turn with the AFC South team.
The incumbent starter is Will Levis, who was a second round pick not too long ago by the Titans. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler provided the latest on their battle and how Ward has fared thus far in the NFL. It’s evident the former Miami star has the inside track to starting Week 1 for Tennessee.
“The Titans’ coaches have been really impressed with his work ethic so far,” Fowler stated, regarding the impression Ward has made in Tennessee over the past month. “They knew he was a hard worker coming in. I was told they’ve had to kick him out of the office at times, literally kick him out, because he’ll just hang out in the coach’s office, wanting to get to know the offense and get to know them and what they’re running and the whole thing. So, from a leadership component, he’s been really good.
“Even though they’ve been splitting reps, I’m told that will change. They’ll gradually give him more and more first-team reps. He’ll have every chance to be the starter for this team. They could keep Will Levis around too. I don’t sense a lot of trade buzz right now. He’s sort of entrenched as the backup, and they’ll go from there.”
All told, it’s easy to see how Ward has taken to the next level like a fish to water. He emerged as the consensus top overall pick in the draft after a stellar season with the Hurricanes, previously playing at both Washington State and Incarnate Word, as well.
The Titans’ rookie signal-caller finished his single season at Miami having been responsible for 43 touchdowns (39 passing) to go with 4,313 passing yards while finishing with the No. 1 QBR (88.8) in the country. In the 12 games that he played all four quarters, Ward threw for 300 yards or more in 10 of those matchups.
Moreover, during his prior stops along his college football journey before playing for Mario Cristobal in Coral Gables, Ward threw for nearly 7,000 yards and scored 61 touchdowns during his first two seasons with Incarnate Word at the FCS level. He would then become a more popular name in the sport, transferring to Washington State ahead of the 2022 college football season.
He’d ultimately spent two seasons with the Cougars. During his last season at Washington State, Ward completed 66.6 percent of his passes, throwing for 3,735 yards, with 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Suffice to say, Cam Ward doesn’t take long to get used to his surroundings, and he seems more prepared than anyone to take on the challenge of playing in the NFL. A special rookie season could be on the way for the Titans quarterback.
