NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee coach Brian Callahan can’t wait until the regular season starts to see just how much Titans quarterback Will Levis has improved.
The encouraging signs aren’t how the 33rd pick overall out of Kentucky in 2023 throws the ball. He’s already shown off a strong arm that allows him to throw deep all over the field. It’s Levis’ consistency with footwork, timing and accuracy he’s shown in practice.
Or the mundane basics of football.
“That maybe doesn’t look as exciting to the world when you watch him practice but really presents a smart quarterback that’s playing efficient, which is a huge part of where we were trying to make improvement,” Callahan said Wednesday.
The Titans went all-in this offseason, surrounding Levis with as much talent as possible. They signed wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd and center Lloyd Cushenberry III. General manager Ran Carthon drafted a new left tackle in JC Latham out of Alabama to better protect Levis.
Callahan also brought in his father, Bill, to coach the offensive line after Tennessee gave up 64 sacks last season. Levis took 28 of those in nine starts, going 3-6. Knowing what Callahan can do with any quarterback is why Boyd decided to sign with Tennessee, joining a receiving group headed up by DeAndre Hopkins. Boyd saw what Callahan did with Jake Browning in Cincinnati last season after Joe Burrow’s season-ending injury.
Now it’s fine-tuning timing with Levis and that strong arm for an offense that is quarterback friendly. Boyd expects Levis to flourish.
“Once you get the timing down pat, knowing the coverage and knowing where to go specifically when we call the plays, I mean, I think he going to be among the top 10 (quarterbacks).” Boyd said.
Levis took over as Tennessee’s starting quarterback last Oct. 29 and went 3-6 replacing Ryan Tannehill. From that point to season’s end, he threw 32 passes of at least 20 yards or longer. That ranked him seventh in the NFL among all quarterbacks in that span and second only to fellow rookie C.J. Stroud in Houston who had 41 such passes.
The 6-foot-4 quarterback also averaged 12.13 yards per completion, fourth among qualifying quarterbacks. Only Brock Purdy of San Francisco (13.9), Stroud (12.88) and Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (12.16) were better. Levis finished the season throwing for 1,808 yards with eight touchdown passes and four interceptions.
Levis certainly has put in the work. There’s lots of videos on social media of him working with Ridley and others between the end of Tennessee’s offseason program and the start of training camp in late July.
Callahan plans to have Levis start the preseason finale Sunday in New Orleans along with much of Tennessee’s starters to prepare for the season opener Sept. 8 in Chicago. Levis did not play in last week’s win over Seattle after consecutive days of joint practices with the Seahawks.
He should have Boyd available with the veteran returning to practice after the Titans were cautious as Boyd dealt with a bruised foot last week. Boyd has been an invaluable resource in knowing this offense so well. Levis also might get Hopkins, sidelined early by an injured knee, back for the opener.
For Levis, he said he’s been focusing on making sure to go through his progressions and take what’s available.
“I think I’ve done a better job of just taking something if it’s open on the first go-around and I might think based on how the play’s developing that that bigger shot might be open as well,” Levis said.
Hey Governor!
The Titans had a special guest at practice Wednesday. Gov. Bill Lee stopped by and watched for a few minutes before heading indoors with team president Burke Nihil. Lee helped push through the state’s portion of funding for the new Titans’ enclosed stadium currently under construction and set to open for the 2027 season.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
