Titans will give Will Levis one final look before drafting his successor

The Tennessee Titans will finish out a disappointing 2024 campaign on Sunday with a tough matchup against the Houston Texans. Only one of these teams actually has something to play for, although one could argue that Tennessee has the most to lose by way of NFL Draft positioning. A win moves Tennessee in the wrong direction.

Brian Callahan's first season at the helm has been an unmitigated disaster. The Titans spent aggressively in free agency and fired an established, winning head coach in Mike Vrabel, all so Callahan could implement the offense that yielded such explosive results in Cincinnati. Well, it hasn't worked out — largely due to incompetence in the QB room.

Former second-round pick Will Levis made an impression as a rookie, but his follow-up campaign has been less endearing to an impatient fanbase. He has made 11 starts to date, completing 63.7 percent of his passes for 1,916 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Few quarterbacks have been less secure with the football. For every flash of arm talent, there's a maddening miscue that puts Tennessee in the hole.

Levis has been relegated to the bench a couple times now, including for Tennessee's Week 17 loss in Jacksonville. The only problem is, Mason Rudolph has been equally bad, maybe worse. So the Titans are stuck choosing between the lesser of two mediocrities on every Sunday. That vicious cycle should end this upcoming Sunday, thankfully.

It will be Levis who gets one last start as QB1 in Tennessee.

Will Levis gets Week 18 start for Titans — and that's probably it

There's a world in which Levis starts next season under center for Tennessee, but it's hard to imagine the Titans not seriously purusing alternatives.

The most obvious pathway is through the NFL Draft, with Tennessee currently positioned for the No. 2 overall pick. That more or less guarantees the Titans a shot at Miami's Cam Ward, should Tennessee be interested. A trade up to No. 1 could secure them Colorado's Shedeur Sanders. Or maybe the Patriots stay put, draft a position player, and give Tennessee its pick of the QB litter.

At the very least, the Titans need to install competition in the QB room. And no, Rudolph doesn't count. There should be several compelling vets available in free agency, whether it's a big-money investment like Sam Darnold or a more affordable shot in the dark, such as Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers, or Justin Fields.

Levis looked quite promising a year ago, so the Titans don't necessarily need to cut ships. He's approaching just his third NFL season and he's still on an affordable rookie contract. That said, Tennessee can no longer proceed as though the Kentucky product is the end-all, be-all in the QB room. There has to be optionality, whether it's an competition in training camp or an outright demotion.

If the Titans don't opt for Sanders or Ward at the top of the draft, other mid-round options, such as Jaxson Dart, Carson Beck, or Dillon Gabriel, could also pose a threat to Levis. Tennessee's front office will need to canvass the landscape and make a decision. The crossroads are here, though, and that decision needs to be made quickly, because Levis' sophomore campaign is among the most disappointing letdowns in recent memory.