Titans' Selection of Will Levis Named 'Favorite Pick' of 2023 NFL Draft by ESPN's Mike Tannenbaum
NASHVILLE — When the Tennessee Titans traded up to select Will Levis, it was a certainty that the move would cause some strong opinions. Levis is a polarizing prospect and the Titans have a starting quarterback on the roster in Ryan Tannehill. Turns out, most of the reaction to the decision has been positive, including Mike Tannenbaum of ESPN calling it his "favorite pick" of the 2023 NFL draft.
Tannenbaum points to the Titans' situation and current setup as a positive for Levis. It doesn't appear that Tannenbaum is in favor of playing Levis too early on in his career.
"Quarterback Will Levis to the Tennessee Titans at No. 33. The Titans have their heir apparent to quarterback Ryan Tannehill, and there is no rush to play him. Learning from Tannehill for a year is the ideal situation for Levis to develop; he threw 23 interceptions in the past two seasons and still has work to do on his game."
There is an understandable debate surrounding the Will Levis situation. Should the Titans do as Tannenbaum expects and play Tannehill for the season, allowing Levis to develop? It is a valid question.
On the other hand, playing Levis from the start allows him to gain experience while also providing the team valuable information in the evaluation of Levis going forward.
If Levis performs above expectation, the Titans will likely know they have hit on the pick. If Levis performs worse than expected, the Titans may be in a position to draft a new, higher-rated quarterback in next year's draft.
Even if the team does poorly, but Levis meets the team's expectations, it would still give them a valuable pick at the top of the draft that can be used or traded to bolster the roster around Levis.
The Titans have a decision on their hands. It is possible that decision has already been made, but there are two key factors that will make the decision for the Titans moving forward. One, how Levis performs during the summer programs and training camp. Two, if a potential Tannehill trade market materializes. Injuries occur and teams get a better sense of their roster in the summer.
Tannenbaum could be spot on and the Titans sit Levis for a season, but that is something that isn't a guarantee. We will have to see how the summer plays out before we get a true answer. At minimum, the Titans have put themselves in a position to be flexible.
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