NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Will Levis returned to practice Wednesday, testing his recovery from a sprained right shoulder as the Tennessee Titans target the second-year quarterback’s return in time for Sunday’s home game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Levis said he feels good but will need to see how he progresses through the week before kickoff Sunday.
″It sucks anytime you get an injury, but especially when it’s through a body part that’s so crucial to your career, your life and what you do, it’s scary,” Levis said. “And I’m glad that I came off the field with a diagnosis that wasn’t as bad as it could have been, and I’m working through it to make sure that I can get back to where I was.”
Levis hurt his throwing shoulder Sept. 30 trying to stretch the ball out to the marker on third down in the first quarter in Miami. Mason Rudolph replaced Levis, and the Titans (1-3) beat the Dolphins 30-12 for coach Brian Callahan’s first win as a head coach. Levis tested his shoulder throwing on the sideline, wincing with each toss.
It helps that the quarterback had a similar injury once before. Levis flexed his left shoulder so reporters could see a bump pop up around the AC joint where bone covers the connection between the shoulder and collarbone, saying that was worse than his current injury. He could’ve had surgery that he called more cosmetic but didn’t.
Levis still believes he got the first down. He said he would’ve asked Callahan to challenge the ruling when he realized something happened when he landed.
“And then, as I was working it out, I realized that there was something wrong,” Levis said.
The Titans added veteran quarterback Trevor Siemian to the practice squad Wednesday. Callahan said that was insurance with a veteran he worked with in Denver and in training camp last year in Cincinnati.
“He’s been around a lot, seen a lot of football, has a lot of offenses in his brain, I’m sure,” Callahan said. “But I know Trevor well, and I trust him. And for a guy to come in and pick it up, he’s up to that task.”
The 33rd pick overall in 2023 out of Kentucky is completing 68.4% of his passes for 604 yards with four touchdown passes and six interceptions. Levis is tied with Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson for the most interceptions in the NFL.
Levis spent Tennessee’s bye receiving treatment, taking only a 48-hour break. Callahan said the key will be a quarterback with 13 starts being honest and smart about how he truly feels.
“Ultimately, as long as he feels like he can go do his job as an NFL quarterback and that’s make all the throws and be able to take hits and all those things and feel good enough that your level of play is not going to dip because of it, then let’s roll,” Callahan said.
Injury report
Two-time Pro Bowl DT Jeffery Simmons (left elbow) was listed as limited Wednesday. S Jamal Adams (hip), DL Keondre Coburn (knee) and WR Treylon Burks (personal) did not practice. S L’Jarius Sneed and WR DeAndre Hopkins both were listed as limited for rest. LB Ernest Jones (elbow) and rookie LB Cedric Gray (shoulder) also practiced fully. Gray is in the three-week window to see if he can be added to the roster off injured reserve. ___
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