Will Levis hasn't sounded thrilled about the Tennessee Titans selecting Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Frankly, it's hard to blame him; the team brought in his replacement while he's still on the roster and under contract. The big-armed quarterbacks' co-existence also creates drama no one needs heading into training camp, further exacerbating the issue, though there's an easy solution.
Why not just dump Levis? The Titans claim he'll be "competing" with Ward to be their Week 1 starter, but we know how that goes. The Washington Commanders said the same thing about veteran journeyman Marcus Mariota last summer. A handful of months later, burgeoning star Jayden Daniels took them to the NFC Championship Game as a rookie.
Talk is cheap, and keeping Levis around only delays the inevitable transfer of power to Ward. With that in mind, parting ways with the 2023 second-round pick sooner rather than later is in everyone's best interest.
The Titans should pull the plug on Will Levis experiment ASAP
Tennessee could save $1.2 million or $1.6 million by cutting or trading Levis post-June 1. So, not only would they save themselves time while avoiding a lingering headache, but the Titans also gain some financial flexibility by moving on. The odd-palated gunslinger is a holdover from the previous regime and became expendable the moment Ward's name was called in April. What's the hold-up here?
Levis was candid when speaking about his circumstances with reporters at the start of organized team activities (OTAs) in May, saying it "sucks." While he's trying to power through and "not let it affect [him]," his comments and tone suggest it already has.
.@Titans QB @will_levis with some praise for rookie QB @Cameron7Ward. pic.twitter.com/aNfCgLj7U3
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) May 28, 2025
Referring to an adult three years younger than you as a "kid" is petty sign of frustration, especially with such a blatant lack of enthusiasm. Whether Levis likes it or not, Ward's the new face of the franchise. The former must get with the program or get lost.
It's not like Levis hasn't had a chance to prove himself as the Titans' long-term signal-caller. He's made 21 starts in his first two seasons in the league, so there's a considerable amount of tape on him. The rising third-year pro has shown flashes, but mostly demonstrated erratic accuracy and a high propensity for taking sacks or turning the ball over.
In 2024, Levis completed 63.1 percent of his throws with a 13-to-12 touchdown-to-interception ratio. His 11.99 and four percent sack and pick rates were the second and third-worst in football, respectively. He was also near the bottom in passer rating (81.4).