Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis had a noteworthy rookie season. While there were some downsides, fans saw enough positives to believe he could be the future for the team.
Titans’ new head coach Brian Callahan also views Levis’ rookie campaign favorably. Callahan admitted that the team’s confidence in Levis influenced their offseason investments to strengthen the squad around him.
Despite the optimism surrounding Levis, Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema ranked the Kentucky product at No. 28 among starting quarterbacks. Here’s Sikkema’s take:
Levis didn’t start until Week 8 in 2023, but he was an entertaining gunslinger. He ended the season with 16 big-time throws and 14 turnover-worthy plays, with only two games earning a passing grade above 70.0.
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Levis’ goal for 2024 is clear: make more good throws than bad ones. He has the arm talent to succeed in the NFL, but needs better decision-making.
My philosophy is simple: rookie quarterbacks shouldn’t be ranked ahead of those who have played in the NFL. Levis’ sample size is small, but it exists.
There are rare cases where a rookie outshines a poor-performing veteran, but Levis isn’t in that category. Sikkema ranks Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams ahead of Levis, though it’s premature to say they’re better. Many hyped quarterbacks have entered the league only to fail.
Even ranking Bryce Young over Levis is questionable, given Young’s tough first season with fewer positives than Levis’. Both suffered from weak supporting casts.
Levis could potentially be ranked higher than the combination of Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett, but Brissett has at least shown he can be a competent NFL backup. However, Brissett isn’t guaranteed to start in 2024, while Levis is, making a case for Levis to be ranked higher.
No one is claiming Levis is a surefire star. He still needs to prove himself, but he has more experience than the mentioned rookies.
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