3 Will Levis replacements Titans should pivot to for 2025 and beyond

The Tennessee Titans lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 10-6, on Sunday afternoon. That sentence is damning on its own, but the Titans' loss is even worse in the proper context.

Jacksonville didn't have Trevor Lawrence, who is done for the season with a shoulder injury. That meant Mac Jones was under center for the Jaguars — on the road, in Nashville. That stacked the odds in Tennessee's favor, but the Titans were not able to capitalize.

This was a supremely odd game. The Titans led 6-0 at the end of the third quarter, but Jones and the Jags offense woke up enough to drop 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. We can sit here and blame the Titans' defense for faltering down the stretch, but 10 points should never be enough to win a game. Anything resembling competence from the Titans offense would have resulted in victory.

The Jaguars defense ranks dead last in yards allowed per game, so this is a bad look all around for the Titans. The primary target of blame, however, is QB Will Levis. Such is life at the quarterback position. Levis completed 19-of-32 passes for 168 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt. He did fumble once, but the Titans recovered it.

Here are a few viable replacement options worth monitoring.

3. Daniel Jones deserves another chance away from Giants purgatory

Do you believe in second chances? Daniel Jones was recently removed from a toxic environment with the New York Giants. He was the butt of jokes and the focal point of criticism after every loss. Despite standing behind possibly the NFL's leakiest offensive line, Jones received the majority of the blame for copious sacks and rushed throws.

New York's decision to waive Jones was rooted in optics more than anything else — he's still better than Drew Lock or Tommy Devito — but it does raise questions about what the future holds for the former first-round pick. Jones has since latched on with the Vikings practice squad, but there's no future in Minnesota unless it's as the backup quarterback. It is perhaps foolish to tab Jones as a definite starter in 2025, but one has to think he deserves another chance.

It's unclear whether or not the Titans will move on from Will Levis outright next season. The upcoming draft is weak at the QB position, though, so there's a case for kicking that particular can down the road. The best course of action may be signing an established vet to challenge Levis in training camp. In short, a QB competition could be worthwhile.

Jones can at least hold a fire to Levis's feet. If Jones outperforms Levis, that at least clarifies something about the future in Tennessee. Jones probably isn't a long-term starting option, but he's a prototypical athlete for the position — 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, with mobility and an occasional canon — and he could provide a bit more stability with real pass protection and a viable playmaking corps.

2. Titans can poach the offseason's top free agent QB in Sam Darnold

Sam Darnold has the Minnesota Vikings 11-2 in his first season at the helm. One would think that's enough for Minnesota to re-sign him without a second thought, but recent top-10 pick J.J. McCarthy could lead the Vikings in a different direction. This feels like a team built around scheme and personnel, with Kevin O'Connell emerging as the NFL's top QB whisperer. Darnold is talented, but there's reason to believe Minnesota can stay afloat — even thrive — without him.

Darnold has certainly earned a nice payday in free agency, though, whether it's in Minnesota or elsewhere. The Titans should check in. For all his flaws, Darnold has proven that he can air it out with the best of 'em. He's equipped with an absolute canon, comfortable launching into traffic and leading receivers downfield on deep routes.

Brian Callahan is used to an absolute tier-one gunner in Joe Burrow. Let's not get ahead of ourselves and put Darnold in the same category as Burrow, but there are archetypal similarities. Levis just doesn't have the decision-making chops or arm talent necessary to maximize Callahan's play-calling, as evidenced by Tennessee's basement-dwelling offensive numbers.

Darnold can step in and provide a shot in the arm for Tennessee's passing attack. There is risk in removing Darnold from the mostly perfect setup he has going in Minnesota, but the Titans ought to look better next season if Darnold is taking snaps under center.

1. Titans can tank for the No. 1 pick in hopes of landing Shedeur Sanders

Tennessee dropped to 3-10 with Sunday's loss, a game behind the last-place Giants and Raiders. That means the Titans are a game out of the potential No. 1 seed, with plenty of time left to stack L's and embrace the tank. Levis's performance this season has often promoted tanking tendencies, so the Titans are sitting pretty when it comes to potential rookie QB options.

This is, again, a weak NFL Draft at the QB position, but there are a few interesting names on the board. None stand out more than Colorado sniper Shedeur Sanders, who put himself in the Heisman conversation with a dominant senior campaign for his father's team. He's not a No. 1 overall lock, depending on which team lands in that spot, but Sanders ought to be the first quarterback selected in April.

Deion Sanders probably isn't thrilled by the idea of his son toiling in Nashville, but hey — Coach Prime doesn't actually have control over his son's NFL future, contrary to popular belief. Shedeur is going to go wherever he's wanted, so Tennessee can strike gold here. Even if the Buffs QB decides to get crafty with his pre-draft visits.

The Titans, again, would benefit from a bonafide, air-it-out, capital-Q Quarterback. Sanders fits the bill. He's not super mobile and he has been the victim of a bad O-line at Colorado, but Sanders' arm talent is unparalleled in this draft and he does have tremendous self-confidence, which should play well at the next level. The Titans could use a bit of that juice right about now.